Our Lady's Church

The flint tower of Our Lady's Church rises above the marshes east of Wells-next-the-Sea like a modest sentinel, visible across flat Norfolk countryside long before you reach it. This is proper medieval Norfolk - a 14th-century parish church built from flint and stone, the sort of place where you half expect to stumble into a Celia Imrie detective drama.

Inside, it's all soaring arches and that particular kind of silence you only get in old churches. The tower is the real draw if you can access it - the views across the marshland towards the coast are genuinely worth the climb, even if your knees protest on the way up. There's stained glass worth looking at, and if you're into ecclesiastical architecture, the medieval features alone justify the detour.

You'll want to allow an hour here, perhaps ninety minutes if you're the sort who reads every brass and lingers in corners. It's free to wander in, though opening hours can be variable - best check locally when you arrive. Families won't find it gripping unless the kids are keen on old buildings, but walkers exploring the Norfolk coast path will find it a logical stop.

It works perfectly as a quiet morning out from Pinewoods Holiday Park or The Norfolk Brickyard, both within easy reach. The walk through the village to reach the church is pleasant enough, and the surrounding marshes offer proper Norfolk solitude. Not a thrill ride, but exactly what you want when you've had enough of seaside arcades.