Our Lady & St Anne

The church of Our Lady & St Anne sits quietly near Bude, a proper little piece of Cornwall's religious heritage that most visitors walking past wouldn't give a second glance. It's a working parish church, so you'll find it open during services and often available for a quick look-round outside those times - best to ring ahead or check the noticeboard if you want to pop inside.

What you get is typical of small Cornish churches: whitewashed walls, a modest interior, and that particular kind of peace that comes from centuries of locals saying their prayers in the same spot. There's nothing flashy about it, which is rather the point. The setting near Bude means it slots nicely into a coastal walk if you're staying at one of the nearby parks like Wooda Farm or Atlantic Surf Pods - you could easily combine a church visit with a proper seaside afternoon.

It's not going to keep you occupied for hours. Twenty minutes, maybe thirty if you're genuinely interested in Cornish ecclesiastical architecture. Families with young kids won't find much to engage them here, but if you're a walker exploring the area or someone interested in how rural communities built their spiritual centres, it's worth the detour. The surrounding landscape is your main draw - rolling countryside that opens up nicely towards the coast. Admission is free, as these things usually are.