About
Welcome to my blog about my Church Tourism project.
My aim is to look at what is happening in this country regarding churches and tourists. Many. many people wander into churches on a weekday when there is no service on. What are they looking for? What brings people in? And what do they find when they open the door? These are the sort of questions I want to find some answers for.
My study involves traveling around to some areas which receive large numbers of tourists, to have a look at what individual churches are doing. Just what is ‘best practice’ in this area? I am sure that there are good ideas to discover and share. Also, I am sending out questionaires to various churches up and down the country. This will help to extend my study to places I cannot visit.
This is all a voyage of discovery and I hope to be able to share my findings and thoughts later.
Any comments? Email me on nigellacey@mail.com
churchtourismstudy 
I shall be following your blog with avid interest. I really enjoyed the first entry and look forward to finding out what ‘good practice’ we can adopt in our church. Thank you.
Hi. I am sending you this message on behalf on my Mother who is Treasurer at St Andrews Church, Little Snoring in Norfolk, which I believe you visited in early August. There was a book left in the Church entitled England’s Thousand Best Churches by Simon Jenkins and she wonders whether it was yours as it was found around the time of your visit. Many thanks. Ann
Ann – thank you for getting in touch. Sorry, it isn’t mine! There was another couple of people in there when I arrived so it may have been theirs. St. Andrew’s is a lovely little church – I got wet after I visited there as it started to rain hard that day!
Thank you for asking.
Nigel
Nigel I would be interested in a conversation with you re your study as I ompleted my Masters Dissertation on the same subject. I am now a curate in a tourism area and looking to use what I learnt here. Would you email me if you would also be interested in sharing thoughts?
Rev.d Janet Turville
Thank you for your kind report on The Actors’ Church, to correct the record, there is a Guide Book available and there are posters advertising it. Charles Grant Administrator
I would like to be in touch – as a Diocesan Advisor on Tourism I have just done a visitor audit on F’bridge. Sorry to have missed you at the April conference – I had intended going. I so admire what you are doing. many thanks Graham
Dear Nigel
I am delighted that you enjoyed your recent visits to Beaminster and Netherbury. Thank you for your very kind and positive comments. As Team Rector to the 14 churches in the Team Ministry I am privileged to be the present custodian of these beautiful buildings but I could not do so without the wonderful support of the lay people who give so much time and love to maintain the spiritual environment. If ever you would like to visit any of the other churches in the team we would be delighted. The only church that is locked is St John’s Seaborough due to its isolation and because it has been visited before by some one who liked the brass candle sticks!
David Baldwin
Team Rector
The Beaminster Area Team Ministry
David – thank you. I have looked at lots of churches now and have been trying to have a look at several of the Small Pilgrim Places Network places as I will write a chapter on these. The problem with these is that they are mostly a long way from me. I will be in touch with you about Netherbury soonish, but would like to finish off my chapter about Forward in Faith parishes (there is an interesting story!!).
I was staying at Hilfield and took the opportunity to ride around a few of Dorset’s gems. I have relatives at Crewkerene so will be down that way again sometime. I would have liked to visit all the team churches but didn’t have time.
With every blessing
Nigel
Have you compiled a list if those churches you have visited that have a set of Stations of the Cross?
David – what an interesting question. I haven’t but I have noted them sometimes if they have grabbed my attention for some reason. It is noticeable how many churches have them now. It would be possible to make a list from the photos I have taken – I will do so some time when I have chance and publish it here.
Nigel