[Illustration:  TOWER, ILMINSTER.]

Proceeding along the London road over Windwhistle and St. Rayne’s Hills, and with delightful views by the way, Crewkerne is reached in eight miles from Chard.  This is a pleasant little market town of no great interest apart from its noble fifteenth-century cruciform church which has an uncommonly fine west front, with empty niches, alas! but beautiful nevertheless.  The porch is another interesting feature of its exterior.  Here are quaint figures of musicians playing upon various instruments.  At the end of the south transept is a small chamber, the actual purpose of which is unknown; it may well have been the cell of an anchorite.

The first impression on entering the church is one of light and airiness, due to the size and number of the windows, of which that at the west end is the finest.  The wooden groining of the tower is curious, and the base of the walls show the existence of a former building that lacked the present aisles.  The ancient font belongs to the older structure.  A figure of St. George, that was once outside and over the west window where the dragon is still in situ, two old chests, and a number of brasses complete the list of interesting objects within.  To the north of the church are the old buildings of the grammar school, now removed to a site outside the town to the east.

About two miles to the north is the curious old church of Merriott, built during several periods.  The extraordinary carving over the vestry door called the “fighting cocks” is in the eyes of the villagers its chief merit!  There are also some interesting gargoyles and a very ancient crucifix.  A mile farther is the pleasant village of Hinton St. George.  The fine village cross, though much mutilated, still retains enough of its former splendour to make us regret the many we have lost.  The old thatched house known as the “Priory” is a delightful building.  Hinton House is the home of the Pouletts, a famous family who came originally from the North Somerset sea-lands.  Part of the house dates from the reign of Henry VIII.  The family came into prominence about that time, for a member named Amyas was knighted after the fight at Newark.  He became more famous still perhaps for his collision with Wolsey when the latter was a young man, for he had the misfortune to put the future great prelate in the stocks!  The family became pronounced Protestants and one of the grandsons of Amyas was gaoler of Mary Queen of Scots.  These beruffed and torpedoe-bearded Elizabethans are in Hinton Church, a fine and dignified building that, like many other Somerset churches, is more imposing outside than within.