Betjeman's Best British Churches

Betjeman's Best British Churches

Richard Surman

Language: English

Pages: 896

ISBN: 0007415672

Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub


A beautiful and practical up-to-date guide to over two thousand of Britain’s best parish churches.

Although now most famous for his poetry, Sir John Betjeman’s great passion was churches. For over fifty years his guide, regularly updated, has been the eminent authority and the most distinguished guide to the best churches to visit.

This new edition, in full colour throughout and illustrated with over 350 specially commissioned photographs, covers over 2,500 of the very best churches in England, Scotland and Wales. Fully updated by bestselling author Richard Surman, this is the most complete and up to date guide to Britain’s church heritage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

are traces of an earlier Norman fabric, but most here is of the 13th-century, with 18th-century patchwork repairs to the tower and 16th-century work in the nave and aisles. MUNDFORD † St Leonard 5m/8km N. of Brandon OS TL800938 GPS 52.5124N, 0.6519E The tower is a curiosity – a Victorian replacement for the original Norman tower; similarly inside is a dull Victorian restoration of the nave. The chancel is a different matter altogether, though. This is a complete scheme by Sir Ninian Comper,

the church is large and opulent. Its chief glory is its Decorated steeple, rebuilt in 1634. This is a true piece of architecture; the massive surfaces of the tower are vertically panelled to carry the eye to the spire above. The interior was spoilt by scraping in the 19th century, but the pulpit and brass eagle lectern are both 15th-century. STANFORD-ON-AVON: ST NICHOLAS – the interior is an exquisite and harmonious balance of ad hoc furnishings, refined wood carving and subtle gradations of

are still in their original position. Inside the church is an exceptionally fine collection of Saxon carved stones. MORPETH † St Mary Town centre OS NZ197850 GPS 55.1597N, 1.6922W A good example of 13th- and 14th-century work, so little seen in Northumberland, with Early English arcades and fine stone vaulting under the tower – the oldest part. A charming carving of an angelic musician can be seen on the S. side of the chancel. The E. Jesse window is 14th-century and one of the finest

tower and porch are masterpieces of the 15th-century stonemason’s craft – lavish and stately with stone panelling above. The rood screen is 14th-century, and there are 15th-century parclose screens to the E. chapels, and the superb Renaissance Spryng Parclose of c. 1525. The misericords, though few, are delightful, particularly the depiction of a man squeezing a pig. LAXFIELD † All Saints 6m/10km N. of Framlingham OS TM296724 GPS 52.3021N, 1.3664E One of Suffolk’s finest towers, it is a rare

people back to the nature of the Established Church. And the Tracts for the Times which followed, from Keble’s Assize Sermon of 1833 up to Tract XC by Newman on the Thirty-nine Articles in 1841, would certainly influence him greatly. In these he would learn how the Church was finding herself part of the Catholic Church. Although many great men, greatest of all Newman, have left her for the Church of Rome, others remained faithful. Their witness in England in the last century is apparent in the

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