St Mary's Church, Pakenham

The tower of St Mary's rises above Pakenham village like a stone sentinel, and it's genuinely worth stopping for if you're touring round Bury Saint Edmunds. This is proper medieval Suffolk - a 15th-century church with a distinctive round tower that catches the eye immediately. Inside, you'll find the usual treasures: ancient woodwork, box pews worn smooth by centuries of bottoms, and the kind of wall monuments that tell you everything about who mattered in this corner of England.

It's the sort of place that appeals most to architecture enthusiasts and church hunters - the kind of visitor who gets properly absorbed in carved details and medieval craftsmanship. Families won't get much from it beyond a quick look-round, and you're probably done in twenty minutes unless you're genuinely into ecclesiastical history. The churchyard's pleasant enough for a wander.

Being a village church in Suffolk, you'll likely find it open during daylight hours, though it's worth checking locally before making the trip. Admission is almost certainly free. From Bright Meadow Caravan Park, you're just a few miles away, making this an easy diversion during a park-based holiday in the area. Arthur's Retreat, further afield at six miles out, would require a bit more planning to include it in your day. The real pleasure here is stopping off between bigger attractions - pair it with a walk round the village and you've got a proper country afternoon sorted.