Customer Reviews
Comments by Michael Calum Jacques author of '1st Century Radical'. - By: Michael Calum Jacques, 21 Nov 2008 
The author of this book, Sir Roy Strong, former Director of the National Portrait Gallery & the Victoria & Albert Museum, is also a broadcaster, & has written a number of bestselling books which include The Story of Britain, The Cult of Elizabeth & The Spirit of Britain.
This book attempts to narrate the complex history & development of the English parish church "...from the first buildings erectedin Anglo-Saxon times to its uncertain futurein the twenty-first century." That is to undertake quite a task & the author has made a jolly good job of it!
The book has been described as a "richly illustrated elegy, & a plea for the preservation of the country church." Indeed, Strong's book really is both at once a celebration of the English country church - & a passionate plea for its conservation. The author entertainingly & anecdotally relates the dramatic ebb & flow of the English parish church, through its various epochs & vicissitudes.
The reader really does feel as though he or she is actually engagedin a voyage through time; from the arrival of those Catholic missionaries who systematically erected crosses here & there to mark the places where they preached, to the beautiful architecture & aureate pseudo-spirituality of medieval Christianity; from the tumult of the Reformation to the times of the 'squarson', the sedate, gentrified type of cleric we encounterin the works of Jane Austen: we are swept along on a journey of discovery & rediscovery.
This book is an enlightening & an invigorating yarn & this reviewer can heartily commend it to prospective readers.
Michael Calum Jacques
A long overdue general history and introduction - By: Rupert H. W. Barnes, 19 Jul 2008 
Periodically books are written on the subject of the parish churchesin England. The wealth of beautiful churches that this country has is one of the most unappreciated aspects of England's architectural heritage & many urban & rural parishes are strugglingin the upkeep of these edifices, some of which are of cathedral like proportions to services villages of a few hundred. This is the motivation that Roy Strong statesin his introduction for writing this book - to highlight the country church's plight & highlight the challenges we will face to preserve themin the twenty first century. Whereas the twentieth century saw the preservation of the country house, the twenty first century will have to deal with the challenge of preserving the parish church building.
The book is however mainly an overview of the way that the building &in particular the furnishings of English parish churches have changed from the early medieval era which saw church interiors lavishly decorates & furnished through the period of the Reformation & the Commonwealth which saw the destruction of a massive amount of church art & furnishings which tracked the interpretation of Protestant theologyin its manifestationin the decoration & liturgy of the parish church. The book describesin vivid detail the rituals & ceremonies at the heart of the parish throughout history tracing their changes with the contemporary religious & political events that occurredin England, particularly momentous events such as the Reformation & subtle changes brought about by the Oxford Movementin the mid nineteenth century which has shaped the liturgy & decoration of modern parish churches to this day.
The book however is popularist rather than academic. In that sense it is a pretty easy read & the plethora of illustrations including well know examples of surviving medieval furnishings makes this a solid read. However, the academics may wince a little bit at the presumptions that are made & conclusions that are drawn. However, reading the book does not really answer the issues raisedin the introduction - namely how will the English parish church survivein the twenty-first century & beyond? Strong has a one or two ideasin the epilogue - namely more of a community use for the building. But this does leave the reader a little unsatisfied, making the book feel like a good overall history of the parish church surrounded by an introduction & conclusion which does not fit the subject matterin the middle of the book.
A Book In A Million - By: K. D. Crinks, 31 Dec 2007 Anyone wishing to see how church architecture & spirituality were affected by political & theological developmentsin England should purchase this book. It is a wealth of information, extremely well written & illustrated throughout with excellent examples of church architecture.
The beauty of this book is that is explains the essence of continuityin English Christianity as perceived through the experience of ordinary worshippers & does not get embroiled with the relative merits of theological standpoints.
An excellent book, buy one for the Vicar!!!
