Southwell Minster

WHAT IT’S LIKE

Free-to-enter cathedral (£5 suggested donation) with dog-friendly grounds, step-free access and a summer pop-up cafe - the carved stone leaves are a great spot-it game for kids.

Southwell Minster is a working cathedral in the middle of Southwell that's free to walk round (they just ask for a suggested £5 donation), and it welcomes around 100,000 visitors a year. Inside the Chapter House look out for the carved medieval stone leaves - hawthorn, oak, vine and mythical green men - which give a nice "can you spot it" activity for kids without needing a worksheet. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in the building, grounds and gardens, and there's step-free access to most areas, accessible toilets and hearing loops, so it works reasonably well for buggies and wheelchairs too. Families can also explore the Archbishop's Palace Gardens next door, and the Minster owns the Potwell Dyke Grasslands, a patch of old uncultivated deer park now protected for nature. There's a Cathedral Shop for gifts and books, and in July and August a Summer Pop-Up Cafe runs with barista coffee, scones, ice cream and light breakfasts/lunches - handy for refuelling mid-visit. Regular events for children and families are organised, plus things like Bell Tower Tours, a Chorister Experience day and seasonal festivals (the Bramley Apple Festival of Food & Drink is an autumn favourite). There's no parking at the Minster itself, but Church Street Car Park opposite (with accessible spaces), Memorial Drive, King Street and The Bramley Centre car parks are all a few minutes' walk away - useful to know if you're juggling a pushchair. Nearest train station is Newark Northgate, about a 10-minute taxi ride away, and the number 26 bus runs from Nottingham every 30 minutes in the daytime. Worth checking closure notices before visiting in summer, as parts of the Nave get closed off during exhibitions like Helios.