Steeple church

A typical English country church, buried deep in the quiet Purbeck valley, has an unexpected connection with the USA. Edward Lawrence of Creech Grange married an Agnes Washington, so the Washington coat of arms, which was based on a pattern of stars and stripes, was quartered with that of the Lawrences. The Lawrences moved to Steeple, where these arms appear on several carvings in the church. A Washington relative of Agnes emigrated to Virginia and became the great-grandfather of George Washington who, it is claimed, based the American flag on his forebears’ coat of arms.

Another feature of the church, whose oldest part is 900 years old, is a rare barrel organ. Installed in 1858, it was used to accompany hymns.

Nearest postcode: BH20 5DF
OS reference: SY911809
What3words: broom.buzzing.barstool