Visiting churches

CVTA is the UK’s leading body for promoting best practice in welcoming visitors to places of worship. We work hard to ensure that when you explore the UK's fine churches you receive a warm welcome.

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'To make the acquaintance of an English church is to witness the breeze of history make its imprint on stone, brick, wood and plaster. No church is identical with any other. Nowhere else in the world are places of worship so idiosyncratic as in England. Each arose from its particular landscape and culture, reflecting local materials, patronage and politics, even the liturgical views of the vicar. The humblest church is a casket of varieties.'

: Simon Jenkins

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There are over 40,000 Christian places of worship in the UK, including over 10,000 faith sites of medieval origin, all built for the same reason but with a unique story to tell and a unique experience to offer local people, visitors and tourists alike. Every single one has some aspect of architectural, cultural or social heritage significance.

: The National Churches Trust

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ExploreChurches

ExploreChurches offer hundreds of interesting days out visiting some of the best church heritage in the UK. Art, architecture, walking, cream teas, climbing, sculpture, local history, cycling, letterpress design, labyrinths, stained glass, finding a quiet space, stepping back in time, beer, embroidery and Doctor Who. Churches, chapels and meeting houses are 'treasure houses' of heritage, history and community. They may contain ancient carvings both in stone and timber, traces of wall paintings, green men, wonderful roof bosses, gargoyles and dripstone heads, tombs and monuments, stained glass and more. Very few ancient sites are built in the style of one architectural period, and their history can be traced through the jigsaw of architectural styles. Churchyards are a veritable ‘who's who' of the area. In addition, they are also keepers of traditions and rites that have been practised for generations. Churches show the evolution of British culture, local heritage, family history and tales of human events and achievements, embellished with architecture, art and craftsmanship. Whatever your passion, we can help you feed it!

www.explorechurches.org