St Andrew’s Church is found on the corner, where the road bends sharply through the village, with its prominent triple bell cote towering over the village trees.

As well as being the home of a historic church, the village’s history is closely tied to Bothal Castle, a historic and impressive structure that has its origins before the Norman Conquest. In 1343, it was transformed into a fortified manor house with a prominent gatehouse.

The estate passed through several notable families, including the Bertram and Ogle families, before coming into the possession of the Cavendish-Bentinck family (Dukes of Portland) in the 16th century. The castle is now a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It remains in very good condition, but is a private residence and is only occasionally open to the public.

But the castle is an entirely different topic. Let’s look at the church!