Parish Church of St John the Baptist, Adel

The Parish Church of St John the Baptist sits in Adel, a leafy village just outside Leeds, and it's genuinely one of the finest Norman churches in Yorkshire. Built in the 1150s, it's survived almost intact - the west front, the carved doorways, the chancel arch - all proper medieval work that makes most later churches look a bit thin by comparison.

What you're looking at inside is essentially a time capsule. The Norman carvings are detailed and strange - heads, beasts, abstract patterns - the sort of thing medieval craftsmen did when they weren't sure if anyone would ever really see it. The chancel is particularly good, with an arcade that's been left alone for eight centuries. Light floods through the windows in a way that makes you understand why people found these spaces worth building.

It's free to visit and takes maybe twenty minutes to properly look round, though you could spend longer if you're into Romanesque detail. Go on a weekday morning when it's quiet and you'll have the place to yourself. If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Fairmead Farm Glamping or Haighfield Holiday Park are closest - it's worth the short drive. It's not a day-long attraction, but combined with a walk around Adel itself or a trip into Leeds, it fills a morning well. Best in good light when the stone glows.