Woodbridge, St Mary the Virgin

St Mary the Virgin sits right in Woodbridge town centre, a proper medieval church that's been watching over this Suffolk market town since the 12th century. The interior is what draws you in - soaring timber roof, decent stained glass, and the kind of light that catches you off guard on a grey afternoon. It's the sort of place where you understand why people bothered building these things.

If you're into church architecture or local history, you'll spend a good hour poking about. Families with younger kids might find twenty minutes is the limit unless they're genuinely interested. The churchyard's pleasant for a wander too, though it's not sprawling.

Woodbridge itself is a lovely spot - the riverside walk is genuinely good, and there's enough cafes and shops to make an afternoon of it. Several caravan and glamping sites sit within a couple of miles, including Woodbridge Glamping just half a mile away and Moon & Sixpence at 2.2 miles, so it's dead convenient if you're basing yourself here for a few days. The Deben Valley is proper cycling country as well, if you're after that sort of thing.

Admission's typically free - it's still a working parish church - but do check before you go as sometimes they lock up outside service hours. Best visited mid-morning when the light's good and before the coach tour crowds.