Ashington Parish Church

The church sits quietly on the edge of Ashington, a village just south of Pulborough, and it's worth a quick stop if you're passing through the area. St Peter and St Paul's is a proper medieval job - the sort of place where you can feel the centuries without any fuss or visitor centre nonsense. The interior has that particular smell of old stone and wood polish that you either love or find a bit much, depending on your mood.

It's not a showstopper in the way that some grand cathedral might be, but there's something genuine about it. The chancel and nave are genuinely old, and if you're into spotting Norman arches and medieval details, you'll spend a bit of time here looking at the stonework. Most visitors pop in for fifteen minutes, which is probably about right unless you're properly into church architecture.

Realistically, this works best as part of a broader walk around the village rather than a destination in itself. If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Washington Caravan & Camping Park is just 1.6 miles away - it's an easy leg-stretch on your way to or from Pulborough. The Knepp estate is close by if you fancy combining it with something more active.

Do ring ahead or check locally for opening times; churches in rural Sussex don't always stay open all day. Free to enter, as these things usually are. Families with small children might find fifteen minutes enough before restlessness sets in, but history types will properly enjoy having a poke around.