Dr Paul Barnwell publishes new book: Places of worship in Britain and Ireland 1990 – 2021
Dr Paul Barnwell, an Emeritus Fellow at Kellogg, recently released his latest publication, Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland 1990 – 2021.
Dr Barnwell was formerly the Director of Studies in the Historic Environment at the Department for Continuing Education and a Fellow Librarian at Kellogg College. Before he arrived at Oxford, he worked for the former Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England and for English Heritage.
As part of a wider series on Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland, it is the final instalment of the Rewley House Studies in the Historic Environment. The volume is a conclusion of a set covering Places of Worship in Britain and Ireland from the prehistoric period to the present, covering 12,000 years – each containing a substantial contextualising conclusion.
The book explores the period from 1990 – 2021, illustrating that is was one of great changes in the number and range of places of worship. Although traditional Christian denominations declined, the newly arrived Orthodox Churches and evangelical Pentecostal denominations greatly expanded. The streetscapes of many of Britain’s urban areas have now begun to reflect the new reality of a multi-faith society, while rural settings have remained unchanged.
Congratulations to Paul on an impressive scholarly endeavour that is available to read in the Kellogg Library.