Barton on the Heath grew up around a substantial 18th century red brick rectory, easily visible from the village green, and a lovely late 16th century manor house and, of course, the estates that went along with them. Probably all the working population of the village was involved in the local agriculture, whether that be arable or stock farming, or more likely both.

These days farming requires virtually no workforce so inevitably the residents of villages like this are either retired, working from home, or commute elsewhere for a living.

The Manor house, views of which can be gained from the village green as well as from the churchyard, is said to have been altered and restored in the early 17th century by Inigo Jones, the father of modern architecture in England and Wales, and the first to introduce the classical architecture of Rome and the Italian Renaissance to Britain.

The small but beautiful church, just south of the Manor house, is early 12th century in date, with alterations, as usual, through the centuries.

It is dedicated to St Lawrence, a man celebrated as one of Rome’s most important martyrs. He was thought to have been roasted on a gridiron in 258 AD, but It’s more likely that he was beheaded in that year and venerated since the 4th century.

On the North wall of the church is a window showing some of the gridiron symbol of St Lawrence. This was probably moved from the East window above the alter which was replaced in the early 14th century with what you see today.