The Cage Pollard

A modest stone structure standing in the Buckinghamshire countryside near Maidenhead, The Cage Pollard is one of those curiosities that makes you wonder what on earth you're looking at. It's essentially a small stone tower - built as a lock-up for troublemakers back in the day, a proper relic of 18th-century village justice. Nothing flashy, mind you. The thing's only a few metres tall and you can walk round it in about five minutes flat.

This is really for history buffs and walkers who appreciate the oddball bits of English heritage rather than tourist attractions with a visitor centre and a gift shop. If you're rambling through the area and fancy spotting some obscure local history, it's worth a detour. Kids might find it mildly interesting for about thirty seconds before asking if you can go somewhere with more going on.

Staying nearby at one of the caravan parks - Amerden or Penn Meadow Farm are both within five miles - gives you a decent base for exploring the quieter corners of Buckinghamshire. The Cage Pollard sits nicely on a walk route if you're combining it with other local footpaths and village exploration. There's no charge to have a look, and no opening hours to worry about since it's just standing there doing its thing. Frankly, you'll get more satisfaction from spotting it by accident than making a special trip, but if you're in the area and passing through anyway, pop by. It's the sort of thing that sticks with you precisely because it's so unassuming.