Welcome to one of the smallest churches still holding services

Nestled between Porlock Weir and Lynton on the Exmoor coast is the tiny hamlet of Culbone, a place not accessible by car but familiar to people on the South West Coast Path.

It's here you'll find the tiny St Beuno's Church, which has no electricity or running water and only seats 40 people. People visiting it have to park a mile-and-a-half away and walk through woodland to reach the site.

But this is no stone relic - services are still held here in one of the smallest parish churches in England still open to worshippers.

Once a place of refuge for people with leprosy, it also contains a seat reserved for Ada Lovelace, a local resident and the woman described as the mother of modern computing.

Jeremy Payne, church warden, explained in the 16th Century, there would have been around 90 people living in the area due to it being a leper colony.

"The lepers were distanced from the general public to protect them because there's no cure," he told BBC Radio Somerset.

"In there own funny little way, they were quite prosperous doing charcoal burning. They found a way to survive."

Mr Payne also pointed out a feature on the church called Leper's Squint, where locals would be able to receive communion, without having to enter the church itself.

But despite its dark past, he added the atmosphere at the church is one of "quite deep spirituality and solitude".

St Beuno's is one of the smallest working parish churches in the country, and still holds services once a month.

"The maximum capacity is supposed to be about 40 - in extreme discomfort - but we've had far more than that for weddings and funerals for example," said Mr Payne.

"We have no electricity, no running water - it just stands up by itself."

Ada Lovelace was a regular at the church when she lived just up the road in Ashley Combe House.

Mr Payne said the Lovelace family pew still sits on the right hand side of the church.

Deborah Stanyon, manager of the nearby Porlock Information Centre, said the proximity of Culbone was one of the reasons she decided to settle in the area.

She said she discovered it in 1982 when some friends of hers moved into Culbone Lodge, adding in those days it was possible to drive into the area.

"No matter where I've lived in the country, I've always come back," she said.

Ms Stanyon added she often makes the annual pilgrimage to the church for its "absolutely superb" Christmas service.

"All the candles are lit... and it's packed, and very often all of the congregation will take part in telling that whole nativity story.

"The atmosphere is simply magical"

The next service at the church will be held on the first weekend of May.