St Mary The Virgin

The church sits on the high street in Kidlington with the kind of solid, understated presence that says 'I've been here for centuries and I'm not going anywhere'. St Mary The Virgin is a proper medieval parish church, the sort of place that rewards a proper look rather than a five-minute dash. The exterior is all honey-coloured stone and decent Gothic bits - nothing flashy, but genuinely worth stopping for if you're passing through.

Inside, there's real character. Medieval carvings, decent stained glass if the light's right, and the usual creaks and whispers of old English churches. It's not enormous, so you won't spend three hours here, but if you care about the stuff - timber roof work, old stonework, that particular smell of age and polish - you'll find plenty to get your head around. Bring a torch if you're visiting in winter. The light can be grim.

This isn't a detour destination by itself, but it slots in nicely if you're staying at one of the caravan parks nearby - Weston, Newton Grove, or Crofts Barn are all within a few miles. Pop in while you're exploring Kidlington proper, then crack on. The church is free to enter during reasonable hours, though specific opening times aren't published, so don't bank on finding it unlocked on a random Tuesday afternoon. History types and church crawlers will get the most from it. Kids will tolerate it for about ten minutes unless they're genuinely into old buildings.