Links

Some of the main Cambridgeshire and National websites are also listed below, click on the title to access directly the associated website.

Cambridgeshire Important Websites

All Saints, Jesus Lane, Cambridge Temporary site

The Diocese of Ely

As Christians in the Church of England we are called to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ - living out God's love in today's world and serving the people of Cambridgeshire and North West Norfolk.

Ely's Advice on the Care of our Churches

This page of the Ely Diocese website has information on the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) and how to apply for a Faculty.  It also has many other good links to help with church repairs.

Building Links with other Churches

The Ely Diocesan Ecumenical Officer is a member of the Board for Church in Society.  The Diocescan Ecumenical Officer's task is to encourage and promote all aspects of Ecumenism.

Ely Cathedral

A magnificent Norman Cathedral which attracts visitors from all over the world and has a lively programme of events.

Cambridgeshire Churches

This website is devoted to the Churches of Cambridgeshire. Here you can find Ben's notes and Mark's photographs of parish churches, starting with those that lie within the historic boundaries of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely.  This is an ongoing project, so please call back from time to time to see new churches added as we visit them - or revisit churches to take new photographs or revise our opinions.

Peterborough Area Churches

This website is devoted to the Churches of Cambridgeshire. Here you can find Robin's notes and photographs of parish churches, starting with those that lie within the Peterborough area.  This is an ongoing project, so please call back from time to time to see new churches added as we visit them - or revisit churches to take new photographs or revise our opinions.

The Stained Glass Mueum at Ely Cathedral

The Stained Glass Museum offers a unique insight into the fascinating story of stained glass, an art-form that has been practised in Britain for at least thirteen hundred years.  The Museum Trust was set up in the 1970s to rescue and preserve stained glass and now houses a national collection of British stained glass. An exhibition of the finest pieces gives visitors a chance to appreciate its beauty and history.  The Museum is in the South Transept of Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire, a small city fifteen miles north of Cambridge making it an ideal centre to visit

Cambridgeshire Association for Local History ("CALH")
CALH represents and promotes local history societies throughout the county as well as organising its own programme of lectures and tours

Cambridgeshire Libraries
Bringing information, ideas, learning, imagination and reading to people and communities.

Cambridgeshire Community Network

Infocam

The above to excellent sites Link to our many Communities and services.  Cambridgeshire.net and Infocam bring together information on local services, clubs and societies and much,much more in Cambridgeshire.

Nationally Important Website's

National Churches Trust

On the 28th June 2007, the National Churches Trust was founded (it was formally known as the Historic Churches Preservation Trust).

There are some 18,000 Anglican parish churches alone in England and Wales, and very many of other denominations. A lot of them are approaching 1,000 years old; some, even more. Generations of people have given their time, money, skill and strength to constructing these buildings and beautifying them, to the glory of God. Without proper care they decay, and they often need expensive specialist conservation, which dwindling congregations cannot afford.

Other County Historic Churches Trusts

This is a complete list of the other Counties Trusts, regardless of whether or not they already have a web site; when you get there click on the underscored names to visit the web site where it exists.

The Churches Conservation Trust

The Churches Conservation Trust was set up to care for Church of England churches no longer needed for parish use. All our churches are architecturally or historically important with most Grade I or Grade II*.

The Friends of Friendless Churches

The Friends of Friendless Churches save redundant churches and chapels from demolition, decay and unsympathetic conversion. They now own 38 such buildings, half in England, half in Wales (where our work is funded by Cadw and the Church in Wales). In England however our work is not automatically grant aided and we rely extensively on the generosity of donors and members.

The Pevsner Guides

The Pevsner Architectural Guides, were begun in 1951 by the architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner (1902-83) with the aim of providing an up-to-date portable guide to the most significant buildings in every part of the country, suitable for both general reader and specialist.

Heritage Open Days

Heritage Open Days celebrates England's fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to properties that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission. Every year on four days in September, buildings of every age, style and function throw open their doors, ranging from castles to factories, town halls to tithe barns, parish churches to Buddhist temples. It is a once-a-year chance to discover hidden architectural treasures and enjoy a wide range of tours, events and activities which bring to life local history and culture.

Images of England

The Images of England website, is funded by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund, is a groundbreaking initiative which aims to create a 'point in time' photographic record of England's listed buildings. There are many images of Cambridgeshire Churches.  It is a snapshot of the buildings listed at the turn of the millennium; it is not an up-to-date record of all currently listed buildings. For information on the current listed status of individual buildings please contact NMR Enquiry & Research Services.

The Ecclesiological Society

The original Cambridge Camden Society was founded in 1839 at Cambridge. In 1845 it moved to London, and changed its name to the Ecclesiological Society.  The Society had a major influence on the development of church architecture during the mid-nineteenth century, under the influence of its founders Benjamin Webb, John Mason Neale, and Alexander Beresford-Hope. Its famous Journal, The Ecclesiologist, was published between 1841 and 1868, and combined scholarly articles with trenchant criticism.

Redundant Churches & Chapels

The Churches Conservation Trust
The Trust cares for Church of England churches no longer needed for parish use.

The Historic Chapels Trust
Established to take into ownership and preserve non-anglican places of worship of outstanding architectural and historic interest.

The Chapels Society
The Chapels Society seeks to promote the survival, public interest and knowledge of the architectural and historical importance of "all places of worship and their related structures in the United Kingdom, loosely described as Nonconformist" including some non-Christian ones.

Friends of Friendless Churches
The Friends own 34 churches and chapels, half in England, half in Wales, which they have saved from demolition, decay and unsympathetic conversion. The Friends are an almost wholly voluntary body, operating a joint membership scheme with the Ancient Monuments Society. We welcome new members to support our work.

Capel - The Chapels Heritage Society
Supports the preservation of nonconformist chapels and former chapel buildings in Wales.

Scottish Redundant Churches Trust
The SRCT is a charitable trust that exists to identify and to take into care architecturally or historically significant places of worship, of all faiths and denominations, in order to safeguard them for the benefit of their communities and the nation.

Sources of Advice on Church Care & Maintenace

English Heritage
Essential consultation source for major repairs to listed churches. Also makes grants.

Heritage Lottery Fund

Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments

Church of England Church Care
Essential reading for anyone concerned with running, maintaining or repairing a church, including such aspects as health and safety, insurance, security, re-ordering etc. Includes valuable sections on mounting an appeal, fundraising, grant givers and lists addresses of DAC secretaries

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Direct Link to the Historic Environment page specfic to Places of Worship with details of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Diocesan Advisory Councils (Church of England)
This page lists names, addresses and phone numbers, and email addresses where known, for the DAC secretary in each Diocese. These are the bodies which approve work for the issue of faculties. Such approval is needed before HCPT can make a grant to a Church of England church.

Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
Founded by William Morris in 1877 to counteract the highly destructive 'restoration' of medieval buildings by many Victorian architects. Today it claims to be the largest, oldest and most technically expert national pressure group fighting to preserve buildings from decay, demolition and damage. Good SPAB News for members.

The Ecclesiological Society
Originally the Cambridge Camden Society. Concerned with architecture, furnishings and liturgy. Website contains excellent list of organisations connected with church building.

The Ancient Monuments Society
One of the National Amenity Societies. Founded 1924 for the study and conservation of any man-made structure of historical interest. Largely concerned with opposing demolition. Now in partnership with the Friends of Friendless Churches. Annual Transactions include scholarly articles on aspects of conservation.

The Church Monuments Society
Formed in 1979 to encourage the appreciation, study and conservation of church monuments both in the UK and abroad. The Society organizes biennial symposia, biannual lectures, an AGM and often monthly excursions. The Society also organizes study groups and an information service.

National Churchwatch
Founded 1998. Sponsored by major church insurance cos. who will often speak at seminars etc. Free help and advice given on security and protection from vandalism, theft and crimes against persons. Encourages and helps with setting up of Churchwatch groups.

Association of Independent Organ Advisers
Can give expert advice on new organs and organ restoration

The Monumental Brass Society
Encourages and promotes the study of brasses. Can give advice and modest financial support for the conservation of brasses.

Specialist Architects, Restorers& other suppliers

Building Conservation
A commercial site (Cathedral Communications Limited) with information about conservation and restoration of historic buildings. Information from the Building Conservation Directory.

Association of Diocesan and Cathedral Archaeologists
ADCA is a professional organisation which will represent archaeologists who are charged with the proper conduct of archaeology of cathedrals and parish churches.

Conservation Register
A searchable register of specialised restorers and conservators in the UK and Ireland

Institute of Historic Building Conservation
The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) is the professional institute which represents conservation professionals in the public and private sectors in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It has approximately 1360 members members, divided between 15 branches.

The Institute exists to establish the highest standards of conservation practice to support the effective protection and enhancement of the historic environment.

Royal Institute of British Architects
Includes a section called Find an Architect

The Round Tower Society

Round tower churches tend to be found where there is a lack of conventional stone to use for building. In much of East Anglia, the only stone to be found is flint. Flint occurs as comparatively small and knobbly individual stones, not as slabs which can be cut up into blocks. Many handsome buildings have been built with walls of flint set in mortar, but something stronger is needed at the corners where two walls meet. So a typical flint church will have stone blocks forming the corners of the main body of the church. It cost money to bring the stone from a distance, and to have it cut to shape (“dressed”). It was cheaper to build the church tower without any expensive stone corners -- by making it round.

The British Society of Master Glass Painters, founded in 1921, is Britain's only organization devoted exclusively to the art and craft of stained glass. From the outset, its chief objectives have been to promote and encourage high standards in the art and craft of stained glass painting and staining, to act as a locus for the exchange of information and ideas within the stained glass craft and to preserve the invaluable stained glass heritage of Britain. Its wide range of activities includes: lectures, conferences, exhibitions, forums, guided walks and other events connected with stained glass; an annual Journal of Stained Glass, a quarterly Stained Glass Newsletter and other publications; access to the Society’s extensive reference library on stained glass and the online Members' Forum, as well as illustrated online design portfolios for Fellows and Associates.

The Harlaxton Symposium is an interdisciplinary gathering of academics, students and enthusiasts which meets annually to celebrate medieval history, art, literature and architecture through a programme of papers selected around a chosen theme.

The Symposium, which began in 1984, was the brain-child of Dr. Pamela Tudor-Craig, Lady Wedgwood, and the host of the four- day conference has always been Harlaxton College in Lincolnshire, a delightful Victorian Baroque mansion which is now the British campus of the University of Evansville, Indiana.