Bobbing Church

The Church of St Thomas the Apostle sits on the Isle of Sheppey near Sheerness, and at high tide it genuinely does bob about in the water like some sort of ecclesiastical duck. It's a real thing - the church was built on a raft foundation back in the 1860s specifically because the ground beneath is marshland, and it actually floats when the water level rises.

You can't get inside regularly, which is a shame because the engineering alone deserves a proper look. What you do get is the chance to walk around it, photograph the peculiar sight of a Victorian church surrounded by water, and contemplate why anyone thought this was a sensible idea. The answer is stubbornness - they wanted a church here, the land was sodden, so they built one that could handle it.

It's worth a detour if you're staying at Sheerness Holiday Park or exploring the Isle of Sheppey, but don't expect to spend hours here. Twenty minutes maximum, including the walk in and a few photos. The real appeal is the oddness of it - it's not beautiful or particularly moving, but it's genuinely unusual in a way that makes for good conversation and decent Instagram content.

Best visited at high tide when the floating action is most obvious. Ring ahead if you want to see inside, though opening times are limited. The walk from the road is flat and accessible, but the approach can be muddy depending on the season.