Description

In the British Isles, mediæval churches are still a part of the landscape. Some are ruins, but in many villages, there is a church that has survived the centuries and the destructive forces of the Protestant Reformation and is still a place of worship. Often, these churches are lonely places, musty smelling and chilly. They might be used once or twice on Sunday and perhaps host the occasional concert or an annual summer fete, but they are not the heart of village life.

What was it like before, though? When these churches were built, what was it like to visit one? How often would the average mediæval person visit the church building, and what did they do when they were there? Did the church stand empty six days a week, or did the more vibrant devotional life of centuries past bring the people to the building more often? What was it like to be there with them? What would they have done and noticed, and how would they have used these remarkable houses of prayer?