London churches open doors to Olympics visitors

With one of the capital's busiest seasons just around the corner, the Diocese of London is inviting people to enjoy a moment of tranquility in its churches.

The Diocese of London has published guides to walking tours of its churches in some of the most popular parts of the city.

The 'faith walks' comprise six trails starting out from Olympic venues.

They cover more than 40 churches spanning centuries of history and every period in English architecture.

The walks take in some of the city's finest churches, including St Martin-in-the-Fields and St James, Picadilly.

Others are hidden jewels that have never been regularly open before and will surprise even long-time residents of the capital.

On two of the walks, church buildings will be sporting QR codes so that visitors can download information from the Bible Society revealing how Christianity helped to shape the city and its history.

The guides are free to download from the Diocese of London's website or available as a full colour booklet free from participating churches.

Among the sites highlighted in Faith Walks are:
· St Leonard, Shoreditch – a Georgian gem with superb rococo carving, used to film the BBC TV series ‘Rev’
· St Dunstan, Stepney – one of the most ancient churches in London, located in the middle of the Cockney heartlands
· All Souls, Langham Place – the BBC church, right next door to Broadcasting House and known the world over thanks to the services that have been transmitted from there
·The Grosvenor Chapel – the Grosvenor estate church where General Eisenhower was a regular during World War II and ‘Love, Actually’ was filmed.
· St Clement Danes – designed by Sir Christopher Wren and famous from the nursery rhyme ‘Oranges and Lemons’, since reconstruction after devastation in World War II the RAF church
· St Patrick, Soho Square – a Victorian-era Italian-style Catholic church, recently magnificently restored and ministering to the most vibrant part of the West End

The Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, welcomed the launch of the guide.

“Visitors and Londoners, this summer the capital’s huge variety of churches stand ready to make you welcome," he said.

"All of them are lively places of worship but they are at the same time community hubs treasure houses of memory. This booklet is an aperitif. I hope you will go and enjoy the main course.”

Download the guides at www.london.anglican.org/walking-routes