Forgotten Churches

Exploring England's Hidden Treasures: The Sunday Times Bestseller

Luke Sherlock author Ioana Pioaru illustrator

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Quarto Publishing PLC

Published:27th Mar '25

Should be back in stock very soon

Forgotten Churches cover

The Sunday Times bestseller

Discover England’s Most Beautiful and Overlooked Churches with Forgotten Churches: Exploring England’s Hidden Treasures 


For centuries, England’s churches have stood as quiet witnesses to history, filled with remarkable craftsmanship, untold stories, and layers of cultural heritage. Yet many of these extraordinary buildings remain overlooked – until now. 

Luke Sherlock, or @englishpilgrim, has spent years travelling the length and breadth of England, uncovering hidden architectural gems and sharing their beauty with thousands online. In Forgotten Churches, he invites you on a journey through 70 of the country’s most atmospheric churches, from thousand-year-old Saxon chapels and striking Gothic landmarks to hidden Romanesque sanctuaries and ornate Victorian treasures. 

From the remote landscapes of Northumberland and Cornwall to the Norfolk fens, the Yorkshire dales, and the Somerset hills, Sherlock reveals the forgotten stories of these extraordinary places – of local communities, master builders, and the shifting tides of history – while capturing the magic of stepping into these timeless spaces. Whether you love history, architecture, or simply the charm of England’s rural landscapes, this book is your guide to discovering some of the nation’s best-kept secrets. 

Forgotten Churches is the perfect compendium for history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, and anyone who finds inspiration in England’s vivid and storied past. 

'A truly lovely collaboration between writer and artist; born of expertise, skill and shared passion for these "forgotten churches", and the treasures of craft, knowledge and memory that they hold.'

-- Robert Macfarlane, author of Underland, Landmarks and The Old Ways

'Beautifully written and illustrated, Forgotten Churches makes me want to embark upon small pilgrimages to all the wonderful places in its pages.'

-- Peter Ross, author of Steeple Chasing

‘This is a beautiful book of green footpaths, cool shadows and sunbeams through stained-glass: a lovingly crafted portal to a precious, precarious inheritance.’ 

-- Amy Jeffs, author of Storyland, Wild and Saints

'A perfect combination of text and image working together to convey a sense of exploration, discovery and fascination with England's past...Doing for the English church what Robert Macfarlane and others have done for personal Nature writing.'

-- Timothy Mowl, Country

ISBN: 9780711294103

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 750g

176 pages