A new website with a European focus on round tower churches has gone live.
It details almost 230 churches and was created by a German enthusiast, Bernd Jatzwauk. He was became “hooked” on round tower churches after spending a holiday in Norfolk with his wife Miriam and visiting St Margaret, Hales.
His website – www.roundtowerchurches.net – was developed in just 18 weeks and includes churches from France (13), Germany (23), four from Sweden, three in Scotland and one in Wales.
It also includes commentaries and background details, which in large measure were written by the Society’s secretary. “I would have never been able to finish this large project so quickly without the help of my good friend ‘Lyn Stilgoe,” he explained.
“Having fallen in love with my first ever round tower church at Hales the interest grew more and more over the years. I tried to visit this special kind of churches in as many countries as possible,” he added.
“She has provided 190 summaries of all the English and Welsh churches with her stunning knowledge about them and the help of her vast archive. What’s more, many new insights have been incorporated in her texts, meaning that you will probably find some contradicting information about some of the churches to those available on other sites.”
The roof at Hales was re-ridged in October 2020. If you look carefully, the thatcher has left his Norwich City scarf on the scaffolding. Photograph, Churches Conservation Trust.