St James Church

The moment you push open the heavy wooden doors of St James Church in Beverley, you're confronted by something genuinely grand. This isn't some modest village chapel - it's a proper medieval building with the kind of soaring stone work that makes you crane your neck back and stare. The church sits right in the heart of Beverley, the kind of market town that rewards a slow wander, and it's the sort of place that rewards real attention to detail if you're into ecclesiastical architecture.

Inside, the light comes through in thick yellow blocks from the stained glass, and the proportions are just right - spacious without feeling cold. You can easily spend half an hour tracing the stonework, reading the brasses, and taking in the overall sweep of it. History buffs will find plenty to occupy them. Families with kids will manage fine for twenty minutes or so before legs start getting restless, though older children who've developed an eye for architecture might linger longer.

Beverley itself is well worth the walk around - proper Georgian architecture and decent spots for coffee. If you're based at Burton Constable Holiday Park or Spring Valley just down the road, St James is an easy pop into town that slots neatly between exploring the arboretum and a proper walk around Beverley's Georgian streets. Free to enter, which is refreshing. Go midweek if you can; weekends pull in the tour groups.