English Churches in Europe : an architectural and social history

Author : James Bettley

Anglicans have worshipped on mainland Europe since the Reformation, when Calais was an English possession, continuing in significant trading posts and in British possessions such as Gibraltar and Malta. From 1815, with peace after decades of conflict, and the development of steamships and railways, the British began to travel and settle in greater numbers. Where they travelled, they took the Church of England with them, to locations influenced by trade and the quest for health and recuperation, developing into general tourism and leisure pursuits. Some congregations were seasonal, and worshippers gathered in hotel rooms or premises shared with other denominations, but many purpose-built churches were funded by subscription or by hoteliers, for whom a place of worship was an attraction for English guests.

Both British and local architects were used, and while some churches displayed architectural influences from the host country, others were reminiscent of an English village or suburb. As well as concentrations in popular tourist areas like the Alps and the Riviera, but also as far as Baku and Archangel, churches were built to serve varied communities of British residents like railway workers, governesses and even jockeys. As in England, there was heated debate on the merits of ‘High’ and ‘Low’ liturgies, and whether Classical or Neo-Gothic architecture was more ‘church-like’. By 1914 there were over 300 English churches in Europe. A remarkable number remain in use today, either by Anglicans within the Diocese in Europe, or by other denominations or in secular use.

In this lively account, James Bettley tells the story of Anglican worship over several centuries, with emphasis on rapid expansion in the Victorian era. With over 500 historical and recent illustrations, he documents the buildings themselves, with a comprehensive gazetteer, and tells the story of how these congregations developed, and the challenges faced on occasion by church authorities in regulating activities from a distance. He paints a picture of a time when worship was an integral part of travel and of expatriate life, in a manner unfamiliar today, and of larger-than-life characters whose energy and resources resulted in so many English churches being built in Europe.

Contents

Introduction

Anglican church-going in Britain’s European possessions

English churches on the Continent before 1815

The major capitals : Constantinople, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Vienna

‘Good and cheap living’ : churches for English communities in northern France

‘Colonies of mechanics and labourers’ : Churches for Britons working in Europe

Under a genial sky : English churches on the French and Italian Riviera

Health-giving surroundings, good living amd pleasant recreations : spa towns and their churches

The royal family in Europe

Prayer among the mountains and glaciers : English churches in Switzerland and the French Alps

Temples of this accursed faith : English churches in Roman Catholic countries

Earthquake, wind and fire : coping with disaster

Two world wars and conflicts in between

Building the churches

Epilogue

Gazetteer

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Publication – October 2026

508 pages, 260 x 210 mm portrait, with 541 illustrations and 3 maps

ISBN 978 -1 – 7385400 – 3- 7 hardback £90 (£135)

ISBN 978 -1 – 7385400 – 5 -1 PDF EBook £19.99 (