Old Market Town Church, England

This small but beautiful Old Market Town Church is located in a rural hamlet in England. I explored this location, and many other hidden English treasures, during the summer of 2020 UK Road Trips.

History of the Old Market Town Church

The church dates back to the 13th Century, with the tower added in the middle 14th Century. At this time this area was a market town. The small but faithful flock of Christians worshipped here. Subsequently, the market relocated to another town 5 miles away. As a result, this settlement began to depopulate and shrink. Nowadays, it is only a hamlet of a few houses and this simple church.

The footprint of the Old Market Town Church is 140m squared; although it is small it is certainly charming. It is built from greenstone and limestone with more recent red brick additions. There is a western tower and a south-facing entrance. The nave is just over 10m long, with enough seating for around 80 people. There have been several restoration periods during the 18th and 19th centuries, which included a re-build of the chancel and extensive roof re-leading.

It is not clear when the last service was held, but it seems likely it closed in the late 20th century. Reports during the early 2010s noted the church was “neglected” at this time. Around the same time, the roof lead was stolen. In the decade between then and my visit in 2020, the church has decayed significantly.

Renovated as a bed and breakfast late 2020 or early 2021

As I looked online for information for my article on this Old Market Town Church, I came upon a surprise! A new pink icon of a bed in Google Maps; this church is now classed bed and breakfast! The satellite view and Streetview still show a dilapidated state, but do indeed show an early stage of clearing overgrowth from the entrance. I look forward to seeing the renovated exterior when the satellites and Streetview cars catch up!