The English Country Church

Nearly every village has one, some older than others. For hundreds of years, the stone-built church has been a feature of the rural community. It’s the place where the milestones of life are marked: christenings of new babies, marriages of both younger and older couples, and farewells to loved ones, many of whom now lie in the churchyard.

Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales have their own distinctive kirks and chapels, but the church in today’s picture is quintessentially English. A simple stone building, it stands in a grassed churchyard surrounded by trees. Its tower contains bells, which are still rung, although maybe just on special occasions. Wherever you travel in England, the traditional parish church architecture will always be there to enjoy.

Fun fact: There are over 16,000 parish church buildings in England, with 12,500 of them registered as listed buildings by Historic England. (Thanks to churchofengland.org for this info.)