Photograph of a Church Exterior from 'A Glimpse of Heaven - The Catholic Churches of England and Wales' The Roman Catholic Church, in common with other Christian denominations, is asking itself some difficult questions about the future of the historic buildings in its care.

The cost of maintaining these buildings, especially where there are declining congregations and diminishing clergy numbers, is becoming an increasing challenge. Sometimes the Church has to face the stark prospect of having to close, demolish or sell off some of its buildings.

But how does the Church know which ones to keep and which to dispose of and how to best make fully informed decisions?

English Heritage and the Patrimony Committee of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales has joined up with two Catholic dioceses, Lancaster and Arundel & Brighton, to help guide them through this process.

It is hoped that the project, fully funded by English Heritage, will provide a template for all Catholic dioceses - and indeed other denominations - to follow to help them make informed decisions.

The joint project between English Heritage and the Catholic Church, began in 2004 and culminated in the production of a detailed report for each diocese based on in depth research and analysis. These reports, aim to tackle the issue by:

• providing an up-to-date and objective ‘snap-shot’ of the architecture and history of the churches in the two dioceses;


• giving the dioceses greater clarity on the relative merits of their churches, helping them to make better informed decisions concerning their future use;


• advising on the listed status of the buildings, recognising that Roman Catholic churches are often under-represented in the lists or inappropriately listed;


• providing the two dioceses, and eventually all those who care for historic places of worship, with a useful tool to help them take a more strategic approach to the management of their historic building stock; and


• unearthing new historical information that will encourage greater public interest in the architectural heritage of the Roman Catholic church in England, and thereby enabling those responsible for churches to make a case for a greater level of support (for example in the form of grant aid).

Interior of a churchSimon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: “English Heritage, through the Inspired! campaign which will be launched in May this year, is committed to encouraging and supporting all denominations to adopt a more strategic approach to the management of their historic places of worship. We know that there is a real need not only for more money, but also for this kind of practical guidance and training at a local level so that we can help the denominations to help themselves. We hope that the principles behind this project with the Catholic Church will be adopted by all those entrusted with the upkeep of these precious buildings across all denominations and faiths.”

Historical Significance of Catholic churches

The fact that the history and architecture of Catholic churches and their importance as part of our heritage has gone largely unrecognised has compounded the problems now facing Catholic dioceses.

For over 200 years, from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to 1791, the building of Catholic churches was illegal and Catholics were a persecuted minority. After the Catholic Relief Act of 1791 a huge programme of church building began.  Many were architecturally unremarkable but many equalled or surpassed other buildings of their time.  It is increasingly recognised that Catholic churches have an aesthetic of their own and an architectural development quite distinct from that of Anglican churches.  Yet of 3,465 Catholic churches and chapels in England and Wales, only 625 are currently listed.

Many churches architectural importance are not included in the statutory list of protected buildings. As a result, dioceses face an increasing number of random spot-listings. This in itself can seriously hamper strategic planning.

Front Cover of 'A Glimse of Heaven: Catholic Church Architecture in England and Wales' A new English Heritage book on the architecture of Catholic churches called A Glimpse of Heaven to be published in July represents another step towards a better understanding of Catholic built heritage and is the first work on the subject since the 1960s.

The author of A Glimpse of Heaven, Christopher Martin, said: “[These buildings] can be seen now as not only churches of different quality and different architectural styles but buildings that reflect the drama of their times; the religious passion, the shifting populations, the politics. They tell us about their architects and patrons, the priests, the princes of the church and the people who worshipped in them. It is a remarkable story and it is largely unknown. "

'A Glimpse of Heaven - The Catholic Churches of England and Wales', is a celebration of 100 Catholic churches in England and Wales, with lively and informative text by Christopher Martin and stunning photographs by the well known architectural photographer, Alex Ramsay.

The book will be published in July 2006 priced £25.00.