St Peter & St Paul's Church, Ash

The flint-and-stone tower of St Peter & St Paul's rises unexpectedly from the village of Ash, a solid medieval presence that's been watching over the Sevenoaks countryside since the 13th century. Inside, the church is all whitewashed walls and clear glass windows - bright and austere in the way of older parish churches, with a genuinely interesting tomb for the local gentry if you're into that sort of thing.

It's the sort of place where walkers passing through appreciate a quiet ten minutes rather than somewhere you'd plan a pilgrimage around. The exterior's the real draw - that tower photographs well from the churchyard, and the setting's peaceful enough to make the detour worthwhile if you're exploring the Sevenoaks area. You'll find proper old yew trees in the graveyard too, the kind that have been there for centuries.

If you're staying at Gatehouse Wood Country Park four miles away, this makes an easy leg-stretch during your holiday without eating into the day. The village itself is unremarkable - a few houses, a pub - but the church gives it purpose. Allow fifteen minutes inside, half an hour if you're the type to read every inscription. No entry fee that I could establish, though the church may ask for donations. It's genuinely worth a look if you're in the area and into rural ecclesiastical architecture, though it won't hold you long.