Langham brings together striking architectural history and a distinctive natural space in the churchyard. The Church of St Peter and St Paul, the carved village cross and Old Hall span different periods; the former brewery and an old bridge tell further chapters of the village’s story. In the churchyard, a wildflower meadow has been created, with mown paths running through areas managed in different ways. Langham thus offers visitors a chance to explore both local history and plant life.

Church, Churchyard and Village Cross

The Church of St Peter and St Paul stands on Church Street and is a Grade I listed building. The whole village of Langham and part of its surroundings lie within a Conservation Area. There are also 40 listed buildings; this number may change if designations are revised. These protections give the village a distinct historical character, although its various sights do not all have the same origins.

The churchyard has two entrance gates from Church Street and another access point on Well Street. Access arrangements may change; check them before your visit. The village cross stands in its north-eastern corner. It was probably moved there in the mid-17th century. Its simple, carved arcading bears witness to the cross’s early medieval age and the quality of its craftsmanship. Its location and design show two different periods: the cross’s early origins and its later relocation within the churchyard.

Buildings and Traces of the Village’s History

Old Hall also brings together different building phases. Its core dates from 1665; between 1925 and 1930, the building was extensively extended by Goodhart Rendel. The time between the original core and the later additions makes its architectural history a subject in its own right alongside the older ecclesiastical monuments.

Another trace of local history leads to Langham Brewery. Richard Westbrook Baker founded the brewery in 1858; after several changes of ownership, it closed in 1999. Ruddle Way was built on the site of the former brewery. Here, the village’s history can be traced not only through older buildings but also through the former use of a site.

The village walk includes a bridge over the stream. It was originally a medieval packhorse bridge. During its reconstruction in 1999, the original building material was retained beneath the new structure. This contrast between the surviving structure and the later reconstruction adds another example of how older buildings have been treated to the architectural history of Old Hall and the village cross.

Wildflower Meadow and Guided Village Walk

A wildflower meadow was created in 2019 on the site of older, unattended graves in the churchyard to help conserve native plants and insects. It consists of unmown areas and areas cut once a year, with mown footpaths running through them. More than 100 species of vascular plants grow in the churchyard. New surveys may change this species count, and the meadow’s management may also change. For visitors, the meadow offers a different way to experience Langham from its historic buildings, with a focus on plants, insects and the design of the churchyard.

A guided village walk visits places of interest and points of local history. Check in advance whether the walk is available. Another local tradition is to scatter hay in the church aisles on the patronal feast day; this does not indicate a current event date.

The church contains an illuminated manuscript about Simon de Langham. He was born in Langham around 1310 and elected Archbishop of Canterbury in 1366. The connection between his birthplace, later office and the manuscript adds a biographical perspective on the village to its architectural and landscape themes.

Discover more destinations: Greetham, Cottesmore, Morcott, Ashwell, Clipsham, Seaton, Oakham, Lyddington.

For the regional travel overview: Rutland.