"Early worship by Christians was deeply spiritual, ritualistic and physical. Images of saints adorned the walls of the church, where parishioners came for all the sacraments that represented the life cycle of ordinary people. Feast days and saints' days were many, the congregation stood during services, coming and going, talking and kneeling. The building boom of elaborately beautiful churches reached its height in the 14th and 15th centuries."
Click Here to continue reading the article, "Country Churches: Bruised Survivors," in The Economist of September 29th.
Order the book, A Little History of the English Country Church, from Amazon.