Blessed Hugh Faringdon RC Church

The Catholic church here sits quietly on the edge of Faringdon, a modest red-brick building that doesn't announce itself loudly to the town. It's dedicated to Hugh Faringdon, the last abbot of Reading Abbey, who was executed during the Dissolution in 1540 - which is the kind of grim historical detail that makes English churches properly interesting.

Inside, it's a straightforward Victorian-era space with decent stained glass and the sort of calm that only a working parish church manages. It's not going to blow your mind architecturally, but if you're into religious history or you're travelling with anyone who fancies a quiet ten minutes out of the day, it does the job.

You'll find locals using it for actual worship rather than tourists documenting every corner, which means you can have a genuine moment of contemplation without feeling like you're in a museum. Free entry, obviously - it's a functioning church, not a heritage attraction. Pop in for twenty minutes if you're passing through Faringdon itself.

If you're based at either Faringdon Grange or The Real Campsite nearby, it's worth a brief wander into town anyway. Pair it with a walk around Faringdon town centre or a look at the 1660s Town Hall - you're not talking about a major pilgrimage here, but rather a pleasant morning while you're exploring the wider area. The Real Campsite is the better-rated of the two parks if you're choosing where to base yourself.