Medieval Parish Churches of England and Wales

[the golden vision]

There are over 8,000 parish churches in England in which the fabric of the building is predominantly medieval. Most are buildings of historic interest rather than of any great architectural merit, a substantial minority however, have left England with a legacy of parochial buildings that is only surpassed by Italy and France. Some of the best churches such as Lavenham church and St Edmund, Southwold,both in Suffolk and St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, Fairford Church, Gloucestershire, which miraculously has retained all its medieval stained glass, are amongst the finest in Europe. The towers of the great 15th century Somerset churches have no equal in medieval parish church architecture anywhere in the world.

The majority of the population of England before 1350 were the unfree peasantry. Serfs tied to the land owned by the lord of the manor. In this deeply hierarchical society it was Christian doctrine that dignified the existence of the serf, in that it maintained all were equal in the eyes of god(although this didn't prevent the religious houses of the time selling and buying serfs like livestock) so in theory at least, within the confines of the parish church the serf and lord worshipped as equals.
The church exacted a heavy financial burden on the peasant, the tithe was an annual tax of ten percent of income and these financial liabilties extended beyond the grave in the form of 'mortuary' whereon the death of a peasant the church would claim the man's second best beast, the first would go to the lord as 'heriot'


In 1997 I visited the Saxon church of St John, Esomb, County Durham. This humble little building, beautiful in its simplicity has stood almost unaltered since it was built in the 670's ! Since then I've visited around 300 medieval parish churches all over England. My favourite (sentimental reasons) remains the church of St Helen, Sefton, on the northern outskirts of Liverpool near where I grew up. In many ways this church is a typical medieval church. Founded by a Norman knight who fought alongside William the Conqueror and was then granted the manor of Sefton, his family remained lords of the manor there for 800 years.


The medieval parish church resonates with the history of the lives of the peasantry, but much more, the very fabric of these buildings seem to have absorbed the meditations, joy and grief of generations of worshippers. No other piece of ground or space is comparable to a medieval parish church in this respect.

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The church of St Helen, Sefton, on the outskirts of Liverpool. There was a chapel on this site in the 12th century, nothing of which remains. The main body of the church is from the 1520's and the steeple the 1330's.

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The beautifully carved screen from the late 1400's at St Helen's church,Sefton.

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The carved bench ends at St Helen's date from the early 1500's and among the best in the north of England. Seating was only introduced into parish churches in the late 13thc, before that the congregation stood. When services were long parishoners would sit on the column base or or go lean on the walls, hence the the expression 'going to the wall'

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Effigies of two knights. The one missing part of the leg is from the 1330's and is unidentified, the other is Sir William Molyneux and dates from the 1290's.

[openlyJane]

I particularly like the wood carvings in this church. I know the wood has aged, but I love the darkness of it. Very Germanic in my eyes ( although I'm no expert at all)

[yubnub]

300 done!!! 7700 to go Good start to the thread, looking forward to seeing more

[the golden vision]

Originally Posted by yubnub

300 done!!! 7700 to go Good start to the thread, looking forward to seeing more

Yes i know Thanks.

[the golden vision]

St Michael, Huyton, Liverpool

There's been a church on this site since 1189, although the earliest parts of the present structure , the tower and chancel, date from the early 1400's.

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[the golden vision]

Originally Posted by openlyJane

I particularly like the wood carvings in this church. I know the wood has aged, but I love the darkness of it. Very Germanic in my eyes ( although I'm no expert at all)

Yes, oak turns black with age and becomes almost as hard as iron. The Black Forest in Germany has been renowned for its wood carvers for centuries. Great updates on your thread btw

[openlyJane]

St Mary's Church in Nantwich looks lovely. The choir stalls are amazing.

[Linguine]

amazing photos from those churches, nice details...

[the golden vision]

Jane,Christos and Linguine, thank you.

[zaguric2]

Nice churches

[the golden vision]

Thanks

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St Leonard the Less, Samlesbury, Lancashire

The nave and chancel date from the 1550's, with the remains of the 12thc church visible in the gables, tower from the 1880's. Good monuments inside and a very pleasant setting.

[the golden vision]

St Michael, Aughton, Nr Liverpool.


An ancient site of worship, an Anglo-Saxon cross shaft was discovered in the graveyard in the 19thc. There has been a church on this site since at least the 11thc but what stands today is mostly from the 14th and 15th centuries. The steeple, with its fine original spire dates from the 1340's. The chancel was rebuilt in the 1870's with some medieval carving from it preserved.

[the golden vision]

The 15thc nave and a carved figure from the 16th, salvaged from the chancel before its rebuilding in the 1870's.

[openlyJane]

Beautiful wood carvings, GV.