St Mary's Church, Slaugham

You'll find St Mary's tucked away in the village of Slaugham, just a short drive south of Haywards Heath. It's one of those proper Sussex churches that's been doing its job quietly for centuries - the sort of place where you step inside and feel like you've accidentally walked into someone's living room from the 1400s.

The church itself is reasonably sized for a village, with the kind of worn stone floors and dark wood that tell you thousands of people have walked here before you. There's some decent medieval work if you know what to look for, though it's not going to stop you in your tracks the way a cathedral would. The churchyard is peaceful, with old gravestones scattered about - good for a wander if you're the type who reads epitaphs.

It's worth stopping by if you're already in the area, particularly if you're staying at one of the nearby parks like Raylands Country Park. Don't make a special journey from Haywards Heath just for this though - give it twenty minutes, maybe half an hour if you're really into church architecture. Families with young kids might find it a bit quiet and slow for their pace, but if you're after a bit of calm between other activities, it does the job.

Check locally before visiting for opening times, as it's not always staffed.