Springwood column

Drive east from Royston and you'll spot this rather austere Victorian column rising up from the Essex countryside. It's a memorial to local bigwig Samuel Springwood, a 19th-century benefactor, and honestly it's more of a roadside curiosity than a major draw. The column itself stands alone in fairly ordinary farmland - there's no visitor centre, no interpretation boards, just the monument itself and whatever story you bring to it.

You'll spend five minutes looking at it, maybe ten if you're the type who photographs every stone monument. There's no admission fee that we know of, and you can view it from the road or walk closer if you're after the full experience. Historians and monument enthusiasts might find it worth a detour, but casual visitors? You'll probably prefer to spend your time at one of the nearby holiday parks - Hidden Gem Glamping is outstanding and only 4.5 miles away, and Pightle Farm Campsite offers decent camping another couple of miles further.

If you're staying in the area and fancy a bit of local history wandering, it's a reasonable add-on to a morning drive. Bring a camera if you're into Victorian architecture. Kids won't get much from it unless they're already interested in heritage sites. The real appeal here is knowing what it is and why it's there - the column itself is rather plain, truth be told.