St Mary on the Sea Catholic Church

The Catholic church sitting on the seafront at Cleethorpes is an unusual sight - a proper inland religion doing its thing right next to the donkey rides and chip shops. St Mary on the Sea isn't hidden away in some quiet suburb; it's right there on the promenade, which gives it an odd sort of defiant charm.

Inside, it's a working parish church with all the expected trappings - altar, stations of the cross, the smell of candle wax and old wood. The space itself is modest rather than grand, which somehow makes it feel more genuine than some of the cathedral posturing you get elsewhere. If you're the type who likes visiting churches to understand a place properly, this one tells you something about post-war Catholic communities in seaside towns.

Realistically, you won't spend hours here. Twenty minutes to half an hour is about right unless you're genuinely devout or doing a methodical church tour. The real draw is the location itself - grab a coffee beforehand, walk the seafront, pop in if you're passing. Works well for families staying at Haven Cleethorpes Beach Holiday Park down the road; it's free, always open to visitors during service times, and breaks up a beach day nicely.

Don't come expecting revelation. Come because it's there, it's free, and sometimes the best bits of a seaside town are the bits that weren't built for tourists.