St Andrew

St Andrew's sits in Leicester with the kind of solid, no-nonsense presence you'd expect from a medieval parish church. It's a proper working church, not a museum piece, so there's an actual community using the space rather than it feeling like a tourist trap on a quiet Tuesday afternoon.

What you're looking at is Gothic architecture from the 14th and 15th centuries - buttresses, pointed arches, the lot. The interior has that particular smell all old churches have: stone dust, old wood, and something vaguely medicinal. There are decent stained glass windows and the sort of memorials you find in any parish church worth its salt, but it's the bones of the building itself that reward a closer look if you're into that period of English construction.

This is squarely for people who actually enjoy churches rather than those ticking off a tourist checklist. Walkers exploring Leicester's centre might swing by, and if you've got kids interested in medieval history it could be worth fifteen minutes. Otherwise, it's brief.

If you're camped at Emily's Cut just down the road or staying at one of the parks dotting the area - Caravanning and Camping at Manor Farm is close too - you could easily fit St Andrew into a morning wandering Leicester itself. The town's worth a proper afternoon if you're keen on market towns and local museums. Admission is usually free for parish churches, though hours depend on whether there's a service on. Best to ring ahead or check when you arrive.