St Thomas's Church

The moment you push open the heavy wooden door at St Thomas's Church in Fairford, you're greeted by a wall of stained glass that stops you dead. This isn't some cramped village chapel - it's a proper 15th-century showstopper with one of the finest collections of medieval stained glass in England. Walking the length of the nave, you crane your neck at windows telling biblical stories in jewel-bright colours, each panel a small masterpiece from the 1490s.

It's the sort of place that appeals to anyone who appreciates craftsmanship and history. Architecture enthusiasts will spend a good hour unpicking the details - the tracery, the stonework, the way light floods through those windows. Families with older kids who can manage a bit of sitting and looking do well here; younger ones might need bribing with the churchyard afterwards. You won't need more than ninety minutes, realistically.

Fairford itself is a pleasant enough market town if you're passing through, and Great Farm holiday park sits just over a mile away, making this a natural stop if you're basing yourself in Gloucestershire. The admission price - if there is one - is typically modest for churches of this standing. The real reward is spending time watching how those windows change colour as clouds drift past outside. On a clear afternoon, they're absolutely worth the detour from your park.