Competition to find best church architecture of last 60 years

Our Lady Queen of the Apostles, Bishop Waltham, Hampshire

The search is on to find the Top 10 churches built in the United Kingdom since 1953 in a new architecture competition launched by the National Churches Trust, the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association and the Twentieth Century Society.

Any new church building or significant extension to an existing building from any Christian denomination in the United Kingdom which opened for worship after 1 January 1953 and which is still open for worship today can be nominated for the competition. Judges will be looking for creative architecture which imaginatively expresses Christian religious belief and practice of the past 60 years.

National Churches Trust Diamond Jubilee Architecture

From the Top 10, a special ‘National Churches Trust Diamond Jubilee Architecture’ award will be presented to the three places of worship judged to be the most best sacred spaces built in the last 60 years at a ceremony to be held in November 2013.

Nominations for churches, chapels or meeting houses to be considered for inclusion in the Top 10 can be made online at http://bit.ly/111YYrc or by emailing the name and address of the church, chapel or meeting house to bestchurches@nationalchurchestrust.org. before 31 July 2013.

The Top 10 best churches competition is being held to mark the 60th anniversary of the National Churches Trust. Since 1953 the Trust has provided over 12,000 grants and loans worth £85 million to help fund the repair and modernisation of Christian places of worship.

Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust said: “As a nation we are rightly proud of our magnificent heritage of historic churches. But there are also many exciting churches which have been built in the last 60 years designed for the changing nature of religious liturgy and practice which reflects modern architecture and design. The challenge of helping people catch a glimpse of heaven has always produced highly creative and imaginative architecture. It will be exciting to discover the best examples of modern church architecture and honour those responsible through the‘ National Churches Trust Diamond Jubilee Architecture’ awards.”

King of Prussia Gold Medal and Presidents’ Award

The National Churches Trust and the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association are also inviting nominations for the King of Prussia Gold Medal for church repair and conservation work and for the Presidents’ Award for innovative, high quality new church architecture built in the last year. Nominations for these awards must be made by members of Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association. Nomination forms can be found on the websites of the National Churches Trust and the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association.


For further information see:

National Churches Trust www.nationalchurchestrust.org

Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association www.easanet.co.uk/

Twentieth Century Society www.c20society.org.uk/