St Mary's Church, Bepton

In the Domesday Book, this little village is named as Babintone - Babo's Tone or Enclosure - which gradually evolved to Bepton. The first church on this site was in 700AD, a wooden building dedicated to St Mary, Mother of Jesus. Obviously, being wooden, no trace remains but the font from it is just inside the door. How amazing is that, over 1300 years-worth of babies baptised in it. The church still has two of its three original bells dated 1589 and 1636.

The present building dates from 1180, built by the Normans, one of the most ancient churches I've ever been in. Much restored over the centuries, it received a grant in 1878 of £10 to restore the church and its seating, which by that time was all free for every parishioner.

The sun shining through this plain window, lighting up the back of the church, was my shot of the day.