The best walks and hikes around Cheselbourne

Who doesn't like working up an appetite when out walking? Have a little play on the swing then chill and have snack and a read on the many logs.... but not this log, this is my log. find your own!!

If you enjoy buildings that look like they’re wearing "pinstriped pajamas," Clenston ManorClick to open side panel for more information is your architectural soulmate. This Grade I listed superstar is famous for its "banding"—alternating layers of flint and stone that make it the most fashionable house in the valley. The Manor: It dates back to the 16th century and features a rare long gallery where Tudor residents presumably practiced their indoor power-walking during rainy Dorset winters. The Vibe: It’s private, posh, and so pretty it makes nearby houses look like they aren't even trying. Right next door sits the Great Barn, a massive 16th-century structure with a timber roof so complex it puts IKEA furniture to shame. The Scale: It’s roughly the size of a small cathedral, built for storing enough grain to feed a medieval army (or one very hungry local). The Roof: It features incredible hammerbeam trusses that have been holding steady since before the invention of the toasted sandwich.

* It lies southeast of the deserted medieval village of Bingham's Melcombe, the remains of which can still be seen in the surrounding fields.

* Architectural Features: The church exhibits features typical of the 14th and 15th centuries, including reticulated tracery in some windows, ogee-headed lights, and a tower with an embattled parapet. The south chapel has panel tracery. * Interior Elements: Inside, you can find a Norman font (brought from a nearby chapel in 1951), a pulpit bought in 1723, and 17th-century communion rails. A unique feature is a stuffed owl intended to deter bats! * Horsey Chapel Screen: The oak screen separating the Horsey Chapel from the nave is particularly interesting, featuring the initials S.T.F. (for Sir Thomas Freke) and the date 1619 on the reverse. Location and Setting: * The church is situated in the grounds of Bingham's Melcombe, a significant medieval manor house.

A church has stood on this site since at least 1150 AD, with records dating back to that time held in the County Museum Library. * 14th Century Core: The present stone and flint building largely dates back to the mid-14th century. This includes the nave and the lower stage of the west tower. * 15th Century Additions: The upper stage of the tower and the rebuilding of the south (Horsey) chapel occurred in the 15th century. The Horsey Chapel is separated from the nave by a notable oak screen. * 19th Century Chancel: The chancel was added in 1844 and features a window with reticulated tracery, in keeping with some of the earlier styles.

notable for being one of the first planned settlements in England. In the 1770s, the owner of Milton Abbey, Joseph Damer (later Lord Milton and Earl of Dorchester), decided the original village of Middleton was spoiling his view and commissioned architect Sir William Chambers and landscape gardener Capability Brown to design a new village in a nearby wooded valley. The old village was demolished, and most of its residents were relocated to this new model village, now known as Milton Abbas. The village is characterized by its single, sinuous main street lined with 36 almost identical whitewashed and thatched cottages. These were originally designed to house two families each.

The church was built in 1786. This was during the creation of the new village of Milton Abbas by Joseph Damer, the Earl of Dorchester. He had the original market town of Milton (or Middleton), which was too close to his mansion (now Milton Abbey School), demolished and a new model village constructed to house his estate workers. * Replacing an Older Church: There was an earlier St James' Church serving the parish before the new village was built. Its exact location is uncertain, though some speculate it might have been near the south door of Milton Abbey. Registers of this earlier church date back to 1650. * Materials from the Abbey: It is believed that some of the materials used to build St James' Church came from the demolished abbey barn. * Victorian Enhancements: In 1886, the church underwent significant alterations. The chancel was enlarged, the chancel and tower arches were rebuilt, and a south aisle was added.

The present St James Church (grade 2 listed) is located in the centre of The Street in the ‘new’ village of Milton Abbas. It was built in the 1780’s and consecrated in 1786. The church is open daily