Historic English Churches: A Guide to Their Construction, Design and Features

Geoffrey R. Sharpe

Jun 2011 · Bloomsbury Publishing

About this ebook

The ancient churches and cathedrals of England's towns and countryside are among the glories of our national heritage. Yet how were our ancestors able to construct these often substantial edifices without the benefit of modern techniques? How did the medieval masons plan, design and oversee their construction? What methods of construction were used by the medieval carpenters to realise the magnificent roofs and ceilings we see today? In this unique guide, Geoffrey R. Sharpe brings forty years experience of caring for historic buildings to show us how, from the original planning and preparation to the final construction and decoration. In a final chapter the author shows the reader how to assess the history and development of a church from the constructional and architectural clues contained within its features. The result is a work that adds a whole new dimension to our understanding of English church building and architecture.

About the author

Geoffrey R. Sharpe is a member of the Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches. A Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and of the Chartered Institute of Building, he is also a member of the CIOB Building Conservation Forum and a past chairman of the Building Conservation Trust. He is the author of Traditional Buildings of the English Countryside (I.B.Tauris).