The Church of England (CoE) has launched the Church Heritage Record, a digital database of church buildings integrated with a Geographic Information System (GIS), which can be used for planning and development control, but also fulfils an educational and engagement role.
The Church of England writes:
ChurchCare – the Church of England’s national resource – began a strategic campaign to simplify the Faculty process in 2012. As part of this endeavour, and with the financial assistance of Historic England, ChurchCare developed the Church Heritage Record: a digital database of church buildings integrated with a Geographic Information System (GIS), which can be used for planning and development control, but also fulfils an educational and engagement role.
The Church Heritage Record contains over 16,000 entries on church buildings in England covering a wide variety of topics including architectural history, archaeology, art history and the surrounding natural environment. It is continuously being updated and should not be regarded as complete.
The online service also provides a map of renewable energy use in C of E churches.
Janet Gough, Director of the Cathedrals and Church Buildings Division of the Church of England said: ‘The Church of England’s 16,000 cathedrals and church buildings constitute 45% of England’s Grade I Listed buildings and are repositories of extraordinary works of art and treasures as well as telling local histories. The Church Heritage Record is the basis for our new church visiting website, and we are looking to dioceses and other local groups to populate it with as much useful information about each church as possible’.
