Old stocks

Standing in the centre of Horsham, the old stocks are a proper reminder of medieval justice - the kind of thing that makes you go quiet for a moment. These wooden frames, where local miscreants once faced public humiliation for minor offences, sit right where they've done for centuries, a sobering detail among the market town bustle.

It's the sort of landmark that takes five minutes to see properly but stays with you longer. You can walk around it, read the plaques if they're legible, and imagine what it meant to be pinned there while the town went about its business. Not exactly a day's entertainment, but genuinely affecting in a way that polished museum exhibits rarely manage.

History enthusiasts will find it worth a stop, particularly those interested in social history and how communities policed themselves before modern courts. Kids might be mildly intrigued, though the novelty wears off quickly unless you're good at spinning stories. It's free, it's accessible, and it requires no planning.

If you're based at one of the nearby campsites - Raylands Country Park or Slinfold are both within a few miles - Horsham town centre is worth a half-day visit anyway for the High Street and the medieval church. The stocks are a natural stop while you're there, a tactile piece of Sussex's past rather than just something you read about. Don't make a special journey, but absolutely pause here if you're passing through.