St John the Evangelist, Church

The church sits quietly on the edge of Grantham, a proper medieval structure that stops you in your tracks the moment you round the corner. St John the Evangelist is all soaring perpendicular Gothic - the kind of architecture that makes you crane your neck and wish you'd paid more attention in history class.

Inside, the light does something special through the stained glass. You get the sense this place has been here for centuries watching over the town, which it has. The nave is spacious, the stonework genuine, the atmosphere exactly what you want from a country church visit - quiet enough to hear yourself think but never feeling abandoned.

It's the sort of spot worth a thirty-minute wander if you're in Grantham proper, particularly if you've got an interest in medieval architecture or just want to sit on a pew and collect your thoughts. Families with young children might find it a bit austere unless they're the type to enjoy exploring churches, but adults who appreciate the craftsmanship will find plenty to notice.

The church works brilliantly as a morning or afternoon detour when you're based at Wagtail Country Park, just 2.5 miles away. Grantham itself has enough going on that you could easily combine a church visit with a mooch around the town centre and lunch somewhere decent. Worth the short drive, genuinely.