Polesworth Abbey Church of St Editha

The Church of St Editha sits at the heart of Polesworth, a village just outside Atherstone, and it's one of those places that rewards a slow wander round. What you're looking at is genuinely old - we're talking Saxon foundations, though what stands today is largely medieval, with some proper Norman work mixed in. The interior is calm, dignified, full of stone and light falling through decent windows. There's a sense that actual people have been praying here for over a thousand years, which sounds dramatic but it's true.

Historically minded visitors will find plenty to absorb. The church sits adjacent to what was once a Benedictine priory - the atmosphere still feels monastic somehow, even though the priory buildings themselves are long gone. You can walk the grounds, get a feel for the layout, try to imagine the cloister. It's not a major tourist spectacle with audio guides and gift shops. It's just a proper working church that happens to be ancient.

The village itself is small and manageable on foot. Free admission, obviously - it's a church, not an attraction trying to extract money. Allow twenty minutes to half an hour inside, longer if you're the type to read every memorial and sit quietly for a bit. If you're staying at Atherstone Stables Caravan Park or Lime Tree just down the road, this is the kind of morning activity that costs nothing and gives you genuine connection to the landscape you're camping in. Not for everyone, but if old churches speak to you, worth the short drive from Atherstone.