- Paperback: 992 pages
- Publisher: Penguin (2 July 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0141039302
- ISBN-13: 978-0141039305
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 4.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 163,545 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Churches, for Simon Jenkins, "have Ruskin's sense of "voicefulness, of stern watching, of mysterious sympathy ... which we feel in walls that have long been washed by the passing waves of humanity." In this fascinating compendium, beautifully illustrated with photographs by Paul Barker from the Country Life archive, Jenkins scours the hills and dales, cities and hamlets for England's Thousand Best Churches and comes up with some old favourites, welcome inclusions and surprising additions. Alphabetically divided by county, Jenkins' parish churches cover all epochs and denominations and are star-rated from one to five. Each church merits a description that is never less than engaging and instructive and serves to remind us of a time when the church was the hub of parochial life in a way that in many areas has diminished today. The church of St Mary and St David in Kilpeck, Herefordshire, for example, "widely regarded as England's most perfect Norman church", boasts some astonishing grotesques: "a pig upside down, a dog and a rabbit, two doves, musicians, wrestlers and acrobats. All the life of a busy and bawdy Herefordshire village is depicted on its church, with no respect for the decorum piety." St Senara in Zennor, Cornwall, possesses a 15th-century bench-end depicting the legendary "Mermaid of Zennor", as well as being the resting place for the last Cornish speaker in the county. The remote timber-frame church of St Thomas à Becket in Fairfield, Kent, rises up from Romney Marsh and has sheep grazing around the door.
Jenkins pays particular attention to the exquisite Wren and Hawksmoor churches in the City of London, such as St Bride Fleet Street and St Martin Within Ludgate, erected during 1670-1720 as part of the rebuilding of the city following the Great Fire of London in 1666. Most were damaged in the Blitz of World War II, but have been extensively restored, even though their parishes have disappeared around them. England's Thousand Best Churches is a varied, informative and entertaining overview of what constitutes, in Jenkins' view, "a Museum of England". From Cumbria to Cambridgeshire, "it is through the churches of England that we learn who we were and thus who we are and might become. Lose that learning and we lose the collective memory that is the essence of human society." --Catherine Taylor --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'Marvellous ! this is a book to be kept by the bed or, better still, in the car. A constant excuse to leave the bold highway and let the imagination, body and soul wander a little' - Anna Ford, Daily Telegraph 'Every house in England should have a copy of this book' - Auberon Waugh, Literary Review 'Just to look at it reawakens an atavistic urge to tread where our ancestors have trod, to seek out the treasures that they have left us ! the perfect guide' - Clive Aslet, Country Life
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First Sentence
Bedfordshire is not a glamorous county, yet there are surprising pleasures off its all-too-beaten tracks. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Bedfordshire is not a glamorous county, yet there are surprising pleasures off its all-too-beaten tracks. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a super book, a comprehensive guide to what, despite one's prejudices, probably are among the best of England's churches. Each entry paints a church in fairly broad brushstrokes, giving major details and the odd little anecdote. Jenkins admits that he only visited about 2000 churches, on the recommendations of others, to narrow down to his 1000. This is, I suppose, as good a way of doing it as any; of course, it all depends on whom you ask. In common with most people I know who've got it, I've enjoyed reading the entries for churches I know, and have found very little to disagree with (the stuff about witchcraft under Ufford still seems a little unlikely). The book would be less useful for planning a visit to a new church, and would, in any case, be rather large to carry. Inevitably, the reader will find something missing, a church or two that they feel should be included. Jenkins' 50-odd Suffolk churches include most of my personal Top 30, but not all of them. I can't understand how he could have missed Westhall and Badingham, for instance; he must have not visited them. But that's okay; if his Suffolk churches were the same as mine, then I might as well give up now. Less useful is the star system, with which everyone seems to disagree. He seems to go for grandeur and triumphalism rather than integrity and beauty; which, of course, he has every right to do. That may explain how Stoke-by-Nayland gets more stars than Blythburgh or Ufford, an otherwise inconceivable decision. Another plus-point is that his agnostic ex-Anglican eyes are not fooled by the 19th century rewriting of English church history; he knows that the puritans are not to be blamed for everything. In short, this immense book is a must for anyone even vaguely interested in English churches and their history.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Extremely comprehensive review of its subject. The author's subjectivity, though inevitable, can be irritating. Many worthy contenders for inclusion presumably ommitted due to lack of access on day of author's visit. Given the book's title, this seems a pity. Nevertheless, a splendid tome and lovely to dip into.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Jenkin's book has afforded me many happy days of church wandering in counties afar from home. His one to five star system does allow the traveller - whose time and money are limited - to cherry pick the most outstanding church buildings in an area. Yes, Pevsner is more thorough, but it costs £32 per volume per county (or part of a county), and it would be difficult to pick out the best. Jenkin's maps are also very useful, and he likes to set the scene and setting.
Of course, everyone will disagree with some of his ratings. The Anglo-Saxon church of Escomb, Co Durham, ranks only 2*, for example, when it is one of the most outstanding chuches of the period in the entire country, still within its own walled enclosure.
I also use the Blue Guide Churches of Northern (or Southern) England (out of print but obtainable used on Amazon) as a complement to Jenkins. A slightly different selection, and architecturally more detailed.
The hardback copy of Jenkins is rather heavy, even when travelling by car. If the paperback copy is durable, it is probably better, though without some of the photographs I guess.
So whether you are looking for Saxon long and short work, Norman zigzag, Early English lancets, decorated ogees, perpendicular fan-vaults, Easter sepulchres, Elizabethan funerary monuments, Gothick revival or Victorian masterpieces, Jenkins can guide you on your pilgrim way.
Of course, everyone will disagree with some of his ratings. The Anglo-Saxon church of Escomb, Co Durham, ranks only 2*, for example, when it is one of the most outstanding chuches of the period in the entire country, still within its own walled enclosure.
I also use the Blue Guide Churches of Northern (or Southern) England (out of print but obtainable used on Amazon) as a complement to Jenkins. A slightly different selection, and architecturally more detailed.
The hardback copy of Jenkins is rather heavy, even when travelling by car. If the paperback copy is durable, it is probably better, though without some of the photographs I guess.
So whether you are looking for Saxon long and short work, Norman zigzag, Early English lancets, decorated ogees, perpendicular fan-vaults, Easter sepulchres, Elizabethan funerary monuments, Gothick revival or Victorian masterpieces, Jenkins can guide you on your pilgrim way.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
An aboslute must for the bookcase
A superb source of information, detail, anecdotes and cracking photos covering the single most important element of our historic built environment. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kernborough buyer
A Great Day Out
A great in-depth guide for a great day out. A perfect guide for anyone interested in England's hidden history & treasures.
Published 7 months ago by Lottie
The Essential Reference
Our family enjoys exploring the many parish churches in England, and this book provides a wonderful background of information for the author's selected 1,000 best churches. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Frank Wright
What a fantasy world
I have an interest in English churches, especially Saxon and round churches. Living in Northamptonshire, we have 3 national treasures in the county. Read more
Published 19 months ago by sprout13
Informative, but uninspired
Jenkins's prose ranges from flat and uninspiring, to pithy and incisive. Overall I would say his style is journalistic (as you might expect). Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2009 by Daniel Hucker
A good start to viewing Englands fine medieval churches.
THIS BOOK HAS BEEEN A CONSTANT SOUCE OF PLEASURE SINCE I PURCHASED IT. THE BOOK WILL BE THE START OF MANY A WEEK-END BREAK AND OFFERS A GOOD REFERENCE TO VISITING CHURCHES IS MANY... Read more
Published on 29 April 2000 by colin.davis4@virgin.net
Recommended!
Every reader will wonder "Why didn't he include St ****?"! But by definition every such selection will be subjective. Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2000
original, stimulating, a superb aid for the curious
We spent two enjoyable days revisiting the haunts of her youth with my 87 year-old mother-in-law;the detail and opinionated nature of the "reviews" interested us all and... Read more
Published on 13 Jan 2000
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