church architecture

Armenia’s earliest church

Excavations in the ancient city of Artaxata have uncovered the remains of a church dating to the early days of Christianity in Armenia. Artaxata was the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia from the early 2nd century BC, and remained…

The British Sundial Society

The British Sundial Society is compiling a register of all the Mass dials (also known as scratch dials) in the country. So far, 5,500 examples have been recorded and the society is keen to hear from anyone who can help…

ABOVE A single church can yield no end of treasures. In this case, the church of St Mary, in Chilham, Kent, has the remarkable English Renaissance tomb of Margaret Palmer (d. 1619) made from the local grey Bethersden marble, polished then etched with rose and honeysuckle blossoms and vine leaves in shallow relief. Nearby is the monument to Arthur and Edmund Hardy (d. 1858, presumably of a childhood illness), whose family owned Chilham Castle from 1861 to 1918, sculpted by Alexander Munro, with its unique depiction of a bat and shuttlecock. In the opposite (southern) aisle is the monument to Lady Mary Digges (d. 1631), with alabaster figures of Justice, Temperance, Prudence, and Fortitude (shown here) carved by Nicholas Stone.

Church Crawlers Anonymous

This ‘society’ consists of an informal Facebook group with some 1,600 members. Anyone who shares the group’s passion for exploring places of worship and contributing photographs that inspire others to enjoy visiting such places can join. Perhaps more people would…

Above The Plunkett Foundation promotes the idea of locating community businesses in places of worship to provide local services, create jobs, and generate revenue through rent.

Church Communities and Heritage

Churches are significant repositories of community history; they contain rare and precious objects; they are, in a very real sense, museums at the heart of every community. They are also places of reflection and spiritual sustenance...

The riches of Ravenna

In a small city on Italy’s Adriatic coast, faces of all-powerful emperors, empresses, and bishops gaze out from glittering mosaics. But why are these magnificent decorations here? Judith Herrin explores the history of Ravenna, a well-connected city and one-time capital of the Western Roman Empire.

The Kilvert Society

The Reverend Francis (Frank) Kilvert (1840-1879) died as a result of peritonitis at the age of 38, days after returning from his honeymoon in Scotland. Although greatly mourned by his widow, family, and parishioners, he would nevertheless have been an…