I’m mainly talking about uk churches here as i dont know about any other countries churches, but usually in uk churches there is a lot of memorials and sculptures of locally important people (im talking like 20 or more inside the church), like the vicar, a rich landowner of the area, people who’ve died in combat etc. Could you nominate all of these things and have them accepted even though you’d be lucky to get one of those into there own cells.
Also could things like sundials and sculptures (like a gargoyle or religious figure) on the outside of the church get accepted or would these count as a duplicate of the church building?
I would say churches could be absolutely full of points of interest relevant to the explore criteria! So I would say absolutely there could be multiple items there that are worthy of submission. I wouldn’t say a sundial, war memorial, or gargoyle is necessarily a duplicate of the church.
I think things
Like the war memorial plaque are good.
There is a high risk that some things will be regarded as a duplicate of the actual church (a part of the whole) so I think it would need to be something distinctive.
It really is a case by case basis.
I recently visited Windsor Castle and there’s a large church in the grounds, and that was full of really cool points of interest. They had a full on tour of all the places in the church that had a special story and it took 1-2 hours to look round properly.
The site is blocked from having any PoIs but if it wasnt, it could be FULL
We tend not to have an issue with anything that is on the grounds of a church here in the US. I’ve nominated several POIs outside of churches, like statues, parish centers (think community centers), picnic areas, playgrounds, etc.
As long as it meet criteria, I’d nominate and see what the community thinks.
For the UK, I feel that anything that is part of the church is simply that - part of the church and I would mark as duplicate. For me, it’s a little like a playground being comprised of individual pieces of equipment, but not being valid as individual POI
Stained glass is an integral part of the church.
It’s a /little/ less clear-cut with cathedrals.
(In other countries it could be different - I can’t comment on that!)
Stained glass windows are tougher to get passed, even in the US. Many churches have them and most depict similar images, so they are seen as indistinct.
Could be a little different in Europe, where the churches are older and some of the stained glass windows may have been created by a well known artist or company. Might have to do some research into them and try to see if you can find any info that makes them stand out more.
What about the West Window at St George’s Chapel? Surely that kind of thing is 100% a PoI that is different to just the church?
Built in the early 1500s, its got I think 75 panes each depicting someone “notable” to use wayfarer wording
For me, a church is eligible due to social criteria and its part of our culture. However, some of the architecture and art is more than that and can be appreciated regardless of your religion.
Part of the problem, if you start seeing parts of a church as separate, is where do you stop?
Some stained glass is stunning and in larger churches you might find several windows all round the church. Then you’ve got the pews if they still have then (many churches are removing them, so having pews is a feature). Sculptures on the outside, plaques, WW1 memorials on the inside. The organ. The cloisters. You could keep finding more and more.
Well, thats kind of my point! An older british church often as interesting as a museum full of art exhibits.
The church part can be applied to any room or building, and it might have no interesting, artistic or architectural features at all.
The art for me is therefore separate from it being a church. Its just that the church is the container for the art
A PoI for a church tells me that a christian might find this a lovely social spot and find a community there. But if there are also some PoIs for notable art and architectural features, then I know that its somewhere anyone can explore and find interesting and inspiring
You wouldn’t believe how many newer churches here in the US are just in former store buildings, office spaces, even former bars (yes, there is one in my hometown that’s in an former bar building).
Yes!! It can happen here too, although less often. And they are still completely valid churches! Because you can get the sense of community and support regardless of the surroundings.
And thats why I think the special features of the building can be separate PoIs
Oddly I always think of the church first as the place and then of the organisation/people. More of its a place for those social activities to happen.
One of my favourite nominations is a tiny very plain church. It no longer has an active congregation, but you are welcome to open the door and go in. The plaster is falling onto the pews at the back but everything is laid out for a service to happen and there are record books to look at and a visitors book to comment and sign.
Any distinct buildings that form part of the church grounds (e.g. mausoleum, bell tower if not joined to the church, other historical structure or ruin)
War memorials
Lych gates
Church noticeboards (perhaps)
Sometimes memorial gardens but note that cemeteries are usually not allowed.
Anything else would need to be not an integral part of the church. Altars, windows, doors, plaques, fonts etc are all a part of the church and although they may be interesting they’re not distinct from the church itself. Sometimes they are, for example a plaque or memorial for a particularly significant event.
If you are lucky enough to find a church that hasn’t been included as a wayspot then submit the main church FIRST and wait for approval, then the additional wayspots in order of significance. It’s really depressing to see an impressive church only represented by its noticeboard.
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