Wigmore Abbey

The ruins of Wigmore Abbey rise from the Herefordshire landscape like a ghost from the medieval period - all crumbling sandstone walls and empty archways where monks once chanted. What you're standing in front of are the remains of an Augustinian abbey founded in the 12th century, and while there's not much left standing, what is there tells a proper story of monastic life and the dissolution that tore it apart.

You can wander freely through the site and get a real sense of the abbey's layout. The walls are low enough that you can picture where the cloisters ran, where the refectory would have fed the brothers, and where the nave stretched toward the altar. It's the kind of place that rewards a bit of imagination - and an hour's walk around it isn't excessive. There's enough to see without overstaying, but if you're the type to sit on a bench and read up on the history beforehand, you'll get considerably more from it.

Families with older kids will find it interesting; younger ones might find it a bit sparse. Walkers and history enthusiasts are the real audience here. The site is free to access, sitting just outside Craven Arms, and it makes a solid afternoon stop if you're based at one of the nearby caravan parks - Shropshire Hills Glamping or Pearl Lake Country Holiday Park are both within easy reach. Don't expect manicured grounds or visitor facilities. This is genuine ruin, weathered and real.