Set amid the limestone cottages and quiet lanes of Helpston, St Botolph’s Church is a graceful medieval building that has stood at the heart of village life for centuries. Its tower and nave date largely from the 12th and 13th centuries, and its interior holds a calm, timeless atmosphere shaped by generations of worshippers.
The church is most famously associated with the poet John Clare, born in Helpston in 1793. He was baptised and later buried here, and visitors can still see his simple grave in the churchyard—often adorned with wildflowers in tribute to his love of nature. Inside, a dedicated Clare corner includes displays and memorials honouring his work and connection to the landscape he described so vividly.