St Mary's Church

The church sits right in Brewood village, a proper medieval structure that catches you off guard with its sheer presence among the ordinary high street shops and cottages. St Mary's has the kind of quiet authority that only seven centuries of standing in one spot can give you.

Inside, the nave is bright and spacious, with that particular smell of old stone and furniture polish that seems to belong exclusively to English parish churches. The tower dates back to the 14th century, which means it's watched over more than six hundred years of village life. There's decent stained glass work and some interesting monuments scattered about if you're into that sort of thing.

This is really one for the walk-around-the village crowd rather than dedicated church spotters. You can be in and out in twenty minutes, though if you're the type to read every inscription and examine the architectural details, give yourself longer. Most of the holiday parks - Copper Beech Glamping and Oakland just down the road - are close enough that you could wander over on foot before heading back for lunch.

Brewood itself is worth an afternoon. It's got enough character to make it worth lingering, with some good pubs and a proper village feel. St Mary's is the sort of stop that fills a gap in an itinerary rather than being the main event, but it's free to visit and genuinely worth five minutes if you're passing through.