Country Churches

by Simon Jenkins

This is a celebration of England's most glorious churches, from Norman masterpieces and Medieval treasures to Baroque splendour and Victorian high gothic. Simon Jenkins has travelled England from Cornwall to Cumbria to select its finest churches of all periods and styles, unearthing rich mosaics, precious stained glass, grand marbles and humble carvings of green men, dogs, rabbits and birds. In doing so he reveals not only an unparalleled collection of national art and architecture, but the history and spirit of a people. Generations of inhabitants have helped shape the English countryside - but it has profoundly shaped us too.It has provoked a huge variety of responses from artists, writers, musicians and people who live and work on the land - as well as those who are travelling through it.English Journeys celebrates this long tradition with a series of twenty books on all aspects of the countryside, from stargazey pie and country churches, to man's relationship with nature and songs celebrating the patterns of the countryside (as well as ghosts and love-struck soldiers).

Genres: Nonfiction, British Literature

161 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Sir Simon David Jenkins, FSA, FRSL is the author of the international bestsellers England’s Thousand Best Churches and England’s Thousand Best Houses, the former editor of The Times and Evening Standard and a columnist for the Guardian. He is chairman of the National Trust.

Reviews

[Daniel Clemence · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a weird habit that I have developed in that I enjoy wandering around different churches whenever I visit new towns and villages. Coming from the perspective of a Liberal Anglican, I enjoy the beauty found in these buildings and the Christian story and myth that they provide. Admittedly, a lot of my Christian faith nowadays boils down to visiting churches, giving donations and the various assistance I give to my church when they require assistance. This may seem rather lackluster and lukewarm compared to the fiery zeal of Evangelical and Charismatic Christianity. But it feels true to me.

Country Churches is about churches in the countryside and their story. Written by Simon Jenkins, a Guardian writer who is controversial to say the least, the book is an attempt to document Simon Jenkins' love of countryside churches. Simon Jenkins once wrote a Guardian column on why Britain should reintroduce steam trains. I still wonder to this day if he was being serious or writing satire. Anyway, he certainly isn't my favourite Guardian writer.

Is it a book worth reading? If you really like Simon Jenkins and you absolutely want a list of the best churches of England that you'll probably never visit because they are all dotted over England and England is really expensive to visit, sure. I really like run on sentences! But this book I found to be rather tedious. Sure, it is about churches. But I would much prefer this sort of book with pictures. The book was basically Simon describing the church and then here are all the history about the church. Also, the churches were selected arbitrarily. Why these ones and not others? Overall,, not the most exciting book out there.