Our Lady of Good Counsel R C Church

The red-brick Victorian exterior of Our Lady of Good Counsel catches you off guard on a quiet Billericay street - it's far grander than the surrounding houses suggest it should be. Built in the 1880s, this Roman Catholic church is a proper piece of Essex religious history, with soaring arches and that particular smell of old stone and candle wax that hasn't changed in a century.

Inside, the stained glass windows throw coloured light across the nave, and the craftsmanship rewards a slow walk around. It's genuinely peaceful - the kind of place where you'll spend longer than you expected just looking up. The altar area is particularly well done, with ornate woodwork that suggests someone really cared when this went up.

This isn't a tourist attraction in the flashy sense. You won't find gift shops or guided tours. What you get is a working parish church that's happy to have visitors, and that's rather refreshing. It works well as a half-hour detour if you're exploring Billericay's other attractions, or a quiet moment during a longer Essex trip.

If you're staying at Barleylands Campsite just down the road, it's worth the short drive into town for a look. Set aside 20 minutes unless you're genuinely interested in Victorian ecclesiastical architecture - then you could easily spend longer. No admission charge, though leaving a donation feels right given the upkeep these buildings require.