New Life Baptist Church

The New Life Baptist Church in Thirsk is a working congregation rather than a heritage site, so don't expect pews groaning under centuries of history. What you get instead is a functioning community church that welcomes visitors to services - worth popping into if you're passing through town on a Sunday morning and want to experience proper local worship. The building itself is modern enough that it won't take more than ten minutes to look around, though if you stay for a service you'll get a genuine sense of how this part of North Yorkshire ticks.

It's not the sort of thing that'll occupy half your day, but if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks - Pembroke or Cote Ghyll are both excellent bases - and fancy a different way to spend Sunday, it's worth knowing about. Families with young kids might find a service more welcoming than some of the older church buildings around here, depending on what the congregation's running that week.

Check the website first to confirm service times, as opening hours for casual visitors aren't guaranteed. Thirsk itself, home to James Herriot and his vet practice, has plenty else to keep you occupied. The church is free to enter during services, and you're only talking about Thirsk town centre being a short drive from the caravan parks if you're based at Kiplin Country Park.