Little Brington Church

Little Brington church is notable for having a spire but no nave. Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer (1798–1857) built the church of St John as a chapel of ease and a memorial to his first wife, the former Elizabeth Georgina Poyntz whom he had married in 1830.

By the 1940s, the church had fallen into a state of disrepair, mainly because of a leaking roof. The main body of the church was demolished after the war in 1947. At the request of the Air Ministry, however, the distinctive tower with its octagonal spire was spared. It had become a landmark to navigators and likely serves the same purpose today. The spire can be seen for many miles in every direction and is invariably a mystery to passersby; the narrow entrance to the circular staircase within the tower has been sealed up to deter vandals.