Illustrated Dictionary of British Churches

History and Architecture

This dictionary is an attempt to show in an easy to understand, visual format, some of the features that helped form the historic churches of Britain. When you visit churches with any regularity you will often run across a confusing mix of terms which may be difficult to understand without a visual illustration. While we can't claim to have covered every feature of church history and architecture, we hope that you will find enough useful illustrations and definitions that will help you to get the most of visiting these wonderful heritage treasures. You can find short definitions in our Glossary of Medieval Church Architecture, and there are also useful biographies of some of the more important church architects in our British Biographies section. For a more in-depth look at architectural styles and time periods, check our English Architecture articles.

Visual Quick Start

Angel Roof	Green Man	Effigy	Misericord
Monumental Brass	Quire	Sedilia	Tympanum