[BETJEMAN, John, ed.] Collins Guide to English Parish Churches

8vo., publisher’s original glazed black cloth, titles stamped in gilt to spine; upper edge stained red; pictorial dustwrapper designed in colour by Clifford and Rosemary Ellis (unclipped, 30s. net to front flap); pp. [viii], 9-480; with 64 monochrome plates, and including an Index and Glossary; a near fine copy, lightly bumped and discoloured to foot of spine; ever-so-slight toning mostly affecting the endpapers; some minor dark marking to the lower edge of the text block; the wrapper with small chip to foot of spine on wrapper, sometime repaired internally with tape; a little spotting to the lower panel; some light nicks and chips to ends of folds. 

First edition. This a Presentation copy, contemporaneously inscribed by the author to the title page - with his charmingly puckish wit - : “Iain MacBetjeman / in / the achins of the North / Caledonia / 1959”. 

An interesting work on the churches of England, which benefits greatly from Betjeman’s knowledgeable editorship and introduction. This influential publication presents the first remarkably thorough and accessible guide to a comprehensive selection of over 4000 glorious and distinctive buildings across the UK. 

In particular, this work is notable for drawing attention to what was at the time an under-appreciated facet of our architectural heritage, and at a phase of increasingly diminishing national faith and regular Sunday church attendance which prevails to this day. 

“Three ghosts inhabit all English churches. They are those of John Betjeman, Alec Clifton-Taylor and Nicklaus Pevsner.” - Simon Jenkins in ‘England’s Thousand Best Churches’  

SKU: 1800212