Hillside view of the church of St Mary's

Locally the church of St Mary the Virgin is known as the 'church on the hill', due to its position on a hilltop location . First built in the 13th Century St Mary's has undergone many changes and restorations through the centuries. Churches were often built on hills for many reasons. Some originate from fortified sites where sightlines across the landscape were necessary, but most served as a landmark and so needed to be seen from miles around. A church's height can also serve a spiritual function of reaching towards heaven in the sky, and from a practical standpoint they are less likely to be affected by floods.