St John the Baptist

The church sits right in the middle of Royston, a proper old market town that feels like it's barely changed since medieval times. St John the Baptist is the sort of place that rewards a proper look around - the kind of building where you can actually read the history in the stonework and stained glass rather than having it explained to you on a plaque.

Inside, the nave and chancel are genuinely striking. The windows tell stories if you know how to look at them, and there's real craftsmanship on display that you don't often see nowadays. It's the kind of church that works whether you're into ecclesiastical history or just after somewhere quiet to sit and think for half an hour.

For families camping nearby - and there's no shortage of sites within a few miles, from Guilden Gate Glamping to Shepreth Mill just down the road - it makes a good hour's wander into town. Kids might find the interior a bit still at first, but the churchyard itself is pleasant enough for a nose around. History buffs will find plenty to get their teeth into; anyone else will at least appreciate being in a building that's got genuine age and character.

Royston itself is worth a proper explore while you're here. The town's got life to it - market days, decent cafes, shops that aren't chains. The church is free to visit during daylight hours, which beats paying ten quid for a synthetic "experience" elsewhere.