Skendleby Priory

All that remains of Skendleby Priory is a collection of crumbling stone walls and foundations scattered across a field near Skegness - but there's something oddly compelling about picking through the rubble of a medieval monastery. The priory was founded in the 12th century and fell into disrepair after Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in the 1530s. What you're looking at now are fragments of the church, domestic buildings, and boundary walls, enough to give you a sense of the layout if you've got the imagination for it.

Walkers with a taste for Lincolnshire history will find it worth the detour, though families might get restless after fifteen minutes unless someone's keen on archaeology. The site is open access and free - just turn up and have a poke around the ruins. There's no café or visitor facilities, so bring water if it's warm. Allow thirty minutes to an hour, depending on how thoroughly you want to puzzle out what each foundation was.

It works well as part of a wider Lincolnshire exploration if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks - The Layby Lincs is closest at 3.5 miles, followed by Cottage Waters at 5.2 miles. Combine it with a day trip to Skegness for the seaside, or explore other monastic sites in the region. On its own, Skendleby's modest and unspectacular. As one stop on a broader holiday, it adds a layer of substance to what might otherwise be a flat East Midlands break.