You may think your church is the original building but in most cases what you see today are later buildings replacing Saxon or even earlier structures. When Christianity first arrived in England people met in houses and then later built chapels and churches sometimes on the site of pagan shrines. The first churches were a one room affair, rectangular and made of wood with a thatched roof. Masonry came later with the more important sites such as the basilica at Brixworth a 7th century church.
There is some indication that the original one cell building were added to create an apse or chancel for the altar. Towers were sometimes added in the late Saxon period replacing the west porch and were used as lookout posts as well as housing a bell to signify the time, and events such as weddings and deaths - also for raising the alarm.
The great church building period started with the Normans and the Conquest in 1066, during the next three hundred years (12th-14th century) most of our churches took the form they have today with aisles, porches, clerestory and transepts.

How to use this page...

I have put together some general information on our churches plus in-depth 'mini-pages' on areas such as the nave, chancel etc. As well as features on gargoyles and memorials.
Just 'click' on a label to be taken to the mini-pages and read more on the items and areas of the church.
This should give you more understanding on your church buildings. I can recommend 'How to Read a Church' by Richard Taylor which is a very informative book and recently a BBC2 TV series if you wish to find out more.

Click on any label to read more..

Tower

South Aisle

Chancel

Nave & Clerestory

Porch

St Peter's, Church Langton, Leicestershire

Churchyard

Aisles were added to create chapels, chantry chapels and also to create extra room for the population which was rapidly expanding. The most popular layout for a parish church is one we are all familar with such as St Peter's at Church Langton as shown above. However smaller villages built 'smaller' churches and a few do not have towers, they have a bellcote or nothing at all. Some only had one aisle or none, whilst a few stayed as a one cell building such as Wibtoft or Potters Marston. But a 'typical' village church is in the format above.
There are also a few churches which followed the cruciform plan with a transept across the nave and a tower in the middle of the crossing. In the layouts below you can see a typical floorplan for a cruciform (cross-shaped) church and your typical parish church. Cruciform churches were more common in the larger towns and many cathedrals follow this plan, perhaps our best example is the magnificent church at Melton Mowbray. To further confuse you some church buildings have a transept as well as aisles and some have been added to over the years to create different layouts such as St Giles at Medbourne.

St Mary's Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire

St Helen's, Gumley, Leicestershire

North Trancept

North Aisle

Font

Chancel

Nave

Font

Tower

Nave

Chancel

South Aisle

Porch

South Trancept

Click on any label to read more..

Church Architecture & Periods

I often mention in the textual writeups the 'period' they were built, either Norman, Early English, Decorated etc. It can be confusing but once you get over the basics its all fairly easy to understand.
Most of our churches are built in the Gothic style with stong vertical lines, pointed windows and high ceilings and this style was split into several distinct periods but most are a mixture of styles from the Norman to the Perpendicular.

Norman Gothic 1066-1175
After 1066 the Normans brought there church building skills to England and many churches were rebuilt in the Norman style with wide rounded arches and small windows. Although there are very few totally Norman churches in our counties you can see much of their work at Allexton, Tickencote and in numerous arcades and doorways throughout the two counties.

Early English Gothic 1175-1250
Larger windows and more elegant churches were built in the Early English period and the French style was now adapted by English craftsmen and architects. Lancet windows became popular, narrow untraceried openings, the form is simple and gives a sense of proportion. Slender towers with spires also became popular with ribbing in vaults.

Decorated Gothic 1250-1350
Windows became far more elaborate with vertical shafts and complex tracery incorporated into the design. Arches became more 'decorated' and flying buttresses were invented for the large cathedrals. Stone carving became more popular and many of our churches date from this period. Improved techniques allowed for even wider windows.

Perpendicular Gothic 1350-1575
Towers gained pinnacles and windows became massive with elaborate traceried windows. Clerestory were added to heightened naves adding more light for the congregation. This was a major style for our churches and most contain at least some 'perp' styling especially the clerestory.

Later Building
After 1575 few churches were actually built although we do have a few examples from the Georgian period with their unique interior styling. Examples are the wonderful church at Kings Norton, Teigh in Rutland and Stapleford. We also have the Commonwealth church at Staunton Harold to admire as a rare build from the 17th century. The Victorians had a more restrained classical look but we do have some examples in Leicester and one or two in the county such as the fine brick built structure at Tur Langton and the church at Ellistown . There are also some modern builds, Bagworth built in the 1960's is a strange looking church but in keeping with all - they are fascinating places to visit whatever style they are built in.