Annual Lecture. Use them or lose them, by Sir Simon Jenkins.

Use them or lose them. Church Buildings in Crisis - What Can We Do? With Sir Simon Jenkins.

Join Sir Simon Jenkins, author, journalist, and broadcaster, for the Churches Conservation Trust’s Annual Lecture, this year hosted at the 1,000-year-old site of St Andrew’s Church in Holborn, London.

25 years after the publication of 'England’s Thousand Best Churches', the crisis in church buildings has deepened – what can be done about it? Join us for this unique occasion where we will be discussing this vital question.

A broadcaster, journalist and former Chair of the National Trust, Sir Simon Jenkins FSA FRSL has a keen interest and knowledge of historic churches and is the author of the popular Penguin books ‘England’s Thousand Best Churches’, 'England's Cathedrals' and 'Europe’s 100 Best Cathedrals'.

Sir Simon writes for The Guardian and was previously a commentator and editor for the Evening Standard and The Times. Sir Simon was appointed a Knight Bachelor for services to Journalism in 2004 and was appointed to the Board of Trustees at the Churches Conservation Trust in January 2016.

St Andrew's Church, Holborn, has been a site of worship for at least 1000 years, but when the Crypt was excavated in 2001 Roman remains were found so the site could have been in use for much longer still. The first mention of St Andrew Holborn comes in 959 A.D., during the reign of King Edgar. A charter of Westminster Abbey alludes to an ‘old wooden church’ on the hill above the river Fleet (St Andrew is the Patron Saint of fishermen).

Nowadays, St Andrew's is an active Guild Church worshipping in the Catholic tradition in the Church of England Diocese of London. They are also home to a number of charities that support those in need in South Camden and the City of London. 

Doors open from 19:00, with the lecture starting at 19:30. Tickets are available to purchase from just £19.50, with CCT members enjoying an exclusive discounted rate of £17.50. Included in the cost of the tickets is the post-lecture wine reception. 

Proceeds from this event will support our vital work caring for 357 historic churches throughout England. 

Our Annual Lecture is held each year in celebration of the life and work of the late Candida Lycett Green, a passionate champion of historic English churches and former Vice President of the Churches Conservation Trust. 

Cover image: A derelict St Peter's Church, Wolfhamcote, Warwickshire, in 1960, before coming into the care of the Churches Conservation Trust in 1972. (C) Christopher Dalton