There is a cool story to this church. It is Grade I listed and in active use. That is cool, but…read morewhat is sweet is that, the church was built at the expense of John Bibby of Bibby Line in memory of his first wife at a cost of £20,000 - bargain in today's terms, but I am sure still expensive in the 1870's. Its architectural style is Gothic Revival. For me what is most notable about All Hallows Church is the collection of windows. Designed by Edward Burne-Jones and executed by William Morris. Several churches in Britain possess one or more windows by these men, but All Hallows is unique in that of the fifteen windows in the church, fourteen are by these two chaps. As you can imagine in war time, they took the windows out to protect them - I should think so too! The stained glass windows tell lots of different Bible stories including the life of Jesus - the shepherds watching over their flock, Jesus in the temple with doctors asking him questions, the baptism of Jesus, crucifixion and ascension. Worth a visit, especially for the stained glass windows.

This cathedral is impressive but I can't say that I like the exterior of the building, in fact I…read morehate it and find it ugly and quite creepy but the interior is beautiful, it's huge, booming, with large stained glass windows, marble floors, a gorgeous gold alter and religious artwork on display. It is beautiful inside and well worth a visit.

Although only completed in the 1970s, Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral is one Britain's most iconic…read morebuildings, a place of superlatives. A visit is a must on any stay in Liverpool. The cathedral is simply vast, and impresses in scale if nothing else, the height emphasised inside by the dark stone: some find this overbearing, other magnificent. Either way, it certainly makes an impression. Despite the late-Gothic style, this is entirely a 20th-century building. The diocese of Liverpool was created in 1880, but it was not until 1902 that a competition was held to design a cathedral in keeping with the wealthy and burgeoning port. Amazingly, the winner was just 22 years old, and still a student with no other buildings to his credit. But this was no ordinary student: Giles Gilbert Scott was the grandson of Sir George Gilbert Scott, the great Victorian church designer, and his father (also George Gilbert Scott) was also a church architect. Due to his inexperience, one of the competition assessors, G K Bodley, himself a well-known church architect, was appointed to work alongside him. The relationship was reportedly difficult, but after Bodley's death in 1907, Scott continued alone. Scott's design was for a huge, late gothic church, which would dominate the hill-top site chosen. The plan is conventional, albeit with double transepts, and the floor rises through a series of steps from the west door to emphasise the height. The first part of the church to be built was the Lady Chapel, completed in 1910, using traditional church building techniques in stone. As the cathedral slowly developed, Scott modified the plans, which replaced the twin west towers with a single central tower, and also simplified the gothic detailing. The contrast between the more intricate and delicate style of the Lady Chapel and the more monumental style of the rest of the cathedral is noticeable. Another change was the adoption of reinforced concrete for the structure, clad in red sandstone, rather than continue using the traditional building techniques. The choir and eastern transepts were completed in 1924, and the cathedral consecrated in the presence of King George V. But rising costs, the 1930s' depression and the two World Wars hampered progress, and the cathedral was not finally completed until 1978, and a special service held in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II. It is the largest church in the UK and vies with St John the Divine in New York to be the largest Anglican church: it is the third largest in Europe after St Peter's in Rome and Seville cathedral, although it may be larger in volume. Its 101m (331ft) bell-tower is the largest (though not quite the highest) in the world, with the heaviest and highest peal of bells too. The central space under the tower (53m, 175ft) was also the highest until a recent clutch of skyscrapers were built with higher atria. But at 50m (161ft) it's still impressive. The organ, with 10,268 pipes, is the largest in the UK, and the largest operational organ in the world. The cathedral also has an active life of services, education, music and events to match its size, and is one of the most vibrant in the UK. A visit to a service to hear the sound of the magnificent organ reverberating through the interior is a truly memorable experience. The other amazing experience is to ascend the tower: 2 lifts take you most of the way, but the final ascent is by 108 stairs. Thanks to its dominant position on St James' Mount, the top is over 500ft above the River Mersey, and the views across Liverpool, the Wirral and Cheshire are stupendous. There no doubt about it - this is a must see building.

St Margaret's is one of Wales's outstanding Victorian churches, known locally as 'The Marble…read moreChurch' because of the profusion of marble used in its interior decoration. History The church was built to designs by John Gibson, pupil of Sir Charles Barry, and paid for by Lady Margaret Willoughby de Broke in memory of her husband, Henry Lord Willoughby de Broke. Lady Margaret was the daughter of Sir John Williams, Baronet of Bodelwyddan, and returned to Bodelwyddan after the death of her husband, determined to create a separate parish for Bodelwyddan from neighbouring St Asaph. The cost was the then phenomenal sum of £60,000. The foundation stone was laid on the 24th July 1856; and the new church was consecrated by the Bishop of St. Asaph on the 23rd August 1860. The church Executed in a florid Decorated Gothic style, the church is dominated by the spire, which rises over 200ft. The exterior is dazzling white, thanks to the use of the local limestone, and is a familiar landmark alongside the A55, which unfortunately runs all too close by. Inside, the plan is an aisled nave with a large chancel, the arcade columns composed of the deep red marble which give the church its name. More marble decorates the chancel, which is lined with stalls, as in a cathedral, with heavily decorated canopies with ogee arches. Capital, corbels and arches throughout are elaborately carved, as are the tall oak roofs. The guide book states that fourteen varieties of marble are used in the church. The furnishings are similarly lavish; the rather intimidating eagle lectern is supported on a thick and heavily carved column, intended to represent a crag; similarly, the pulpit is heavily carved, with images of Christ and the four Gospel Saints. The font in Carrara marble depicts two young sisters holding a shell, and is rather sentimental to modern eyes. The stained glass is by O'Connor and T F Curtis, with a single window attributed to Burne-Jones.

these pictures were taken on recent visits to saint margarets. i have to say it is the best place i…read morehave been to in years

The metropolitan church to be honest the outer building was a lot to be desired, dark, imposing,…read morethreatening even but like the bible says we walk from darkness into light and what a light it was, honestly as I stepped through the door I was illuminated in light and colour like strobe lights in a nightclub all around it was fantastic and breathtaking. It was modern and inviting, it was far more than a church, it was an experience.

Stunning modern cathedral, makes for a great comparison to the historic Anglican Cathedral that's…read morejust a 10 minute walk away. Very impressive, beautifully designed and lavish modern cathedral. I'm not a huge fan of "contemporary" church architecture - instead, I favor the (neo)-Gothic, Roman etc. cathedrals. But even I must confess that I found the Metropolitan Cathedral to be intriguing and spectacular - if maybe a tad cold in atmosphere (It was empty when I visited). There are a lot of fascinating details though, and it certainly invites comparison to the similarly spectacular, but otherwise completely different, historic Anglican Cathedral that is just a 10 minute walk away. A visit to BOTH is a must when in Liverpool. Free entry and free photography.

This was our first time to visit Liverpool so the Cathedral was high on our list of places to…read morevisit. The local folks have many different names for this church. It is a monstrous structure and way too modern. One of the names is The Wigwam and I can see why. I am glad we went to see it but, I'm sot sure I would want to attend services here. Make sure you add this to your list to visit. It is well worth the experience. The Hop ON Hop Off stops right in front.

Even though I am not a regular church goer, I just love Liverpool's Metropolitan Catholic Cathedral…read morenot just because of its beautiful architecture but because of its internal setting which has an unusual eerie feel to it. As soon as you enter the Cathedral, the area is of a circular form giving it that communal feel. Its gracious and intricately designed stained glass windows add a rainbow effect, completely changing the outlook and ambience. My memories of visiting this cathedral go back to the days when I attended annual mass and award ceremonies relating to my school's Catholic beliefs. It is these memories which I have always cherished when the cathedral is packed full of people giving it that special atmosphere. The Cathedral is free to tour 7 days a week and I would recommend a visit especially if you have not been before.

The ancient village of Caerwys has an attractive church, hidden from the main road, in a large and…read moreexpansive churchyard. It has some interesting and historic furnishings. History Caerwys was laid out as a planned town by Edward I as part of his policy of embedding his conquest of Wales, receiving a charter in 1290. However, it is evident that there was a church here before then: in 1244 it was nominated as a meeting place between Henry III and Prince David of Gwynedd. The oldest part of the church is the tower, dating from the late 13th century. Dating the rest of the church is difficult, but the south nave has 14th century elements and the north nave features from the 15th, although it may date from an earlier period. The porch is a 19th century addition. Many of the features were restored in the 19th century. The church The church is dominated by its robust west tower, but also has the curious feature of a double nave, a speciality of the Vale of Clwyd area. Inside, the windows date from the 14th to 15th centuries, with some Victorian renewal. There is a two-bay arcade in the chancel leading through into the north nave, now effectively used as an aisle and separate chapel. The oldest furnishing is a wall tomb in the south chancel wall, with a 14th century cusped arch containing an effigy of earlier date. This is reputed to be of Elizabeth Ferrers (1250-c. 1300), wife of Dafydd, the last independent Prince of Wales. A window above has a small quantity of mostly jumbled late mediaeval glass, although the top light has two angels or saints carrying heads of wheat, surrounded by various floral emblems, including a Tudor rose. The chancel is screened off with some attractive woodwork panels, dating from the 17th century, and more, and possibly earlier woodwork forms a dado in the north nave. This includes two splendid facing dragons. Panelling from the box pews also lines the walls, one recording that it was the pew of Sir Thomas Mostyn, Baronet. The font is dated 1661 and is framed by some broken sepulchral panels of 14th century date, and some later tomb slabs. The door into the tower from the north nave is the original ancient main door.

The 'proper' name for the village of Rhos-on-Sea is Llandrillo-yn-Rhos. The English translation of…read more'Llandrillo' is 'Parish of St. Trillo'. St. Trillo was a sixth century saint who built the first place of worship on this site, with the altar being set above a well. The site has been rebuilt over the ensuing 1,500 years but the current building is certainly historic. It's also very small, with enough seats for a congregation of just six. In fact it's believed to be smallest working church in Britain. Whilst it's worth a visit it won't take too long to make your way around. Unfortunately it's quite difficult to find as it's at the bottom of an embankment and well hidden from the road (Marine Drive) which runs alongside. I suspect many people pass without knowing that it's there. If you find yourself in Rhos-on-Sea it's a few minutes walk along the coastal footpath/cyclepath, heading in the direction of Llandudno.

Llanwrst is a small but historic town in the Conwy Valley, perhaps known best for its attractive…read more17th century bridge. It has an interesting church, which includes the Gwydir Chapel, containing a remarkable set of funeral monuments to the Wynne family, former owners of nearby Gwydir Castle. History The first church was built nearby by the 6th century Celtic Saint Grwst, but the present site was donated in the 12th century by local lord Rhun ap Nefydd Hardd, to atone for his father's sin of murdering Prince Idwal, son of Owain, King of Gwynedd. The church , begun around 1170, suffered during the turbulent history of the area; it was partly destroyed in the early 1400s during Owain Glyndwr's uprising, and burned to the ground in 1468 during the Wars of the Roses by the men of the Yorkist Earl of Pembroke. The present church is the replacement built in 1470. It was restored in 1884, when the present tower was added. The adjacent Gwydir Chapel was built in 1633-4 by Sir Robert Wynne, Treasurer to Queen Henrietta Maria and owner of Gwydir Castle, who also helped finance the town's famous bridge. It served as both family chapel and mausoleum until the building of Gwydir Uchaf chapel, nearer the castle, in 1673. Ironically, Sir Robert himself is buried in Wimbledon. The Church The church consists of a nave and large north aisle, separated by an arcade, all executed in the perpendicular Gothic style. There is no chancel arch, but in the North Aisle is the stone staircase leading up to the Rood Loft. The main attraction is the Rood Screen, a magnificent survival. Although its niches of the musicians' gallery lack the statues of the saints they were intended to house, the carving of the screen below is superlative. It includes images of both Tudor Roses and Pomegranates, symbol of Catherine of Aragon. The screen's panels each contain swirling filigree carving of a different designs: one depicts vines and bunches of grapes, another pigs eating acorns. The depiction of the symbols of Christ's Passion, including a ladder, spear, nails and crown of thorns, and of a cock crowing (from the betrayal of St Peter), are particularly rare. The Chapel Executed in the Gothic style, this single room is a veritable treasure trove. The walls are lined with the stalls behind which the family would have sat, elaborately carved in the Jacobean style, the ends of the stalls adorned with peculiarly primitive heads. All around are the memorials of the Wynnes, with marble tablets and a set of rare engraved memorial brasses depicting the deceased in portrait form. On the south wall is the incredibly elaborate monument to Sir Robert's father, Sir John (d. 1627). On the floor are two earlier memorials: an empty and lidless stone coffin, decorated with quatrefoils, and said to the be the tomb of Llewellyn the Great (d. 1240), who was buried at nearby Maenen Abbey. Next to this is a very impressive 15th century stone effigy of a knight, said to be that of Hywel Coetmor, who fought for the Black Prince at Poitiers and later took part in the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr. The effigy is incredibly detailed and retains its sword.

Really lovely little church with a fascinating chapel attached to it…read more It's right next to the river and to get to it you walk past the alms houses from the market square, through the church gate and into the churchyard. Lovely place to spend 1/2 an hour at lunchtime if you work in the area or at any time if you are visiting it. The best place to park though is in the Glasdir car park (shoppers car park) that is free to use and is a little further north up Station Road (the A470) heading towards Conwy and Llandudno. From there the church is probably about 300 yards back down the road, across the market square (keeping to the same side of the road that you walked up ie, walk past the two banks and the post office/newsagents) and follow the signs to the alms houses.