Helping you

Cathedral and Church Buildings

The Cathedral and Church Buildings Division (CCB) is responsible for national policy on the Church of England's buildings which are used for worship. It works closely with other bodies inside and outside the church.

The CCB is responsible for developing and maintaining relations between Church and State, national and local bodies on church building matters. The Division is also responsible for developing the Church's vision of how it may best use its buildings.  It maintains a Library of books and other material dedicated solely to ecclesiastical architecture, art, design and liturgy available for readers interested in those areas.

The CCB supports three websites:

  • Churchcare - is aimed at those with responsibility for a church building, its contents and churchyard.  The site provides guidance on care and conservation issues, as well as advice on funding and best practice around development and extended use of church buildings.
  • Shrinking the Footprint - is the website for the Church of England National Environmental Campaign, designed to encourage and support the whole body of the Church to reduce its carbon footprint and increase its environmental sustainbility.
  • Churchart - a free resource to encourage artists, congregations, and those involved in the care of churches to foster and engage the arts in the life of the church.  Includes a register of artists and craftspeople.

The staff of the CCB support the Statutory bodies - the Church Buildings Council (CBC; formerly the Council for the Care of Churches) and the Statutory Advisory Committee on closing churches and the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England (CFCE).  CCB also takes responsibility for sustaining church buildings at the heart of their communities via campaigning, education, fundraising, grant giving and spreading best practice.