English parish churches

by Edwin Smith (Photographer), Graham Hutton (Introduction), Olive Cook (Text)

English Parish Churches [Hardcover] Smith, Edwin; Cook, Olive; Hutton, Graham

Genres: Art, Architecture

252 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Patrick\ · Rating 4 out of 5]

After experiencing St. Lawrence in Bradford-on-Avon (thanks to an Aunt who lives there), I understand how parishoners in the Middle Ages didn't go INTO church, they WENT to church. Tiny nave, almost a minature. The Market Cross gave open-air freshness to the Mass. Cullompton, Devon is a treasure, but Ottery St. Mary is a strange but impressive hodgepodge of period styles - thankfully few of later times. Most impressive are the Norman churches which replaced the crude, small structures of the Saxons. William got the Brits off their asses and pounding stone - magnificently. It is only in the Victorian Gothic Revival that it all falls apart - mimicking the decorate-every-surface excesses of Byzantium didn't work. It is the bells that still move me most. Small village, stone church, set of working bells. A fine little survey book, tons of churches (literally), and photos galore.