Heart Church (City Site)

The Heart Church in Nottingham is one of those places that stops you mid-stride. It's a working church with genuine character - the kind of building that makes you understand why people bothered to construct proper architecture in the first place, rather than just throwing up any old structure.

What you're looking at is a Victorian-era church with real presence. The interior rewards a quiet look round - the sort of visit that takes twenty minutes or forty depending on how much you want to sit and absorb the atmosphere. It's free to pop in during opening hours, which is how churches tend to work, though you'd want to check ahead as times vary.

This works best for anyone interested in church architecture or Nottingham's development as a city. It's not a massive tourist pull - you won't find coach parties here - which is rather the point. Families with younger kids might find twenty minutes plenty before restlessness sets in.

The real advantage is location. You're in Nottingham proper, so combine it with the city's other sights without any faff. If you're based at one of the nearby campsites - Holme Pierrepont is barely two and a half miles away - the church slots neatly into a city exploration day. Park the car, walk into the city centre, tick off a few buildings including this one, then head back.

Go on a weekday morning if you can. Quieter, better light through the windows, and you'll actually feel like you're visiting a church rather than squeezing past other tourists.