St Paul's Church, Newton Abbot

Walk up the steep little hill into Newton Abbot's town centre and you'll spot St Paul's Church - a proper Victorian Gothic confection that dominates the skyline. Built in the 1870s, it's all red sandstone and pointed arches, the kind of church that makes you actually look up instead of drifting past.

Inside, it's surprisingly spacious and light. The stained glass catches the afternoon sun well, and there's real Victorian craftsmanship in the woodwork and tile work if you take time to look. The organ is impressive without being showy. You'll spend maybe twenty minutes here, forty if you're genuinely into church architecture. It's not a ten-minute check-off spot.

Truth is, unless you're staying locally or already passing through town, this isn't a destination in itself. But if you're based at Oakmoor Touring Park a few miles away and fancy a break from the caravan, a walk into Newton Abbot centre to see the church fills an hour nicely. Pair it with a wander through the town's Victorian and Edwardian streets - there's more character here than the seafront towns immediately suggest.

It's free to enter (at least it always has been), and assuming opening hours follow standard church protocol, daytime visits during the week are usually fine. The real value is in how it anchors the town's architectural story rather than as a standalone attraction. History types will appreciate it; casual visitors might feel it's a bit much fuss for a Victorian church.