We have a village church near Bude that I'm told has remarkable bench ends, at Launcells, I'm ashamed to say that' I've never investigated!

Cheers, Steve. Went to Launcells years ago & got some bad pics, so thanks for the reminder. Nice wall paintings too. St. Swithin's I think - St. Swithin's day on Tuesday - here's hoping! Bude? That rings a bell too - pasties probably... Must check out that Minehead train though (remembering I'll be with my missus who can only take so much!) BUT, coincidentally, and wondrously, earlier today I was just reading about Minehead in Arthur C Clarke's intro to The Sentinel. I trust there's a blue plaque??

I have known several atheists who have ended up as "believers",

It's not a matter of belief, Ache - it's a matter of simply dying and being at one with the material Godless universe from which we sprung. As Carl Sagan said - we are star stuff. Thus we are born, and thus we die. This is what we are. This is what we do. With that in mind, we live with open & joyful hearts.