St James' Church, Lode

The church sits quietly in the village of Lode, about five miles east of Cambridge, and it's one of those places that rewards a casual detour more than it probably deserves to. St James' Church is medieval - the tower dates to the 14th century - and from the outside it's all flint and stone in that understated Cambridgeshire way. The interior is modest but genuine, with some decent stained glass and the sort of worn stone that speaks to actual centuries of use rather than Victorian restoration fantasy.

You won't spend long here, half an hour at most, and that's fine. It's not a showpiece. What matters is that it's proper quiet - the kind of place where you can actually think - and if you're staying nearby at Chittering Park, it's a reasonable walk or a short drive to break up a park holiday. The village itself is small and unremarkable, which is precisely why it hasn't been wrecked by tourism.

This is more for history types or anyone after a genuine village church experience rather than families wanting a spectacle. Go if you're already in the area; don't plan a trip around it. Admission appears to be free, as these places usually are. Best visited on a weekday morning when you might have the place entirely to yourself.