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Churches embody more of our history than any other type of building. They were created to serve particular needs and consequently their form is determined by their function. Churches were conceived as the setting for the practice of Christian worship and, in the vast majority of cases, were adapted when those forms of worship were altered. Church architecture also had a symbolic function. It expressed ideas about the doctrine of Christianity, articulated something of the social status and cultural sophistication of its patrons and was often constrained by technical or economic realities.

This guide to Britain's churches brings out the richness and diversity of over 1,500 years of Christian heritage; it also places the parish church at the core of our social and cultural history. The purpose of this book is to explain why churches look the way they do. The author explains the importance of place in the siting of a church, the various architectural styles, the layout of the interior in relation to religious practice, the purpose and meaning of stained glass and wall paintings and much more. In short, it is the perfect companion for the church visitor.

About the author: Richard Hayman is a consultant architectural historian who has been visiting and photographing churches for over twenty years. He is the author of Ironbridge: a History & Guide and Ironmaking (both published by Tempus).