Parish churches are the centre of a village or town’s spiritual life and repositories of memories of family rites of passage throughout the generations. As such every generation has left its mark on the fabric of the church building, some of which endure to this day as outstanding treasures. Below are listed some of the most notable ones.

THE FONT

Fonts are usually to be found just inside the church door, representing as they do the entry to Christian faith through the rite of Baptism. Baptism itself can take place in rivers or constructions resembling small pools but the general form has settled down over the centuries to a bowl on a pedestal. The architectural details of fonts usually point to a particular era, often contemporary with the church’s foundation. Its material is frequently stone though marble or other materials may be used (at Coventry Cathedral it is a rock hewn from the hills near Bethlehem).