St Buryan Methodist Chapel

There's a small Methodist chapel tucked away near Penzance that catches you off guard - not because it's grand or famous, but because it's genuinely, unpretentiously old. St Buryan Methodist Chapel sits in the sort of Cornish landscape that makes you understand why people settle here: rolling farmland, proper quiet, the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think.

The building itself is modest, the way rural Methodist chapels tend to be. Plain stone, straightforward lines, no fussy decoration. Inside, it's got that particular smell all old chapels have - wood and time and the faint ghost of a hundred years of hymn-singing. If you're interested in how ordinary people worshipped and gathered in the 19th century, this does the job without any touristy theatre. It's the real thing.

Truth is, this won't take you more than 20 minutes, and that's being generous. You're not coming here for a morning - you're coming because you're in the area and curious about local history. History types, particularly those interested in Methodist heritage, will find it worthwhile. Families might find it a bit too still and quiet for the kids, unless yours are genuinely into old buildings.

If you're staying at Lands End Camping or Roselands Caravan Park, it's barely a detour. You could tack it onto a walk around the parish or combine it with exploring the coastal paths nearby. Free access, no faffing about with opening hours or entrance fees.