Grantham Church of the Ascension

The spire of the Church of the Ascension rises above Grantham's high street like a needle pointing upward - it's genuinely impossible to miss. This is a proper medieval church, the sort that's been quietly doing its job for centuries while the town bustled around it. Inside, you'll find the usual suspects: carved stone, wooden pews worn smooth by generations of bottoms, and that particular smell churches have - old wood, stone dust, and something vaguely holy.

It's worth a walk around if you're already in Grantham town centre, which you almost certainly will be. Most visitors spend 20 minutes inside, maybe half an hour if you're into reading every memorial tablet. The architecture buffs will appreciate the medieval bones of the place, though it's been altered and restored enough times that you're seeing layers rather than pristine original work. Families dragging reluctant teenagers through Lincolnshire will find kids lose interest quickly unless there's something specific to hunt for - ask the staff about any particular features worth spotting.

If you're staying at Wagtail Country Park just down the road, the church makes a decent rainy-day diversion or a 10-minute wander into town before grabbing a coffee. It's free to enter, as most parish churches are, though a small donation box sits near the entrance. Go on a weekday morning when it's quietest - Sunday services will mean you can't have a proper look around. The town itself is more interesting than the church, truth be told, but the two work together as part of a morning's exploring.