St Helen's Church

The tower at St Helen's catches your eye well before you reach Boston - a sturdy medieval structure that's been marking the Lincolnshire flatlands for centuries. Once you're inside, the church itself is a proper slice of English ecclesiastical history, with enough architectural detail to keep anyone interested in old buildings occupied for a good hour or so.

The interior has that worn, lived-in quality you get in parish churches that have been in continuous use since medieval times. Stone floors, wooden pews worn smooth by generations, and the kind of light that filters through old glass - it's all rather affecting if you're into that sort of thing. The tower climb is worth doing if your knees are up for it, giving you views across the fens that explain why this church mattered so much to Boston's medieval merchants.

It's the sort of visit that appeals to history enthusiasts and architecture types far more than it will to restless children. Allow an hour if you're thorough, less if you're just passing through. The church is free to enter, though opening hours seem to vary - worth checking locally before making the trip.

If you're camping nearby - Wood Farm is barely a mile away, and Bainside House about two and a half - St Helen's makes an easy detour when you're exploring the Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape. It's not going to be the highlight of your holiday, but it's exactly the kind of quiet, unhurried discovery that makes a camping break feel properly restful.