All Saints' Church, Minstead

• A three-decker pulpit, partly 17th century, with separate levels once used by the parish clerk, the Scripture reader and the preacher.
• Forest-oak pews, mostly 17th century, plus private family pews fitted with fireplaces.
• Two galleries and a south transept enlarged to seat estate workers, giving the interior an almost domestic, layered feel.
• An old font, described in the church's own history as thought to be Saxon and in heritage records as a Purbeck stone font of around 1200, carved with Christ, the Agnus Dei, eagles and lions. It spent more than 200 years buried in the vicarage garden before being returned in the 19th century.
• Later additions worth spotting: a 1683 porch, a 1774 tower, a north room used as a family pew and schoolroom, and a 19th-century vestry.
• Stained glass that visitors consistently single out as a highlight when there is good light.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his wife are buried here, and the grave is the main reason many people come.

• The Conan Doyle grave is genuinely hard to find without looking carefully; allow extra time and expect to circle the churchyard.
• The site is compact, so it works best combined with the surrounding village and forest rather than as a standalone destination.
• Interior access is not guaranteed at any given moment, so build in flexibility if seeing the pulpit and pews is your main aim.