North Somerset

North Somerset is peppered with quaint villages that have altered little in the last couple of hundred years. It does not have any big attractions but this means it is a good example of unspoilt, rural Britain.

The village of Churchill is made up of stone buildings, far and away the most imposing of these being Churchill Court, a privately owned property that once belonged to the ancestors of Winston Churchill. The village is close to Dolebury Camp, an interesting Iron Age earthwork.

The village of Banwell takes its name from an ancient well that was believed to have healing properties, though unfortunately it no longer exists. The church is one of the finest in the region and in nearby caves the pre historic remains of a lion like creature were found.

The curiously named Chew Magna is a very attractive place, which is criss-crossed by a number of streams and so boasts some quaint bridges. A mile outside the village is the beautiful Chew Valley Lake.