St Peter's Church, Wooton Wawen

Considered to be a "storybook in stone," Warwickshire's oldest church reflects its rich history with buttresses at odd angles, Saxon windows and remnants of a tithe barn.

It dates back to the first decades of the eighth century as is proved by the charter of Aethelbald which mentions the minster which then existed in the area and founded by Aethelric. It was first established as a missionary church for spreading the Christian faith to the surrounding areas and was in the hands of the Benedictine monks at that time.

This church was built on the "Wudu Tun" (Wootton) estate near the river Alne which still meanders through the tranquil countryside. As was common practice at that time the original structure was of timber with the characteristic thatched roof but this was later replaced by a less precarious structure in stone. Part of this stone structure still survives.