St Ebbe's Church Headington

The church sits tucked away in Headington, just a couple of miles east of Oxford's ring road, and it's one of those places that rewards a slight detour if you're spending time in the area. St Ebbe's is properly old - we're talking medieval foundations here - though the building itself has been heavily worked over the centuries, which gives it that layered feel you get with so many English parish churches.

Inside, it's fairly intimate. High ceilings, decent windows, the usual collection of memorial plaques and decent stonework. Nothing flashy, but that's rather the point. The churchyard itself is worth a wander if you've got ten minutes spare - old graves, a bit of overgrown character to it.

Really, this is one for the church enthusiasts rather than casual tourists. If you're into medieval architecture or have an hour to kill between other Oxford sights, it's worth the walk from central Headington. Families with young kids might find twenty minutes enough. It's free to visit, obviously, and you'll almost certainly have the place to yourself.

The village around it has changed quite a bit over the decades - it's suburban Oxford now, mostly - but the church itself keeps a certain calm distance from all that. If you're staying at Common Leys Farm nearby, it's an easy walk that beats another lap of the Cotswolds gift shops. Fair warning though: it's not going to be the highlight of your trip. It's solid, sincere, and worth seeing if you're in the neighbourhood.