Web Guide
Web Guide for Churches in the Diocese of Worcester
This list of web based resources is to help those looking after church buildings. Information on aspects of looking after church buildings is followed by details of where to find information on listed buildings and conservation areas, as well as guidance for research on history and architecture and particular features of the building and churchyard. The lists are not exhaustive, and there may be other specialist resources available. Please contact the Diocesan Church Buildings Team for further information and assistance.
www.achurchnearyou.com; Every church entry on here should be complete; this is one of the first locations a web search for information on your church will find, and it is a resource to which the Diocese subscribes. No extra cost to parishes is involved. Please contact the Diocesan Communications Officer for details; [email protected]
The Church Building;
www.churchcare.co.uk; a comprehensive website with information on all aspects of looking after church buildings
www.shrinkingthefootprint.org; energy efficiency in churches
www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters/index.aspx; Ecclesiastical Insurance webpages on churches with much useful guidance on insurance and security
www.churchsafety.org.uk; advice on Health and Safety matters
www.ihbc.org.uk; Institute of Historic Building Conservation with many helpful resources
www.buildingconservation.com; a resource for conservation work on buildings
www.conservationregister.com; accredited conservators for works of art and historical importance
Regional Furniture Society; looking after historic furniture
Bats in Churches; working with bats in churches, Bat Conservation Trust
www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk; conservation care for churchyards
Church Art; commissioning new art for churches
SPAB; Faith in Maintenance in church buildings. A Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) resource. Very helpful guidance on the best ways to look after the building.
www.nationalchurchestrust.org ; a wide range of relevant information. Details on setting up a church Friends group can be found under ‘supporting you’
NADFAS; National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies. Information on their church recording programme
Local authority websites for information on listed buildings, conservation areas, tree preservation orders and related planning matters;
Awaiting update (May 2022)
English Heritage and CADW guidance on listed church buildings including metal theft and photovoltaic cells;
Historic England; Search for the most recent guidance for new work on historic places of worship, theft of metal, installation of photovoltaic panels and slates at listed churches and caring for historic graveyards. Advice and Guidance
National Amenity Societies for consultations on works to listed church buildings
www.spab.org.uk; The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings for churches of all periods, but particularly those up to 1700
Historic Places and Buildings; new title of The Ancient Monuments Society for churches of all periods.
www.georgiangroup.org.uk; The Georgian Group for churches or parts of churches & furnishings from 1700-1837
www.victoriansociety.org.uk; The Victorian Society for churches or parts of churches, furnishings and restoration work from 1837-1914.
www.c20society.org.uk; The Twentieth Century Society for churches or parts of churches, furnishings and restoration work from after 1914.
County Historic Churches Trusts;
Herefordshire Historic Churches Trust
Shropshire Historic Churches Trust
Worcestershire Historic Churches Trust
Warwickshire and Coventry Historic Churches Trust
Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust
A History of Birmingham Churches
Staffordshire Historic Churches Trust
Listed buildings and Scheduled Ancient Monuments;
Find the list descriptions for church buildings, churchyard crosses, memorials, lychgates etc;
More about church buildings and their contents; architecture, history and art.
Church Plans Online; plans of Victorian churches and medieval churches restored in the 19th and 20th century
www.british-history.ac.uk; historical information, notably the Victoria County History volumes for Worcestershire & Shropshire
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a; access to archives; a fascinating portal to search for historical information on churches
Herefordshire County Council historic environment record database
Shropshire County Council historic environment record database
Worcestershire County Council Historic environment records
www.crsbi.ac.uk; the national index of Romanesque sculpture
www.npor.org.uk; the national organs register
http://georgedawson.homestead.com/nbr.html; the national bells register
www.cvma.ac.uk; the picture archive of the national survey of medieval stained glass
www.stainedglassmuseum.com; the stained glass museum in Ely Cathedral with useful information on the history and different types of stained glass based on their countrywide collection.
The Tile Society with information on tiles of all periods.
Ashmolean Society; a resource on medieval tiles
www.mbs-brasses.co.uk; The Monumental Brass Society for information on brasses and incised slabs
www.churchmonumentssociety.org; The Church Monuments Society for information on memorials of all periods and types
www.warmemorials.org.uk; The War Memorials Trust
www.ecclsoc.org; The Ecclesiological Society has much interesting material on many aspects of church architecture and history
And;
www.visitchurches.org.uk; The Churches Conservation Trust who maintain several closed churches in the diocese
www.friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk; The Friends of Friendless Churches caring for closed churches mainly in Wales and two in the diocese
The Historic Chapels Trust cares for closed non Anglican buildings
For information about the ancient parishes of Birmingham and how they relate to Worcestershire, please click here