Southwick Priory (rems)

All that's left of Southwick Priory now are a few weathered stone walls and foundation lines in the grass, but stand here on a quiet afternoon and you get why someone chose this spot near Southampton eight centuries ago. The priory was founded in the 12th century and would have been a proper working monastery - monks living, praying, farming the land - until Henry VIII's lot got their hands on it during the Dissolution. What you see today are the scattered remains of that medieval community, fragments of walls that once enclosed a cloister, glimpses of what daily life looked like before it all came to an end.

It's a contemplative visit rather than a thrilling one. History buffs will find it worthwhile - there's genuine medieval masonry to examine and the setting itself tells a story about religious life in medieval Hampshire. Families with young kids might struggle to hold their attention for long; there's no interpretation boards or reconstructions, just ruins and open ground. Allow 45 minutes to an hour, longer if you're into archaeology or want to just sit and soak it in.

The site sits handily if you're basing yourselves at one of the nearby caravan parks - Rookesbury Park is only 3.4 miles away, and ScottsHaven less than four. It makes for a decent addition to a park holiday in the area, though you'll want to pair it with other attractions around Southampton rather than make the journey purely for the priory itself. Go when the light's good and the ground's dry.