Riverside Church Whitstable

The church sits right on Whitstable's waterfront, which immediately sets it apart from most places of worship you'll visit. Riverside Church is modern - properly modern, built in the 1990s - so if you're after medieval stonework and stained glass, this isn't it. What you get instead is a working community space that actually overlooks the sea, which feels rather nice.

The building itself is fairly modest, all clean lines and light. It's the location that makes it interesting for visitors - you can wander along the beach, duck into the church for a moment's peace, then carry on exploring Whitstable's famous oyster shacks and independent shops without breaking your stride. That said, if you're not after a spiritual moment, there's not much to detain you for long.

Walking groups and families will appreciate that it sits within easy reach of Seaview Holiday Park just a mile away, making it a handy landmark if you're exploring the seafront on foot. The town itself is proper worth an afternoon - the beach, the harbour, the independent food spots - so the church works best as part of a larger wander rather than as a destination in itself.

Worthwhile if you're in Whitstable for a few days and want to get a sense of how modern communities here function. Not worth a special trip.