Saint Laurence

The church sits on Ashby Road in Burton-on-Trent with a presence that catches you off guard - solid, medieval, and somehow still managing to feel alive despite the modern world pressing in around it. Saint Laurence isn't one of those churches you'd cross the country to see, but if you're staying at Peake's Retreats nearby, it's absolutely worth an afternoon wander.

What makes it worth your time is the genuine mix of periods inside. The nave's Norman, which means you're looking at work from the 1100s, and then later builders added bits that reflect what mattered to them - Perpendicular windows, a decent tower, the kind of practical medieval engineering that still stands solid. The interior's unfussy. No gift shop theatrics, just the real thing.

You're not looking at hours here - thirty minutes to an hour covers it properly if you're actually taking time to look at the stonework and read the plaques. The churchyard's pleasant if the weather's decent, though it gets a bit scruffy in places.

For family holidays at Peake's, it ticks a box on a rainy afternoon or if you fancy a gentle stroll from the park. History-minded adults will appreciate the genuine medieval fabric without the tourist circus. Kids? Depends entirely on the kid - if they're into churches and spotting different stone ages, fine; if they need active engagement, it's not the answer.

Bring a sense of ordinary place. Burton's not pretty, but the church is genuinely old and that matters.