St Helen's Church, Ashby de la Zouch

St Helen's Church sits right in the heart of Ashby de la Zouch, a proper medieval tower that dominates the high street and immediately tells you this place has serious history. Built in the 15th century, the church is a Grade I listed structure - the kind of building that makes you stop and actually look up from your phone. Inside, you'll find fine perpendicular Gothic architecture, though the real draw is the sense of time. Walking through those heavy wooden doors feels genuinely different from modern spaces.

This is absolutely worth a quick visit if you're spending time in the area around Coalville. It won't take long - thirty minutes is plenty - but if you're interested in church architecture or local medieval history, you could easily spend an hour poking about. The exterior alone is striking enough for decent photos. Whether kids will be gripped depends entirely on your children; some find old churches fascinating, others get restless in five minutes.

The real value here is as part of a broader exploration of Ashby itself, which has genuine character. If you're camping at one of the nearby sites like Conkers or New Forest View, it's the kind of place that anchors a morning walk. Free admission as far as I can tell, and open whenever the door's unlocked - which, being a working parish church, is most of the time. Check locally before visiting if you want specific opening times or a guided tour, but the church's straightforward appeal is that you can just turn up and have a look.