St Mary's Church Bures

The Church of St Mary in Bures is one of those Essex discoveries that rewards a small detour without demanding hours of your time. You're looking at a late Norman church - the tower's the giveaway, sturdy and square with enough character to make it worth stopping for. The interior's modest but genuine: medieval wall paintings peek through, there's a decent font, and the whole place has that authentic parish church feel you don't get from the overly restored ones.

It's best suited to architecture enthusiasts and anyone serious about church crawling around Colchester - you won't regret the walk around the churchyard either, which sits pleasantly above the village. Families with young kids might find it a quick five-minute look rather than a proper outing. Allow twenty minutes total if you're the thorough type.

The real value here is location. Bures is barely four miles from Colchester, making St Mary's an easy addition to a broader church trail or countryside walk. If you're based at one of the nearby parks - Rushbanks Farm is just 2.7 miles away, or The Huts at Woodthorpes at 2.8 miles - you could knit this into a morning's exploration without faffing about with serious travel. Free entry, as is standard for parish churches, and there's usually someone about on weekends to chat with. Decent spot for a lunch break in the village too.