Teignmouth Methodist Church

The Methodist Church in Teignmouth is a proper piece of Victorian architecture sitting quietly in the town centre, just a short walk from Dawlish. If you've got even a passing interest in 19th-century nonconformist design, it's worth stopping by - the building itself tells you plenty about how seriously the Methodist movement took things back then.

What you're looking at is solidly constructed red brick with the kind of honest detailing that Victorians did rather well when they weren't being flashy. The interior has that familiar chapel feel - high ceilings, good proportions, a real sense of purpose. It's not a showstopper like some cathedral, but that's rather the point. This was a working church for ordinary people, and it still functions as one.

You won't need more than half an hour here, if that. It's the sort of place you visit because you're already in Teignmouth for the seafront rather than making a special journey. Opening hours can be hit or miss with smaller churches - best to check locally or try your luck on a Sunday morning. Admission is free, naturally.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Lady's Mile, Golden Sands, or Dawlish Sands are all within easy reach - it slots in nicely as part of a wandering afternoon round the town. Combine it with the seafront and perhaps a cream tea, and you've got a proper seaside morning sorted.