Churches!
Site of the Ecclesiological Society  - for those who love churches
The Ecclesiological Society, founded in 1879, is the successor of the Cambridge Camden Society more . . .
Welcome! Whether you are an expert on churches and their architecture, or merely curious, welcome! Please contact us with any questions - we will do our best to answer, without charge.
Latest >> Three dates for your diary - the Society's Dykes Bower lecture on 16 April, our AGM and Annual Lecture on 11 June, and our annual conference (on Welsh Churches) on 4 October. More details on our events page on this website. >> SPAB are running 'Faith in Maintenance' one-day courses for church wardens and those with similar responsibilities for church buildings. Courses are taking place up and down the country. Details here. Added 28 Feb 2008 Westminster Abbey has a series of free evening lectures on the history of the Abbey, and its interpretation. In late March, Salisbury Cathedral is celebrating the 750th anniversary of its dedication with a 48-hour conference.  The image shown here is copyright. Added 28 Feb 2008 >> The Advisory Board for Redundant Churches has begun a consultation on its criteria for assessing the heritage value of closed and closing churches. To read and perhaps comment, visit their website and scroll down to pdf document called 'criteria' under Dec 2007. Added 8 January 2008. >> A new heritage grouping has been set up for places of worship. It will be 'an action-oriented national forum designed to strengthen the "third sector" voice on historic places of worship in national debates on heritage'. It is called placesofworship @heritagelink. More. . .. Added 14 Dec 2007 Sir Ninian Comper In September 2006 the Society published a book on Sir Ninian Comper, church architect, issued free to members.  More . . .  Added 29 Sep 06, modified mid Nov. modified again January 2007
Explore . . . Site of the month image of the month Fascinating  links Publications
The future With slowly declining congregations (in common with many Christian denominations), what will happen to our Church of England church buildings?  churches future (including downloads). . . This site . . . publications/download  download free publications . . . picture essays  short articles about various aspects of churches . . . research resources feel free to use our  selection of research links . . . news and gossip recent stories, both serious and gossipy . . . conferences  information about our annual conferences events  a large number of events related to church buildings . . . site of the month  each month we select an outstanding site for you to enjoy . . . image of the month  an image every month, with short commentary . . . links  an outanding collection of links to individual churches and collections of churches organisations  other organisations connected with church buildings etc . . . current issues  issues connected with churches (for their future see churches future) about us the Ecclesiological Society - we give a warm welcome to new members . . . members' page  of interest mainly to members contact how to contact us
Help with . . . If you can't find the sort of thing you are looking for on this site, try our Help with . . .  page, which has links to several useful sites, including the excellent Churchcrawler chat site, and helpful hints for those looking after churches and applying for grants. Update policy In theory updated monthly.  This page last updated 28 Feb 2008.  See what's new. The Ecclesiological Society, Registered Charity No. 210501 Address for enquiries and general correspondence: EcclSoc, PO Box 287, New Malden, KT3 4YT, UK Home | Search the site What's new for Jan 2008  | News and gossip Dr D's image of the month  | Picture essays | Site of the month Links | Organisations | Research | Help with . . .  Conferences | Events Downloads and publications  |  Churches future  | Current issues    Members' page | About the Society  Contact us at infomain@ecclsoc.org

KEYWORDS FOR SEARCH ENGINES
Church architecture, Church design, Use of churches, Liturgical arrangment,
Romanesque churches, Romanesque architecture, Decorated architecture
Perpendicular architecture, Norman churches, Anglo-saxon churches
Saxon churches, Church furnishings, Church fittings, Church furniture, Church decoration
Pews, Pulpits, Fonts, Screens, Galleries, Altar, Communion table, Paschal candle
Squint, Hagioscope, Aisles, Transepts, Sanctuary, Quire, Choir, Sedilia, Chancel,
Piscina, Aumbry, east window, west window, mason, master mason, mason's marks,
tiles, communion rails, porch, wall painting, stained glass, painted glass, figurative glass,
staves, beadles, churchwardens, rood, rood loft, crucifix, cross, saint, iconography, iconoclasm,
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doom, hell's mouth, scratch dial, orientation, burial, tomb, crypt, victorian churches, georgian churches,
post-reformation churches, consecration of churches
church architecture

architect, george edmund street, g. e. street,
augustus welby pugin, a. w. pugin,
ninian comper, j. n. comper,
martin travers,
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Church architecture, Church design, Use of churches, Liturgical arrangment, Romanesque churches, Romanesque architecture, Decorated architecture Perpendicular architecture, Norman churches, Anglo-saxon churches Saxon churches, Church furnishings, Church fittings, Church furniture, Church decoration Pews, Pulpits, Fonts, Screens, Galleries, Altar, Communion table, Paschal candle Squint, Hagioscope, Aisles, Transepts, Sanctuary, Quire, Choir, Sedilia, Chancel, Piscina, Aumbry, east window, west window, mason, master mason, mason's marks, tiles, communion rails, porch, wall painting, stained glass, painted glass, figurative glass, staves, beadles, churchwardens, rood, rood loft, crucifix, cross, saint, iconography, iconoclasm, box pews,St Paul's ecclesiological society, cambridge camden society, churches, church furnishings, church architecture, liturgy
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Interest in church liturgy can be historic, such as an interest in the Sarum liturgy, or the liturgy of York or Canterbury - that is, medieval church liturgy. The interest might stretch further back, to the liturgies of the Church Fathers. Or it might be an interest in liturgy for today's church - modern liturgy if you will, including the reordering of churches (sometimes spelt re-ordering of churches). Included in the concept of liturgy is the selection of church music, church vestments, ceremonial, the degree of congregational participation, church processions as well as the liturgical arrangement of the sacred space - and these factors can be all be present by their absence.
Church architecture and parish church architecture (the architecture of parish churches)
The Ecclesiolgical Society has members who are particularly interested in medieval church architecture, particularly of parish churches. Others specialise in Saxon architecture (that is to say, English pre-Romanesque) or Norman architecture (Romanesque architecture, partcularly of churches). Yet others will be interested in Carolingian church architecture, of which a substantial amount survives on the Continent of Europe. Other periods also interest our members, including the Georgian period. Many of them love the Victorian period, though asking who is the best Victorian church architect is likely to start a vigorous debate! Modern church architecture is also studied, and twentieth century church architecture.