St Peter's Church

The ruins of St Peter's Church stand on the cliffside near Withernsea like a reminder of how quickly the sea can win. This medieval structure, dating back centuries, has been slowly surrendered to coastal erosion - what remains is a haunting fragment of brick and stone that tells the story of a whole community that once thrived here before the North Sea claimed it all.

You're looking at what happens when a church outlasts its village. The building gradually collapsed as the cliffs crumbled beneath it, and now you can wander around the exposed foundations and walls to piece together how it once stood. It's not a grand experience - there's no visitor centre, no reconstructed arches - but that's precisely what makes it compelling. Archaeologists and history buffs will find genuine interest in the fragmentary evidence of medieval life here, while anyone with a taste for dramatic coastal landscapes and a bit of melancholy will appreciate the sheer strangeness of standing in the remains of a place that refused to relocate until nature forced the issue.

The walk itself is straightforward and free, taking maybe 20-30 minutes if you're dawdling. Best visited when the tide's out, obviously, and do check conditions first - the cliffs are unstable and access can be restricted. It pairs well with a broader East Yorkshire coast day, and staying at Parkdean Resorts Withernsea Sands Holiday Park puts you practically on the doorstep. Families with older kids will get something from it; younger ones might find it a bit too abstract.