With vineyards set in gorgeous countryside across the country, it’s easy to combine discovering great architecture and social heritage with a tastebud tingling tasting session.
Twyford’s impressive church is set in a big, tree dotted churchyard in which there is a cross of very early date, probably 13th century, with remains of arcading and carved figures. Nearby are acres of neat vines laden with many varieties of plump grapes ripening in the warm sun at Stanlake Park Wine Estate.
Situated amongst the rolling chalk hills of the Cambridgeshire downs, St Mary’s stands on an ancient site, distinguished an ancient yew tree, perhaps 4000 years old and may have a history connected with the Christian community at ancient Ariconium. Close by, Chilford Hall Vineyard is also one of the oldest in England, planting of the first vines took place in 1972.
Nestled deep in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds the churchyard site was an ancient burial ground going back to Anglo Saxon times. By 1080 Benedictine monks from Cormeilles, in Normandy, had arrived, establishing the first church. It is now close to Three Choirs, one of England's oldest vineyards with its vines draped across 75 acres of south facing slopes.
Despite heavy Victorian influence, this Herefordshire church contains many intriguing historical features, including the Bishops Frome beasts! The church is close to Frome Valley Vineyard, on the banks of the river Frome on a south facing slope surrounded by orchards, hop yards and rolling meadows.
Set in the beautiful Kent countryside, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an unusual and attractive Tudor building built in 1516-17 to replace a medieval chapel destroyed by fire when the hamlet of Small Hythe was burnt to the ground. Close by is Chapel Down winery, makers of award winning sparkling and still wines.
The church stands on a sandstone ridge and is away for the village, safe from the valley of the river Teise which floods each winter. The church is an ‘old friend’ and there is evidence of a church on this site in Saxon times, consecrated on the 29th September 998. It’s close to Lamberhurst Vineyard, one of the oldest vineyards in Kent, set amongst 20 acres of beautiful countryside.
A little weather boarded chapel that was once a barn. It sits within the Surrey North Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and close to the 627 acre Denbies Wine Estate, producing award winning wines.
There has been a place of worship on the site since Saxon times when Church Lane was part of the Saxon village of Wolcnested, later Walkingstead. The church of St Nicholas lies half a mile from the village of Godstone, Surrey, close to Godstone Vineyards where the light morning mists, combined with the relatively cool microclimate at the foot of the gently sloping North Downs Way, allows grapes to develop wonderful aromas.
A place of continuous worship in Sussex since the early half of the 13th century. As the UK's oldest organic vineyard, Sedlescombe, established in 1979, naturally has a rich heritage in this deeply historic area of England.
All Saints is a fine, ancient building. The Dauntsey chapel in the south transept has two fine 17th century marble Danvers monuments. Wiltshire’s largest vineyard is nearby, the a’Beckett’s, who also offer their 11 acres of vine rows for open air services.
The Minster church of St Denys is the oldest church in Warminster, standing stands near the site of the original Saxon church. The area, known as 'The Deverills' lies in the upper reaches of the beautiful Wylye Valley of Wiltshire and is the ideal place to have a vineyard taking its name from the valley itself.
With views to the stunning Malvern Hills, Wiltshire, many visitors come to St Wulstan’s cemetery to pay their respects to Sir Edward Elgar who is buried there with other members of his family. Nearby Lovell’s Vineyard wines are named in his honour, one of Britain’s greatest composers.
The church is the sole surviving structure from the former priory. Most impressive is the magnificent east window with glass by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris which has a claim to be the best stained glass in north or west Yorkshire. The Yorkshire Heart Vineyard was born from a love of making wine from the fruits found in hedgerows and gardens nearby.
