Stones of Witness

Colin Cunningham looks at how parish churches have developed as patterns of worship have altered. He also shows what prompted renovations over the centuries and how church practice responded to innovations in layout. Having traced the roots of Anglican church building back to the earliest centuries of Christianity, including elements of paganism that have been absorbed into Christian worship, the author covers the development of the sacraments in the pre-Reformation era, and the traditions of prayer and preaching that developed thereafter. The ritualist revival of the 19th century and the liturgical revival of the 20th are described in relation to the buildings and equipment they fostered. Churches are also considered not only as buildings encompassing a range of activities, but also in relation to their setting and the variety of activities that have taken place in and around them.