Tilehouse Street Baptist Church

Walk down Tilehouse Street in Hitchin and you'll find a proper Baptist chapel that's been standing since the 1800s - a solid brick building that speaks to the town's nonconformist heritage without any fuss or grandeur. The interior is simple and dignified, the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think, with wooden pews and a gallery that gives it genuine character rather than the churchy theatrics you get elsewhere.

It's worth a stop if you're into religious architecture or local history - the sort of thing that tells you far more about how ordinary Victorians worshipped than any cathedral ever could. You won't need more than twenty minutes inside, but standing in that quiet space does something. The building itself is the draw here, not crowds or guided tours.

If you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Jacks Hill or Baldock Park Homes are the closest - it's an easy walk into Hitchin town centre, and combining this with a browse of the High Street works well. The church sits in a working town rather than a tourist bubble, which is rather refreshing. Free to visit, naturally, and no opening hours nonsense - just walk in when you're passing. Families with older kids or history-minded types will get something from it. Toddlers will find it dull.