St Mary's Roman Catholic Church : Filey

The red-brick Victorian church that dominates Church Street in Filey is a proper statement of faith - built in the 1880s when the seaside town was expanding and the Catholic community needed a proper place to worship. Walk past the shops and you'll spot it immediately, hard to miss with its pitched roof and solid, unapologetic presence. Inside, the atmosphere is cool and quiet, the sort of place where you actually notice the sound of your own footsteps. There's decent stained glass work and the usual Victorian fittings, but it's the simplicity that strikes you rather than any particular showiness.

This is really one for two types of visitor: those with a genuine interest in 19th-century religious architecture, and anyone staying at Centenary Way Camping and Caravan Park or Primrose Valley Holiday Park nearby who fancies a brief cultural breather from beach time. It won't occupy much of your afternoon - twenty minutes inside, half an hour if you're thorough - but it's free and sits within an easy walk of Filey's seafront and high street.

If you're touring the churches of Yorkshire or have kids interested in Victorian history, worth the detour. But don't go out of your way if beach and amusement arcades are your thing. The surrounding area is pleasant enough - decent shops and cafes nearby - but the church itself is more quiet reflection than spectacle. Best visited midweek when it's properly peaceful.