English Churches in Europe

An architectural and social history
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-1-7385400-3-7
Verlag: John Hudson Publishing

Buch, Englisch, 512 Seiten, Print PDF, Format (B × H): 210 mm x 260 mm

Reihe: John Hudson - List of books

Tells the story of the 300 Anglican churches in Europe which were built, mainly in Victorian times, to serve British communities of expatriates and visitors, who came for health and leisure pursuits. Richly illustrated with over 500 historical and recent images.

Anglican worship on mainland Europe dates from the Reformation, from Calais (English until 1558) to trading centres such as Antwerp and Smyrna, and later possessions including Gibraltar and Malta. After 1815, peace and railways encouraged British travel and settlement, carrying the Church of England to places shaped by trade, health and leisure. Some congregations were seasonal, meeting in hotels or shared spaces, while others built churches funded by subscriptions or local benefactors. Local and British architects, including G. E. Street and A. W. Blomfield, designed buildings ranging from locally influenced to distinctly "English". From the Alps and the Riviera to Baku and Archangel, churches served diverse expatriate communities amid debates over liturgy and architectural style. By 1914 nearly 300 English churches existed in Europe, many still in use today. In this lively account, James Bettley traces their development-especially the Victorian boom-illustrated with over 500 images and supported by a comprehensive gazetteer.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Bettley, James

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Christliche Kirchen, Konfessionen, Denominationen

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations

Bishops with oversight of Europe since 1825

Prologue

Introduction

1 Anglican church-going in Britain's European possessions

2 English churches on the Continent before 1815
3 The major capitals: Constantinople, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Vienna

4 'Good and cheap living': churches for English communities in northern France

5 'Colonies of mechanics and labourers': churches for Britons working in Europe

6 Under a genial sky: English churches on the French and Italian Riviera

7 Health-giving surroundings, good living, and pleasant recreations: spa towns and their churches

8 The royal family in Europe

9 Prayer among the mountains and glaciers: English churches in Switzerland and the French Alps

10 Temples of this accursed faith: English churches in Roman Catholic countries

11 Earthquake, wind and fire: coping with disaster

12 Two world wars and conflicts in between

13 Building the churches

Epilogue

Gazetteer

Notes

Bibliography

Subscriber list

Index

About the author

Über Autor(innen)

Bettley, James
James Bettley has been intrigued by English churches in Europe since studying in Vienna in 1978-9. Having read Modern Languages at Oxford he turned to architectural history, gaining a PhD from the Courtauld Institute of Art while working at the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Victoria & Albert Museum. He also had a short stint at the Design Museum. From 2000 to 2019 he worked on the Pevsner Architectural Guides, writing new editions of the volumes on Essex (where he lives), Suffolk and Hertfordshire. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.