The church of the Holy Innocents, Highnam was constructed between 1849 and 1851 at the request of
Thomas Gambier Parry in memory of his first wife and those of his children who died at an early age. The church was designed by
Henry Woodyer in a Gothic style. Gambier-Parry adorned the whole of the chancel, including the roof, and much of the nave with frescoes using a new "
spirit fresco" method he adapted from his study of Italian
fresco painters. The church has been described by Sir
John Betjeman as "The most complete Victorian Church in this country". In
Simon Jenkins' book ''England's Thousand Best Churches'', Holy Innocents was rated in the "Top 100" with four stars. A major restoration of the church and frescoes was completed in 1994. The
Grade I listed church forms an ensemble with its listed Church Lodge, Rectory, Memorial Hall and Old Schoolhouse on the edge of the park of Highnam Court. Although unringable, the tower contains the world's heaviest
ring of three bells, cast by
Charles & George Mears in 1850. ==Governance==