A Little History Of The English Country Church

This book filled in the gaps in my knowledge of the English church and highlighted the fact that the decline in the Church Of England has been going on for centuries rather than decades. Many people who have left the Church Of England have not ceased to be Christian they have just abandoned a Church that seems to have become a private club more interested in buildings and doctrine rather Christian teaching. Many have opted for the evangelical non conformist churches just as many of our ancestors did 200 years ago.

An excellent concise history of what is now the Church of England. Although containing fascinating illustrations of many rural churches, they are always there to illustrate an historical point and not for architectural reasons. Any current member of the Church or with an interest in it should read this to appreciate the many parallels between the current state of the Church and the many upheavals and changes in its long history.

I expected Roy Strong's book to be a description of how the English country church had remained a pillar of stability, influence and continuity through tumultuous ages. In fact, this delightfully readable account is full of surprises and a wealth of detail of what actually happened, which seems to have been quite the opposite. Admittedly to some extent because of its condensed nature in relation to the time span covered, it shows how congregations around the country were subjected to constant and significant changes in the manner and surroundings in which they were asked to pray and what they were allowed to pray about. As the revolt against popery took hold and the church evolved between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, customs and rules were incessantly subjected to what Roy Strong refers to as a theological pendulum. Kings, Queens, various religious movements, and to some extent local gentry, had their way with a largely illiterate congregation whose reaction even today remains unknown. Until the seventeenth century, sermons were a rarity; the educational level of the majority of vicars did not allow it, and a licencing system made sure they did not try. Medieval communal activities centred on the parish church (parish ale, Sunday sports, etc) were got rid of, and then some re-allowed. The Act of Uniformity drawn up in 1558 imposed a fine on those who did not attend on Sundays (£11 today). The state visibly took over, and hitherto popular financial contributions declined as they were perceived to be yet another form of tax. After a relatively quiet eighteenth century came the Victorian explosion; the influences of the Oxford Movement and the Cambridge Camden Society, a series of influential architects, the return of music in the form of hymns and organs, and in a climate of increased competition with other faiths that included a re-tolerated Catholicism, a huge amount of church reparation, new building and embellishment. And yet despite it all, Roy Strong mentions that between 1831 and 1911, Anglican church attendance at Easter varied between only 6 and 8%. One might never have guessed. The book is helped by frequent illustrations, but several pages oddly have the feature of paragraphs of slightly varying type size. Is this a new attempt to vary our reading experience? Thanks to the author it was a good one, anyway.

This is an inspiring entry-level book outlining the various substantive changes that have not only effected the local parish churches but also a glimpse into the impact these monumental changes must have had on local communities.This book is written in such an easy readable style making it accessible for anyone not just those interested to find out more about our ecclesiastical history.An excellent read

I really like this book. Just what I was looking for. I love to get out with my small doggie and explore. As an ex-pat from another country, I love England's history, churches, beauty, art, etc. I want to know more, to be able to label my pictures accurately. This fits the bill.

A delightful book on the history of rural English churches

Boring and badly illustrated with low quality black-and-white photographs. I read this book as part of a church reading group, so I am not anti-church by any means, but the book is more of a textbook - if I was studying medieval church architecture, it would be required reading, but it is definitely not a pleasure read. I do read factual and historical works from time-to-time, and am always glad to further expand my knowledge, but his writing style was dense and uninteresting. It would also have benefited greatly from a glossary for the more technical and archaic architectural terms used. I got tired of looking up terms to follow what he was talking about. I was very disappointed with this book.

I bought the book because I had just borrowed it from the library and thought it was very informative and interesting. The seller was Better Books who listed it as new for 1 penny! Expected it to be a bit tatty. It really was as brand new and I was very impressed.

Excellent for not only great background on the most charming and worthwhile country churches to see, but Anglican liturgical and musical tradition as well.