The Cressing Temple Barns

The Cressing Temple Barns is the largest of the Knights Templar's Essex based landholdings boasts the oldest known wooden structure in the world!

So, some serious historical stuff here if you're aiming for that side of things, but wonderful features like the medieval moat (around the farmland) for those who just want to soak up the atmosphere and let their imagination run off with them. A nice place for kids to take photos too - or even a costume and sword if you're feeling indulgent!

The gardens are split into knot, nosegay, medicinal and kitchen so provide a pleasingly varied portrait of the needs of the traditional household. Again it's one of those things that are both pleasing to look at in shallowness but even more fascinating in depth, so you can make this as educational as you like with a bit of effort and there are some really interesting ingredients scattered about.

There are picnic tables around the site and designated areas where running and such is perfectly acceptable, but this is largely a walk and look visit, not a run about and shout visit! That said there are accessible loos and baby changing available so they clearly welcome families.