St Petrox Church

The church sits quietly on the edge of Paignton, a modest stone building that most visitors hurry past without a second glance. St Petrox is one of those places that rewards the curious - the kind of spot where you'll spend twenty minutes max, but leave with a real sense of having found something genuine rather than packaged.

The church itself is straightforward: a small parish church with genuine medieval bones and the sort of accumulated details you notice when there's no gift shop or entrance fee to distract you. Walk around the churchyard and you'll spot gravestones with proper stories carved into them, the kind of local history that actually means something.

Who gets the most from it? Walkers passing through the area, church enthusiasts who collect these things, and anyone staying at the nearby holiday parks - South Bay, Hoburne Devon Bay, and Whitehill Country Park are all within five miles - who fancy a proper wander rather than another theme park. It's not a destination in itself, but it's the sort of detour that makes a caravan holiday feel less repetitive.

Allowance around fifteen minutes if you're just popping in, longer if you're the type to read gravestones. No admission charge as far as we could tell, though opening hours aren't publicised, so check locally before making a special trip. The real value here is that it's genuine Devon village life, completely untouched by the seaside attractions that dominate Paignton proper.