| dbo:abstract |
The Borough of Guildford has more than 100 current and former places of worship. Of those standing, 83 are in use by various Christian denominations and (in the case of Guildford Synagogue) Jews; 20 have been converted to secular uses. Guildford is one of 11 local government districts in the English county of Surrey—a county immediately south of London which features the Surrey Hills AONB, market towns, ancient villages, green spaces and 20th-century suburbs. The ancient and important town of Guildford, which gives the borough its name, is also the county town. The latest census (2011) shows that the majority of residents are Christian. The Church of England – the country's Established Church – has the most churches. The Catholic Church, Methodists, Baptists and the United Reformed Church have congregations, some of which share buildings with other denominations. Quakers have convened in Guildford since the 17th century; the Congregational movement had a large following in the area; and the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church have meeting places around Guildford town. English Heritage has awarded listed status to 38 current and four former places of worship in the district. A building is defined as "listed" when it is placed on a statutory register of buildings of "special architectural or historic interest" in accordance with the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, a Government department, is responsible for this; English Heritage, a non-departmental public body, acts as an agency of the department to administer the process and advise the department on relevant issues. There are three grades of listing status. Grade I, the highest, is defined as being of "exceptional interest"; Grade II* is used for "particularly important buildings of more than special interest"; and Grade II, the lowest, is used for buildings of "special interest". As of February 2001, there were 30 Grade I-listed buildings, 40 with Grade II* status and 975 Grade II-listed buildings in Guildford borough. (en) |
| rdfs:comment |
The Borough of Guildford has more than 100 current and former places of worship. Of those standing, 83 are in use by various Christian denominations and (in the case of Guildford Synagogue) Jews; 20 have been converted to secular uses. Guildford is one of 11 local government districts in the English county of Surrey—a county immediately south of London which features the Surrey Hills AONB, market towns, ancient villages, green spaces and 20th-century suburbs. The ancient and important town of Guildford, which gives the borough its name, is also the county town. (en) |
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