Rycote Chapel

You won't find Rycote Chapel on the high street of Thame - it sits quietly on the edge of the village, and that's rather the point. This is a private chapel, small and intimate, with a genuinely striking interior that stops you in your tracks the moment you walk in.

The woodwork is exceptional. Two-tiered gallery seating, oak panelling, and a painted ceiling that manages to be both ornate and somehow restrained - it's the kind of thing that makes you understand why people cared about their private chapels in the 17th century. The chapel dates back centuries and retains an atmosphere that feels lived-in rather than museum-fied.

Access can be tricky since it's not a public site in the traditional sense, so check locally with Thame tourist information before making the trip. Even if you can only view it from outside, the building itself is worth seeing.

This appeals most to architecture enthusiasts and anyone with a genuine interest in period interiors rather than casual sightseers. You're looking at 30 minutes maximum, and that's generous. If you're staying at Lashlake Barn nearby, it's a pleasant walk-cum-drive that adds a layer of real history to a park holiday without eating up your day.

The Oxfordshire countryside around here is decent for pottering, and Thame itself has enough for a lunch stop, but Rycote Chapel is the real draw if you're into this period of English design.