There are plenty of unusual churches around the country, but a few of them stand out above all the rest which we’ve documented here.
St. Mary’s in Whitby occupies a magnificent position on the headland overlooking the town. The church’s main claim to fame is that it was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s famous book Dracula. It also makes the list as the church still retains it’s unusual interior including the 18th Century three-decker pulpit, complete with an ear trumpet which was used by a 19th Century vicar’s deaf wife.
St Mary’s Church in Fairford, set in the natural beauty of the Cotswolds, features an amazing selection of 28 coloured windows and includes England’s only complete set of medieval narrative glass. From the inside the church is often described as a “great illuminated storybook”.
St Giles’ Church in Wrexham is one of the most important medieval churches in Wales and it’s tower is regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of Wales [Wikipedia] – a traditional list of notable landmarks in North Wales. Inside the church is a ancient wall painting which was lost for centuries depicting the day of judgement, along with one of the oldest brass eagle lecterns in Britain.
Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh has been at the centre of popular Scottish history for centuries. The original church foundations were laid in 1602, but it was only in 1620 that the church was officially opened.
Later on in 1638, the National Convenant was signed in the church in an effort to keep the Stuart kings from becoming spiritual rulers of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. The Covenanters believed that no king had this right, only Jesus Christ could be their divine ruler and signed a document denouncing the pope – very dangerous with a Catholic monarch on the thrown.Over 1200 of them were imprisoned in the church for being Covenanters in 1679.
The church was also the setting for the heart-warming story of Greyfriers Bobby which was later turned into a Disney film. For more information, see our recent article on Greyfriers Bobby.
