The Churches Conservation Trust is the principal organization in England caring for those churches which are no longer required for regular worship by the Church of England, but which nonetheless are a priceless part of the nation's history, ranging in date from Saxon to late Victorian. The Trust now conserves and promotes over 340 churches and the number grows each year. In addition to keeping the structures and their furnishings in good condition, it is a priority of the Trust that its churches should be well presented and readily accessible to the public, usually on a daily basis throughout the year without charge. The Trust has churches in cities and towns but the typical Trust church is in a small village or stands quite alone in some remote and beautiful location. Because of this the churches were largely untouched by the restorers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and retain wonderfully atmospheric interiors reflecting society in centuries past. This book features photographic portraits and descriptions of thirty-six of some of the Trust's most spectacular and interesting churches of every period in all parts of England.

'Discover the specialist crafts, histories and religious and cultural significance of these unique buildings that also shine a light on the CCT, without which many such buildings would have disappeared. A feast for the eyes and mind,' Family Tree

MATTHEW BYRNE has photographed churches in every county of England and has published illustrated articles on the subject in a number of magazines. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society in 1988 for his work in architectural photography.