Holy Cross, Crediton

The church itself is a hulking medieval affair that catches you off guard when you round the corner in Crediton town centre. All red sandstone and Gothic windows, Holy Cross dominates the high street like it owns the place - which, technically, it has for the better part of seven centuries.

Inside, it's genuinely impressive. The roof is the real showstopper - proper intricate fifteenth-century timber work that makes you crane your neck until it aches. There's also an ornate screen that's survived the years remarkably well, and enough carved stone detail to keep a history buff occupied for a good hour. The scale catches visitors off guard; most market-town churches pale in comparison.

This is absolutely worth a stop if you're basing yourself near Exeter and fancy a wander through Crediton's backstreets. The town itself is pleasant enough - nothing extraordinary, but there's a decent bakery and the usual high street bits. Families with kids aged eight and up will get something from it; younger ones might lose interest quickly unless they're stone-mad.

It's free to pop in during opening hours, though exact times aren't widely advertised - best to check ahead. Allow thirty to forty minutes if you're properly looking. If you're staying at Sunsets & Marshmallows Glamping just down the road, it's an easy way to break up a lazy afternoon without driving miles. Rural Devon's full of these quality parish churches, but Holy Cross punches above its weight.