St. Mary's Church, Nether Alderley, Cheshire, England

To anyone passing along the A34 en route to bigger conurbations, Nether Alderley might be scarcely noticeable apart from signage along the road. With the forthcoming Alderley Edge bypass (being built as I write this), those passersby will see even less of whatever there is to be seen. While it might be a pity for anyone to miss out on seeing a pleasant scattering of houses, most probably are not that way inclined anyway and the reduction in traffic only can help improve the quality of life around here, no bad thing at all.

It may seem diminutive these days but that hasn't stopped Nether Alderley getting mentioned in the Domesday Book and, even now, it features some worthy landmarks. Included among these is its church, St. Mary's, a building that dates from the fourteenth century and has benefited over the centuries from the patronage of powerful local families like the Stanleys and the Davenports.