St Mary Immaculate Church

The pale stone facade of St Mary Immaculate rises quietly from the streets of Truro, its Victorian Gothic lines a striking contrast to the Georgian terraces around it. Step inside and you'll find yourself in one of Cornwall's most impressive Catholic churches - a proper statement of faith built in the 1840s when practising Catholics in England still faced considerable social resistance.

What catches you first is the soaring nave and the quality of light through those tall windows. The altar is genuinely ornate without feeling overwrought, and if you're into Victorian ecclesiastical architecture, the craftsmanship rewards a good long look. It's free to wander in during opening hours, and you won't need more than thirty minutes unless you're the type to sit in the pews for a bit of quiet.

Family groups with older children will appreciate the historical angle - the building itself tells a story about religious tolerance and Victorian ambition. Younger kids might find it a bit static, though the sheer scale of the space tends to impress most people. Walkers exploring Truro's compact centre will find it worth a five-minute detour from the cathedral or the river.

If you're based at Trethem Mill Touring Park or Stay Wild's glamping just outside the city, St Mary Immaculate makes a decent half-hour break during a rainy afternoon or a cultural break between days at the beach. Truro itself is walkable and has decent cafes, so you can easily make a morning of it without feeling rushed.