“England’s Thousand Best Churches”, by Simon Jenkins

896 pages, Allen Lane, ISBN-13: 978-0713992816

England’s Thousand Best Churches by Simon Jenkins doesn’t lie: there are, indeed, a thousand churches featured in this book, and if they aren’t the best to be found in England, well then brother I defy you to come up with a better list. After a short introduction on the evolution of architectural styles, sources and thoughtful comments on why the author sees the churches as important national treasures, the book begins with a county-by-county list and descriptions. The photos are excellent, and while I lament that there are not more, at more than 800 pages it’s already a heavy tome. But really, it’s the descriptions that are so tantalizing, like this one: “In the centre of the chancel lies the star of the show, an effigy of a medieval knight. His legs are crossed and there is a dog at his feet...He lies with light shining on him from the chancel windows. Winter evening services must be eerie events, as if the congregation were summoned to await the knight’s resurrection and admonition…” (from St Michael and All Angels, pg. 273). Dang. As a wannabe historian and an Anglophile to boot, this book was appealing enough as it is, but it’s in the execution that it shines. The thought given to the thousand descriptions is careful, and Jenkins highlights so many areas of interest: stone carvings, stained glass, painted murals, furnishings, churchyards, tombs, effigies and more.

There’s also local folklore, along with other things that make the subject so unique (great English villages like Much Marcle, or Garton on the Wolds) and seemingly obscure saints that are important to English heritage. Jenkins has created a masterful examination of these jewels of English legacy, and the book’s authoritative tone stems from his comprehensive descriptions of each church’s distinguishing features. His eye for detail enables the reader to appreciate the styles that link each church together, as well as the individual features that make each church distinct. England’s Thousand Best Churches could have been a dry, lifeless study; instead, thanks to Jenkins’ penchant for casually slipping his opinions on various matters into a church’s description, it feels like a personal, one-on-one guided tour, an example of which can be found in the discussion of the St Mary’s Church at Honeychurch (another one!) in which he notes: “The sign on the door says simply, ‘This door is never locked’. It should be the motto of the Church of England”. Understated opinions on matters as diverse as church restoration and Victorian stained glass give the book a casualness that most scholarly studies don’t possess. Any reader will find the book to be an invaluable guide for understanding the significance of these English cultural treasures.