by Michael G Hardy

      My slide shows are presented using three slide projectors, accompanied by a recorded commentary which also controls the slide projectors. This allows dissolving between the slides, and comparisons to be shown side by side when appropriate.

      The shows are all in two parts, allowing for an interval which I usually recommend due to the large number of photographs shown. Most of the shows are around 90 minutes long, but shorter versions at around 75 minutes are available for some subjects. For full details of the times of a specific show see the individual pages via the List of Slide Shows.

      As my shows are all pre-recorded and take a long time to compile, I regret that I am unable to adapt them in duration or subject for specific audiences.  If you would like any further information please e-mail as detailed in Contact Me.

Click on the following topics to read more details:

Some Comments Received from Audiences

Some Details about Myself

      It is now becoming far more popular to present shows using digital formats.  There are advantages (particularly image brightness in rooms that cannot be fully blacked out).  There are also disadvantages (particularly definition available from digital projectors).  However, the prospect of conversion for someone who has accumulated a large number of film slides over many years is rather daunting.  It is something that I will have to work on as time permits.

County Names used in Slide Shows

      My slide shows all use the historic or pre 1974 county names when referring to places. Most of the county boundaries and names have been in use since before the Norman Conquest, and many people are now very unhappy that they are being ignored by all sorts of organisations.

Read more:   About County Names

      The styles of church architecture in England developed through Saxon, Norman, and then into the Gothic era with Early English and Decorated Styles. This progression was broadly along the same lines as the rest of Europe until the late 14th century, when England developed its own unique and final phase of medieval Gothic Architecture. The Perpendicular Style developed for a century and a half, meaning that we generally ignored the Renaissance that was sweeping across the rest of Europe. This tended to accentuate the many differences that would eventually lead to the Reformation and the establishment of the Church of England. Renaissance influences then bought the classical styles across the Channel, but they would eventually be replaced by a return to Gothic work.  The Gothic Revival coincided with the 19th century Religious Revival and brought about what I call the 3rd great phase of vast numbers of churches being built across the country. The 1st phase had been Norman in the 11th/12th centuries, and the 2nd phase had been medieval in the 13th century. However the Perpendicular Style would never return. The 20th century brought the widest range of styles from Arts and Crafts through to some of the ultra-modern buildings that we see today.

      Many individual churches, and virtually all cathedrals, now have their own web sites. As with all subjects on the internet, their content and appearance vary greatly. Many are purely concerned with presenting details of their own activities, services and events. My main interest is in the sites which give historical and architectural information, and one can easily recognise those churches that take a pride in their heritage that has often been cared for over many centuries. Some web sites contain many photographs, including some I know which have details of all the glass in a church. Other web sites can concentrate on text, the occasional ones even including their whole guide books on their web sites.  

      Some of the best web sites for those interested in churches have been constructed by individuals who are true enthusiasts in the subject of ecclesiology. They may have a professional involvement in the subject, or they may be pure amateurs. There are some particularly amazing examples which tend to concentrate on the churches in particular counties. They can include a vast amount of information which is out there to be found, read and enjoyed, whether it has to be an alternative to visiting the churches, or before or after actually visiting them. Such web sites have opened my eyes to the power of the internet, and how it contains something for all - if you can find what you want, of course.

Click below for my suggestions on finding good historical and architectural information on churches and cathedrals, and some examples:

Historic & Architectural Details of Cathedrals & Churches on the Internet

      Naturally the traditional way to gather detailed information about church architecture, individual buildings, and architects is, of course, to read some of the vast number of books that have been written about the subject. This is still the case for the most detailed information, and personally I find that the most detail can be in the books written between around 1850 and 1910. Many experts will tell you that such writings are completely out of date, but I find that many have never been equalled.

For some of my suggestions, please see:   Recommended Books to Read

      The traditional way of buying books is certainly not the only way now, whether you are looking for new or secondhand. The internet has made the finding of books and the buying of them very different.

For some of my thoughts, please see:   How to Buy Books

      Some people think that they are 'entitled' to photograph the interior of Cathedrals and Churches whenever they want to, no matter what inconvenience or discomfort it may cause others, perhaps even during a service.

Read a lot more about this subject:   Some Thoughts about Photographing Churches

      I have deliberately not included too many illustrations or photographs on this website, to enable faster loading times, especially for this Home Page. If you have any comments about the contents, I would be pleased to hear from you. There is no overall links page, but there are many links to other websites on the various pages dealing with specific subjects.  Please note that opinions expressed on other parties' websites that are linked from my website are not necessarily shared or endorsed by me. Although I will try to ensure that all links are working, I would be grateful to hear about any that do not work.

      All text and photographs on all pages of this web site are copyright.

E-mail:  mghardy.co.uk@btinternet.com  (no attachments please)