I forgot to mention St. Nicholas, Ingrave, an unexpected stop on yesterday’s church crawl: a strange, rugged, pure brick church of 1734, a most unlikely date for its style – but an argument in favour of Giles Worsley’s view that the eighteenth century should be viewed not in terms of linear stylistic development, but a more diverse aesthetic pluralism.

The church is thought to have been designed by Robert Petre, the local landowner.  It’s possible.  He would have been only twenty one, but had already been on the grand tour, got married in St. Paul’s, and taken over the management of his family’s house, Thorndon Hall, which he was busy replanning.  His principal enthusiasm was for botany, growing rare species in the magnificent hothouses:-