Care of Churches

The Diocese of Southwark has 378 Church of England places of worship. These range from small mediaeval churches in rural Surrey to huge Victorian churches in inner city areas; from a windmill to a cathedral.  The oldest church was built in the 11th century, the newest in 2006.

It is often, and correctly, stated that the Church is the people rather than the building.  However, every parish has at least one church building where Anglican worship takes place. These buildings are often the most visible sign of Christian presence in a community and are frequently a centre of community life and the most prominent building in an area.

Our church buildings can be great assets to our mission; but it must also be recognised that they can be a drain on parish resources (both financial and personal) and can dominate the life of the local church community.

This section of the website aims to help parishes work with their buildings by providing resources and details on a range of topics.

A wide range of information relating to the care of church buildings can be found on the Church of England's Churchcare website www.churchcare.co.uk.

For further information or assistance, please contact Andrew Lane or Stephen Craven at the Diocesan Office.