Churches & chapels

General history

The increased prosperity of the 16th century enabled many communities to have their own chapels, instead of travelling to a Parish church in the larger towns. In many cases, one chapel served several townships. These local chapels – and the priest's stipend – were supported by the local people and bequests. In many cases, a clergyman's only income was from local charity and saying mass for the dead

In 1851, there were 13,854 churches and chapels in England

Amongst the oldest churches in Britain are:

• St Martin's in Canterbury was established by St Augustine in 597 AD. In 580 AD, the Christian queen Bertha worshipped at a Roman church on the site

• St Peter-on-the-Wall, Bradwell, Essex is virtually unchanged since 640 AD

• Llanrhychwyn Church, Wales has been used from the 6th century

Many sects and movements are represented locally

In later medieval times, the distinction between a church and a chapel was that a church had burial rights, a priest, a parish boundary and the right to collect tithes

Page Ref: C109_2

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