Churches Of Hertfordshire By Gouldstone, David

Although Hertfordshire is one of the smaller counties of England, it is well populated with numerous historical towns and other settlements. St Albans Abbey’s influence spread throughout the county but the county has a wealth of other interesting mediaeval churches, including at Hemel Hempstead and St Michael’s in St Albans. Later periods are well represented too, including two often overlooked 17th century Gothic Survival churches at Buntingford and Oxhey, the important Greek Revival church at Ayot St Lawrence, others from the Victorian period (including Ayot St. Peter which was influential on the Arts and Crafts movement), and St. Martin’s, Knebworth, by Sir Edwin Lutyens from just before the First World War. The monuments, stained glass, screens and other furnishings found within the churches are just as interesting, ranging from a Saxon crucifix to a window from 2013. The county''s churches are also particularly rich in corbels and other similar carvings which are often hidden from the casual viewer, but when seen close-up are revealed as fine examples of folk art, ranging from handsome to humorous to hideous and back again. Churches of Hertfordshire will encourage all those who live in the county or are visiting to discover the history on their doorsteps.