Beneath the granite and Portland stone of St Mary's Catholic Church lurks not coffins, cobwebs or relics but an altogether more lively venue: the "outstanding" rated Crypt Pre-school.
In term time the former crypt of this Victorian church reverberates to the sound of toddlers having fun while also getting teaching Ofsted calls "highly effective". The walls and low ceilings are covered with the children's work, world maps and - for the moment - a long sheet of paper peppered with small muddy footprints.
"The kids recently went through mud to make footprints on this big roll of paper," explains Theresa Tuffery, the Crypt's manager. "We try to make it fun for the children. Our ethos is learning through play."
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