Chertsey Abbey

The ruins of Chertsey Abbey sit quietly on the edge of town, a scattering of flint and stone that's easy to walk past if you're not paying attention. Founded in 666 AD, this was once a proper power player in medieval England - the sort of place that mattered. What remains now is mostly foundations and fragments, but there's something rather moving about standing where monks would have walked for eight centuries before Henry VIII's lot tore it all down.

You're looking at what survives of the abbey church and some domestic buildings, laid out across a small public site near the River Thames. It's free to access and takes about half an hour to properly look round, though if you're genuinely into Anglo-Saxon history you could spend longer piecing together what the place would have been. The interpretive boards help, though they're not always in perfect condition.

Families with teenagers studying medieval history will find it worthwhile. Younger kids might find it a bit abstract - crumbling stones without much to touch or interact with can feel dull. Walkers benefit more, using it as a stop on a Thames-side ramble between Chertsey town and Laleham. The camping sites clustered nearby - Chertsey Camping and Caravanning Club Site is practically on your doorstep - make it a natural addition to a caravan holiday in the area. Don't expect grand ruins like you'd see down south; this is subtler, quieter territory. Worth a detour if you're already in Chertsey, but not a reason to plan your entire trip around.