The Church of England's Built Heritage
The Church of England's cathedrals and church buildings together
form the nation's single largest 'estate' of built
heritage.
Churches and cathedrals are the most public indication of the
Church's role in the community, both as the places in which public
worship takes place and as a focus for many events which reach
beyond the worshipping congregation to society at large. They
have also been integral to this country's history and
development.
The Church of England has
- around 16,200 church buildings
- 43 cathedrals
Though first and foremost a place of worship, churches are also
often the oldest building in a settlement still in continual
use. Many churches - and cathedrals particularly - are the
largest, most architecturally complex, most archaeologically
sensitive, and most visited building in their village, town or
city.
But the historic environment is not a collection of grand set
pieces, with no relevance to the lives of ordinary people. A good
local environment enables creativity, self-worth, and a deeper
quality of life. With the help of their tireless volunteers
church buildings across the country are continuing to contribute to
their wider communities in increasingly
diverse ways.