Buildings

History and architecture

There are an estimated 47,000 Christian churches, chapels and meeting houses in the United Kingdom, providing a rich architectural heritage reflecting changes in religious practice, architecture and vernacular building styles.

The development and spread of places of worship also plays a significant part in the history of the British Isles. Visiting and learning about these buildings can help provide a better understanding of the past and its influence on today.

All Saints, Newland

Gallery

Visiting churches

Tourism and the welcoming of visitors can play an important role for churches. With heritage tourism said to contribute £20.6 billion to the nation’s GDP, places of worship can have a significant part to play.

The Church Tourism Association gives guidance to places of worship looking to improve their welcome to visitors, and its website provides an initial platform for those looking to explore church heritage. The Churches Tourism Network Wales also provides, information, resources and tips, and the National Churches Trust has also been working with Discovering Sacred Britain in its work to improve visitor experiences.

Understanding churches

The thousands of churches across the country are intricately woven into our history and culture. Author Richard Taylor’s recent BBC series Churches: How to Read Them examined how the imagery, symbols and architecture of English parish churches have inspired, moved and enraged people down the centuries.

Based on his book, the series provides an excellent starting point to understanding these buildings featured many churches, and is also available as a DVD.