St Mary Magdalen's Church, Brighton

The flint walls of St Mary Magdalen's rise up from a quiet corner just north of Brighton's seafront, easy to walk past if you're not paying attention. This is proper old Brighton - a 13th-century church that's been through everything the town has thrown at it, from Victorian rebuilding to modern urban sprawl. Inside, you'll find Victorian stained glass, a decent organ, and that particular cold-stone smell you only get in ancient parish churches.

It works best for walkers combining it with Brighton's seafront trails or anyone interested in how medieval churches survived in rapidly expanding seaside towns. History types will appreciate the architecture and burial records. Kids? Honestly, ten minutes and they'll be ready to move on unless they're genuinely into old buildings.

Admission's typically free for the Church of England, though opening hours vary with volunteer availability - phone ahead rather than turning up hoping. The church sits less than a mile from Pegs and Pitches Camping, which is handy if you're basing yourself in the area. Brighton Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite is another short drive away.

Don't make a special journey here alone. But if you're camping in Sussex and want to understand the layers beneath Brighton's seafront chaos, it's a genuine twenty-minute detour. The flint work's worth a photograph, and you'll have the place almost entirely to yourself.