Church Crawling

Churches carry the genes and culture of our past in a vivid and enduring way.

Rachel Morley is a building conservator and Director of the Friends of Friendless Churches. With its title taken from the words of John Betjeman, her debut book Church Crawling is an enchanting, impassioned love letter to our parish churches which, like our best – and much more frequently visited – museums and stately homes, are a marvel-filled portal to our past.

Through wall paintings and monuments, graffiti and plaques, furniture and curios, she opens our eyes to the ways in which our 15,000 parish churches provide time capsules of connection to those who came before us.

We’re delighted to welcome Rachel to discuss the treasures that reside in our churches, and what better setting than Stroud’s own beautiful church of St Laurence.

Chaired by Caroline Sanderson