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List of tallest church buildings in the United Kingdom facts for kids

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From the Middle Ages until the advent of the skyscraper, Christian church buildings were often the tallest buildings in the United Kingdom. Indeed, it was not until the building of the BT Tower in London in 1962 that St Paul's Cathedral was no longer the city's tallest structure.

The United Kingdom no longer features as prominently on the list of tallest churches worldwide, but in 1311, Lincoln Cathedral surpassed the Great Pyramid of Giza to become the world's tallest building. Salisbury Cathedral is the present tallest church building in the country, standing at a height of 123 metres (404 feet), and it remains amongst the tallest medieval churches in the world.

Extant churches

Note: This list does not include church buildings which have been reduced in height, either through rebuilding or damage due to disaster. These buildings are incorporated into the list of tallest churches buildings. The height referred to in the table includes weathervanes etc on spires and pinnacles. Actual architectural height may be lower.

Churches 200 feet or taller

Rank Name of Church Height (m) Height (ft) Location Notes Image
1 Salisbury Cathedral 123 404 Salisbury, Wiltshire Tallest church in the United Kingdom, amongst the tallest medieval churches in the world. Salisbury Cathedral exterior 2.jpg
2 St Paul's Cathedral 111 366 City of London London's tallest structure from 1710 to 1962; previous tallest in London until Great Fire of London. St Paul's Cathedral, London, England - Jan 2010 edit.jpg
3 Liverpool Anglican Cathedral 101 331 Liverpool Tallest church in the United Kingdom without a dome or spire, amongst the tallest non-spired churches in the world. Largest church in the UK by area, longest Cathedral in the world. Anglican Cathedral of Liverpool.jpg
4 Norwich Cathedral 96 315 Norwich, Norfolk Norwich Cathedral Cathédrale de Norwich.jpg
5 Preston, St Walburge 94 309 Preston, Lancashire Tallest non-cathedral church in the United Kingdom, tallest Roman Catholic church in the country. St Walburge on winter evening.jpg
6 Edinburgh, St Mary's Cathedral 90 295 Edinburgh The tallest of the three Cathedrals in the UK with three spires. Tallest church in the UK outside of England. St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral.jpg
7 Louth, St James 89 293 Louth, Lincolnshire Tallest Church of England parish church in the country. Architectural height of 288 feet. St James Church louth lincolnshire.jpg
8 (Old) Coventry Cathedral 88 290 Coventry Cathedral destroyed in the Coventry Blitz on November 14, 1940; only the tower and spire remain intact. New Cathedral built adjoining old. Architectural height 284 feet. Old Cathedral, Coventry - panoramio.jpg
9 Westminster Cathedral 87 284 London Tallest Roman Catholic Cathedral in the country. Wstmnstr cathedral.400px.jpg
10 Grantham, St Wulfram 87 283 Grantham, Lincolnshire Architectural height 274 feet St Wulfram's, Grantham - tower.jpg
11 Warrington, St Elphin 86 281 Warrington, Lancashire St Elphin's Parish Church - geograph.org.uk - 852760.jpg
12= Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral 85 278 Liverpool Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral at dusk (reduced grain), corrected perspective.jpg
12= Kensington, St Mary Abbots 85 278 Kensington, Greater London Tallest parish church in London. Eglise St Mary Abbots Londres.jpg
14 Chichester Cathedral 84 277 Chichester, West Sussex Chichester Cathedral 10.JPG
15 St Mary Redcliffe 84 274 Bristol Commonly misquoted as 292 feet high, which includes the deep foundations and substructure. Architectural height 262 feet. St Mary Redcliffe (600px).jpg
16 Lincoln Cathedral 83 272 Lincoln, Lincolnshire Formerly tallest building the world from 1311 to 1549 when spire collapsed in a storm. Tallest medieval non-spired church in the country. Lincoln Cathedral (36623454193).jpg
17 Boston Stump 81 271 Boston, Lincolnshire Architectural height 267 feet. Boston Stump 2017 - 34861807523.jpg
18 Derry, St Eugene's Cathedral 78 256 Derry Derry St. Eugene's Cathedral 2019 09 29.jpg
19 Kilburn, St Augustine 77 253 Kilburn, Greater London St Augustine's Kilburn4.jpg
20 Lichfield Cathedral 77 252 Lichfield, Staffordshire The only medieval cathedral in the United Kingdom with three spires. Lichfield Cathedral Exterior.jpg
21 Truro Cathedral 76 249 Truro, Cornwall Truro Cathedral (3164614770).jpg
22 Wakefield Cathedral 75 247 Wakefield Tallest church in Yorkshire. Wakefield Cathedral (geograph 5831177).jpg
23 Hulme, St Mary 73 241 Hulme, Greater Manchester St Mary, Hulme.jpg
24= Lancaster Cathedral 73 240 Lancaster Lancaster Cathedral northern view.jpg
24= Salford Cathedral 73 240 Salford, Greater Manchester Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist. Salford - geograph.org.uk - 1528320.jpg
26= Canterbury Cathedral 72 236 Canterbury Canterbury katedra fc01.jpg
26= Newark-on-Trent, St Mary Magdalene 72 236 Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire Tallest church in Nottinghamshire. Architectural height 231 feet. St.Mary Magdalene's tower - geograph.org.uk - 332768.jpg
26= Coventry, Holy Trinity 72 236 Coventry Tallest surviving church in Coventry. Coventry spires-2Aug2005-2rc.jpg
26= Halifax, All Souls 72 236 Halifax, West Yorkshire All Souls, Halifax, from Pellon Lane. (3071484896).jpg
30 York Minster 72 235 York Largest medieval Cathedral in the United Kingdom. Cathédrale façade nord York 3.jpg
31 Chesterfield, St Mary and All Saints 70 230 Chesterfield, Derbyshire Famous for its twisted spire. Chesterfield Spire.jpg
32 Trinity Church, Ossett 69 226 Ossett, West Yorkshire Trinity Church, Ossett.jpg
33= Westminster Abbey 69 225 London Westminster abbey towers modified.jpg
33= Gloucester Cathedral 69 225 Gloucester Gloucester cathedral (16486892115).jpg
33= Glasgow, St Mungo's Cathedral 69 225 Glasgow Glasgow Cathedral 20090618.jpg
36 Bath, St John 68 222 Bath St Johns, Bath at dusk 2007.JPG
37 Derry, St Columb's Cathedral 67 221 Derry Derry St Columb's Cathedral Tower SE 2013 09 17.jpg
38= Leicester Cathedral 67 220 Leicester Leicester Cathedral south facade.jpg
38= Albion United Reformed Church 67 220 Ashton-under-Lyne Albion Church, Ashton-under-Lyne.jpg
40 Durham Cathedral 66 218 Durham Largest surviving Romanesque cathedral in the United Kingdom. Durham Cathedral from Palace Green.jpg
41 Ely Cathedral 66 217 Ely, Cambridgeshire Known as the 'Ship of the Fens' due to its huge size above the surrounding flat marshes. Ely Cathedral from Quanea Drove F.jpg
42= Bristol, Christ Church Clifton 65 212 Clifton, Bristol Christ Church, Clifton, Bristol - DSC05748.JPG
42= Derby Cathedral 65 212 Derby Derby Cathedral 139.jpg
42= Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs 65 212 Cambridge Cambridge - Our Lady and the English Martyrs from N.jpg
42= Ashbourne, St Oswald 65 212 Ashbourne, Derbyshire Asbourne St Oswold 001.JPG
46= Bottesford, St Mary the Virgin 64 210 Bottesford, Leicestershire Bottesford, St Mary's church (27792186733).jpg
46= Armagh, St Patrick's Cathedral (Roman Catholic) 64 210 Armagh Armagh Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Patrick 2013 09 24.jpg
46= Dorking, St Martin 64 210 Dorking, Surrey View from the south east
49 South Dalton, St Mary 63 208 South Dalton, East Riding of Yorkshire St. Mary's Parish Church, South Dalton - geograph.org.uk - 183319.jpg
50= Plymouth Cathedral 62 205 Plymouth Roman Catholic cathedral of St Mary and St Boniface, Plymouth - geograph.org.uk - 1777661.jpg
50= St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow 62 205 Glasgow Wfm st marys cathedral.jpg
52= Worcester Cathedral 62 203 Worcester Worcester from Fort Royal Hill.jpg
52= Newcastle Cathedral 62 203 Newcastle-upon-Tyne Architectural height 194 feet. Newcastle st nicholas cathedral.jpg
54= Southampton, St Mary 61 202 Southampton St Mary's Church, Southampton.jpg
54= Bournemouth, St Peter 61 202 Bournemouth St. Peter's Bournemouth from Hinton Road.jpg
54= Spitalfields, Christ Church 61 202 Spitalfields, Greater London Christ Church Spitalfields 02.jpg
54= Bodelwyddan, Marble Church 61 202 Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire St Margaret's Church, Bodelwyddan - geograph.org.uk - 162657.jpg
54= Birmingham, St Martin 61 202 Birmingham St Martin in the Bullring, Birmingham (5331538810).jpg
59 Oxford, University Church of St Mary the Virgin 61 200 Oxford Architectural height 191 feet. St Mary's Church, Radcliffe Sq, Oxford, UK - Diliff.jpg

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Iglesias más altas de Reino Unido para niños

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