England's Thousand Best Churches (Paperback)

by Simon Jenkins (Author), Paul Barker (Photographer) "Bedfordshire is not a glamorous county, yet there are surprising pleasures off its all-too-beaten tracks..." (more)
Key Phrases: east window glass, carved poppyheads, sedilia group, Early Gothic, Sir John, Holy Trinity (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
This excellent county-by-county survey celebrates the classic beauty, quirky individuality, and, in most cases, sublime resilience of England's parish churches, large and small, old and new, in city, town, and village. Jenkins, a veteran journalist and prolific author, shares his knowledge of the artistic and historic treasures stored in English churches with the gusto of a connoisseur, leavening his precise and vivid descriptions of each church's features with wry observations about the foibles of man, medieval or modern. He also ranks the churches using a five-star system. The text does assume some familiarity with the terminology of church architecture and the regions of England; fortunately, a glossary clarifies most terms, and maps and brief introductions to each county should help non-Anglophiles get their bearings. The general introduction outlines English church history and explains the criteria for evaluating the churches, emphasizing accessibility. Over 100 stunning color photographs from the archive of Country Life magazine, along with two indexes, one of artists and one of places, add to the appeal of this irresistibly browsable volume. Students of history, religion, and architecture will enjoy the lively insights, while the armchair traveler will be taken on a delightful odyssey across time and space. Highly recommended.DVivian Reed, Long Beach P.L., CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review
'Masterly, perhaps a masterpiece' Independent Books of the Year

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Product Details

• Paperback: 880 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics); Revised edition (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140297952
• ISBN-13: 978-0140297959
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #320,122 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Entertaining, Informative Study Of English Churches, May 1, 2000

By	Michael Lima (Fresno, California USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: England's Thousand Best Churches (Hardcover)

Jenkins has created a masterful examination of these jewels in the British legacy. The book's authoritative tone stems from Jenkins' comprehensive descriptions of each church's distinguishing features. His eye for detail enables the reader to appreciate the styles that link each church together, as well as the individual features that make each church distinct.

This book could have been a dry, lifeless study. Instead, it is quite entertaining, thanks to Jenkins' penchant for casually slipping his opinions on various matters into a church's description. An example of this behavior can be found in the discussion of the church at Honeychurch. He notes: "The sign on the door says simply, 'This door is never locked.' It should be the motto of the Church of England." These understated opinions on matters as diverse as church restoration and Victorian stained glass give the book a casualness that most scholarly studies don't possess.

Anglophiles and architecture students will find there's something in this book for both of them. For the Anglophile, the pictures and descriptive text will easily have one imagining that they are walking through the moors and dales. For the student, the discussions of each church's architectural and decorative details will provide an excellent resource for understanding the design of the buildings. However, the readership of this book shouldn't be limited to these groups. Any reader will find the book to be an invaluable guide for understanding the significance of these English cultural treasures.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely, but could have been better., June 6, 2002

By A Customer

In this book, Jenkins describes his choice of the thousand best churches in England. Churches range from tiny, rural chapels notable for their remote, dramatic settings, to grand and majestic churches. (Cathedrals, however, are not covered, only parish churches.) He also rates the churches from one star through 5 stars.
The descriptions are generally full and compelling. However, I took off one star from my rating, because, for the armchair traveller, more pictures would have been welcome. (How frustrating to read about glorious stained glass windows, and have no idea what they actually look like!) Only about one in 10 churches is illustrated with either an interior or exterior photo.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for the faint of heart!, November 11, 2004

By	pmegan "pmegan" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This is an absolutely fascinating book that is indespensable if you are touring around England and want to see some amazingly lovely off-the-beaten-track places.

Mr. Jenkins has compiled a listing of one thousand churches throughout England that he feels are worth seeing. Each church is given a description, including a specific reason why it ranks among the top thousand. There is such a splendidly wide array of reasons: from architectural details, to unique contruction tecniques, to interesting historical context, that it never gets dull.

My parents are taking the book quite seriously, and are trying to visit each of the churches (I think they are a quarter of the way through, and their copy of this book is alrady completely covered with marginalia!). I have visited several of the churches with them, and always find the experience enlightening and interesting. Each church truly is unique, and it is always fascinating to see how.

Since the publication of the book, many of the churches that are on the list have taken an active interest in their own history. When my parents first started touring the churches, they were usually met by blank stares and a "why on earth do you care about our little church?" from the locals... but a few years later they find that frequently the whole community has rallied around the idea that they had an undiscovered treasure in their midst, and something to be quite proud of. For that reason alone, I think it's a great book.