Villagers are celebrating after their church was declared top of the league.

St John the Baptist Church in Danbury, near Chelmsford, which has stood on the hill since 1233, has been named a Grade One listed building.

Now it is hoped the upgrade will help put the church, and the village, on the map.

The Rev Dr Graham Blyth said the move was really "exciting" for everyone involved.

"In the three and a half years I've been here, we've been constantly looking at how to maximise the impact of this tremendous building. The history and heritage are real gifts, sometimes I think we don't realise here in the village just what a jewel is in our midst," said Dr Blyth.

It is hoped, with work already under way on a new church history for a future guide book, the church will pull in more tourists and historians to the village.

Noted for its wooden carved animals inside, it is most famous for the Knights of Danbury that lie inside - three effigies which draw visitors from all over the country and are believed to date back as far as 1272.

The fact the church has been named a listed building means it is now protected and would be eligible for grants should any work need to be carried out.

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