Church of St Chad, Lichfield

Three soaring sandstone spires dominate Lichfield's skyline, and they belong to St Chad's - a cathedral, technically, though most people just call it the church. It's one of England's finest Gothic buildings, and you'll understand why the moment you walk through the doors.

The interior is properly impressive. Stained glass floods the nave with colour, the vaulted ceiling draws your eye upward, and the sheer scale of the place makes you feel small in the best possible way. There's a working parish here alongside the tourists, which gives it a lived-in feel rather than museum-like atmosphere. The Herkenrode Glass, a set of 16th-century panels depicting biblical scenes, is worth lingering over - each one tells a story if you look closely.

It's free to enter, and you can spend anywhere from twenty minutes to two hours depending on how deep you want to go. History buffs will want longer; families with restless kids should be realistic about attention span. The building survived the Civil War and fire, so there's genuine drama baked into the stones.

If you're staying at Kingfisher Holiday Park just up the road near Burton-on-Trent, Lichfield Cathedral makes for a proper cultural half-day. The town itself has restaurants and shops worth exploring too. Cannock Chase Camping & Caravanning Club Site is slightly further out but still handy for a visit. The cathedral sits right in the city centre, so parking can be tight on weekends - arrive early or use the car parks on the outskirts and walk in.