Church of St James the Less

The Church of St James the Less sits on the edge of Plymouth with a kind of quiet dignity that catches you off guard. It's a proper working parish church, not some museum piece roped off behind velvet, which means you get the genuine article - worn stone, real light through old glass, the smell of history that no amount of restoration can manufacture.

Inside, there's medieval work worth studying if you're into that sort of thing. The architecture tells you something about Devon's prosperity in the late medieval period, and for anyone interested in church history or just wanting an escape from the tourist crowds elsewhere in Plymouth, this delivers. The setting is peaceful - you won't feel rushed, and there's none of the queuing nonsense you get at the big attractions.

It works brilliantly if you're based at South Devon Camping over at Lower Terawhiti Farm, which is only a few minutes' drive away. You can knock this off as part of a wider Plymouth exploration without losing half your afternoon. Allow about 45 minutes unless you're the type who reads every inscription, in which case give yourself an hour.

Families with older kids who don't mind churches will find it interesting enough. Young children might get restless - there's no interactive stuff, it's just a church being a church. But if you're after some genuine quietness and a bit of local religious heritage without the commercial edge, it's absolutely worth the short detour from your campsite.