140:
613:
priest and his flock; especially in such a large parish as ours, where even sermons do not reach one-third of the people and private pastoral intercourse is confined to a very scanty number indeed ⊠For this purpose I had prepared many little bundles of papers of various kinds and degrees of interest, ready to begin on the first of
January, 1851, and so continue on the first day of every month ⊠The bundles of papers remained for a while, and then 'The Old Church Porch' began on January 2, 1854, and continued monthly till April 1, 1862
94:
49:. Magazines are sold or are otherwise circulated amongst the parishioners of the relevant church or village. They are almost invariably produced by volunteers, usually working alongside the resident clergy. From their earliest days they have frequently been augmented by the inclusion of a nationally-produced magazine supplement or a regionally produced insert, such as a
123:
parishes they have seemingly had a rather intermittent existence. Where insets were included, these might often have originated at completely different dates from their cover magazines, or else have been merely the short-term choices of particular local editors. This makes it highly likely that most surviving collections of insets will be incomplete.
396:. Sometimes a conscientious editor may also have donated copies to a local library. However comparatively few parishes have managed to preserve long runs on a very systematic basis. Whilst some examples doubtless remain in private collections there are also likely to be hundreds of magazines for which only a few surviving copies can still be traced.
161:- would reduce overall costs by working together to produce a corporate magazine, with contributions from each village. A few parishes eventually opted for simpler magazines or adopted newspaper-style formats, aiming to deliver these without charge to every household in the parish. With the growth of inter-church cooperation after the
376:. It was described as "a collection of the lead character's favourite editions of his parish magazine". One reviewer commented: "Every page looks exactly like a tatty church magazine, written with extensive use of a plastic stencil and an ancient typewriter, complete with terrible drawings and tacky-looking adverts".
224:
612:
I had intended, had it pleased GOD to permit me to remain at S. Barnabas', to publish a little monthly paper for the use principally of the poor and unlearned and the children ⊠I thought that much good might be done by a local periodical press as an organ of communication on holy things between the
131:
Where parishes opted to go it alone they clearly had to rely on locally-written material of variable quality. In fact throughout the years a significant variety of different formats will be found. A great many magazines have been redesigned, renamed or relaunched to reflect changing circumstances,
122:
Many parishes nevertheless have at different times opted to issue periodicals produced entirely from within their own community and not including any of the mass-produced insets. Being largely dependent on volunteers, they have often varied their format according to local circumstances, and in some
105:
was eventually extended to over two hundred churches. Whilst Clarkeâs inset continued to appear until 1895, competitors soon emerged and it was eventually overtaken by other alternatives. Many publishers began to produce rival insets - over thirty such examples have been described and listed. The
399:
During the 19th and early 20th centuries quite a few individual parishes or subscribers had their annual sets of magazines bound up each year (with or without the national insets) and this has undoubtedly assisted in their survival. A number of examples may be traced via the online catalogues of
181:
congregations. Alternatively they might eventually be absorbed into more general community titles, and some of the latter are now further issued in an online version. This pattern could become more widespread in years to come, since the future of traditional parish magazines clearly depends on
114:
finally merged in 2009. For an analysis of these insets up to 1918 see Jane Platt, '"A sweet, saintly
Christian business"? The Anglican Parish Magazine, 1859-1918' (Lancaster University PhD thesis, 2010). One or two of the earlier insets had also been produced on a regional or diocesan basis.
195:
Parish
Magazine â allegedly one of the oldest in continuous existence â after 115 years. The newspaper suggested that many similar publications were on the verge of extinction in their traditional form â victims of the digital age and the increasing use of parish websites or online social
85:
in 1854.) Erskine Clarke had prepared a number of publications which were particularly aimed at children and which were designed to counteract the commercial publications then appearing. He later produced a sixteen-page periodical, which bore on the page headings the literal title
403:
In recent years a small number of very early parish magazines have been reprinted in facsimile â either as curiosities or as a contribution towards the study of social history within their local area. They include a number of the early volumes of John
Erskine Clarke's original
1003:), states (p. 21): "An archive copy of all parish magazines should be kept. An archive copy of the weekly notice sheets should be kept if the parish does not produce a parish magazine or if the weekly notice sheets contain information of long-term interest."
65:, issued to the local community by parish clergy or by the more senior clergy and found very occasionally amongst 19th-century parish archives. However the first regular parish magazine is generally recognised as being started in January 1859 by Rev.
90:. It contained general interest material, often with a strong moralising edge. The idea was that this inset should be offered to parishes to include within their own localised covers, which would very often comprise no more than four printed pages.
204:
Parish magazines, being frequently produced by largely untrained volunteers with often variable talents, have always been likely to be uneven in quality. Hence they have sometimes had to face derogatory criticism from certain quarters.
235:
One of the most encouraging signs of the times for ecclesiastical administrators is the very rapid improvement that is taking place in the quality of our parish magazines. There is, of course, plenty of opportunity for further
319:. Clearly this list was in no sense official, and the author was seemingly most familiar with examples from London and the south-east. Incidentally, the same list concluded by making especially favourable reference to
1103:
132:
or else they have been revived after an apparent hiatus. The earliest magazines had to be printed using expensive movable type methods. However from the 1900s onwards the invention of the stencil duplicator or
511:
393:
230:, Walney Island, Cumbria, 1983. An example of a simpler four-page publication covering both church and community news, ecumenically produced and intended for free distribution to every household in the area
408:. For similar reasons other compilers have produced anthologies relating to particular parishes. Early and more recent magazines are also sometimes seen advertised for sale on the World Wide Web.
53:
news leaflet or similar publication (and sometimes they might include both). It has been estimated that the collective readership of parish magazines exceeds that of many national newspapers.
550:
238:. Other efforts have also been more recently made on the Church of England website to provide additional help for parish magazine editors. Another (subscription-based) website
1139:
databases). In many instances this website can be used to obtain a limited indication of their holdings of parish magazines, although the position varies from county to county.
886:
425:
119:
which were increasingly appearing in many areas would often include a short monthly news bulletin in a design which could similarly be included as a parish magazine inset.
1152:
814:, Press and Publications Board of the Church Assembly, 1949 (no ISBN). Other editorial aids have included books of appropriate copyright-free artwork, such as Judy Smith
1111:
1133:
A2A/Access to
Archives An incomplete series of catalogues for selected categories of archives drawn from record repositories throughout England & Wales
487:, often regarded as a pioneer of magazines for Victorian church congregations, included amongst his numerous publications (listed in successive editions of
746:
731:
536:
245:
Competitions have been held for some years under different sponsors to identify the current best parish magazines. These have included the award of the
932:
470:
182:
sufficient volunteers coming forward. Obviously their survival will also be affected by the widespread decline in organised religion in the UK.
1083:
554:
146:, Dec. 1961: a jointly-produced magazine for parishes in Retford Rural Deanery, Nottinghamshire. At various times it included the insets
136:- frequently known as the Gestetner machine or Roneo machine - offered cheaper alternatives, which many editors were soon to adopt.
37:. It usually comprises a mixture of religious articles, community contributions, and parish notices, including the previous monthâs
259:
has stated: âA good parish magazine is a wonderful resource that places the local church at the heart of the community it serves".
1136:
1016:
709:
1058:
1037:
967:
823:
208:
Many efforts have been made over the years to help conscientious local editors in producing better magazines. In 1949 the
524:
It is generally thought that
Erskine Clarke's Parish Magazine of January 1859 probably marks the real start of the genre.
384:
Surviving examples of early parish magazines are usually included within the archives of the parish in the appropriate
1000:
799:
643:
617:
489:
1104:"Anglican Communion News Service - Digest: Celebrating 150 years of the parish magazine - unless you know better!"
512:"Anglican Communion News Service - Digest: Celebrating 150 years of the parish magazine - unless you know better!"
316:
249:
for the winning magazine in the annual Award Scheme which is organised by the
Association for Church Editors.
296:
139:
686:, 1860-1863, was intended as a separate publication, being neither centred on nor published by the diocese.
292:
1088:
304:
392:â indeed the preservation of archive copies is explicitly required under the current guidance for the
252:
272:
389:
300:
925:
463:
837:"Parish Pump Ltd â The UK's leading resource for church magazines, news-sheets, and websites"
362:
34:
1066:
385:
8:
601:
276:
271:
also offered brief details of a few âoutstanding parish magazinesâ, including those from
196:
networking. However a few might eventually be rebranded as glossy quarterly periodicals.
66:
913:
887:"Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, celebrates 150 years of parish magazines"
451:
426:"Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, celebrates 150 years of parish magazines"
332:
325:
not a parish magazine but reaching an increasing number of readers all over the country
312:
116:
1062:
1054:
1033:
996:
963:
894:
819:
795:
790:
786:
never having risen higher than a parish magazine; it is spiteful, narrow and ignorant
754:
725:
639:
530:
433:
484:
372:
was issued in 1998 to accompany the popular Irish/British television comedy series
162:
74:
583:
288:
209:
187:
174:
62:
242:
issues monthly contributions of new material which may also be used or adapted.
256:
178:
61:
Parish magazines were arguably foreshadowed by the sporadic printed notices or
551:"Praise for the parish mag as it celebrates 150 years | This is Somerset"
1146:
898:
780:
758:
437:
340:
223:
158:
217:
1084:"Beloved Bulletins: Church Communiqués Remain First Line for Information"
657:
was founded by
Charles Bullock, Rector of St Nicholas, Worcester, in 1871
400:
individual county record offices, or via the Access to
Archives website.
358:
212:(the forerunner of the Church of England General Synod) published a book
591:: The Catholic Literature Association, 1933, retrieved 23 November 2011
373:
365:. In this the Rev A R P Blair was presented as the Vicar of St Albion.
354:
166:
133:
97:
Fulford (York) parish magazine, August 1882, from a bound annual volume
16:
Periodical published by an ecclesiastical, generally
Anglican community
1132:
357:
was Prime Minister as a basis for a section in the satirical magazine
949:, Press and Publications Board of the Church Assembly, 1949 (no ISBN)
284:
170:
747:"A dying tradition? One of Britain's oldest parish magazines closes"
615:. The lists of W J E Bennettâs works within successive editions of
379:
93:
336:
42:
495:
A Farewell Letter to the Parishioners of St. Paulâs, Knightsbridge
280:
192:
50:
46:
38:
836:
308:
1061:. This is based on extracts from a number of parishes in the
710:"Ringmer Village News (incorporating Ringmer Parish Magazine)"
569:
local newspaper website states that the Frome periodical fits
82:
70:
861:
571:
some of the criteria , but probably doesnât quite get there
885:
Correspondent, Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs (2009).
424:
Correspondent, Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs (2009).
262:
101:
Starting with fifty-four parishes, the circulation of the
993:
Guide to the Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978
1012:
669:
was published by A R Mowbray & Co. from 1905 onwards
610:, which describes the origins of The Old Church Porch:
712:. 2007-06-21. Archived from the original on 2007-06-21
514:. 2009-01-26. Archived from the original on 2009-01-26
169:
and were jointly published in association with local
606:(1909, chapter 10) quotes from W J E Bennettâs work
1153:
Religious magazines published in the United Kingdom
157:Sometimes groups of parishes - possibly based on a
73:. (Rival claims have sometimes been made for Rev.
380:Survival and location of earlier parish magazines
353:The format of the parish magazine was used while
1144:
730:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
625:appeared in just four volumes between 1855-1860.
535:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
947:Better Parish Magazines and How to Produce Them
812:Better Parish Magazines and How to Produce Them
680:Bath & Wells Diocesan & Parish Magazine
345:magazine and other weekly titles for children.
339:, near Liverpool, who subsequently established
214:Better Parish Magazines and How to Produce Them
960:Father Ted, The Craggy Island Parish Magazines
499:A Pastoral Letter to the Parishioners of Frome
370:Father Ted: The Craggy Island Parish Magazines
884:
423:
394:Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978
126:
826:(and subsequent titles in the same series)
1049:See for example R Jewers & T Jewers,
1019:, Kew, London, retrieved 20 November 2011
931:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
791:Modernism and Cultural Conflict 1880-1922
697:The Country Parish: Retford Rural Deanery
469:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
33:, is a periodical produced by and for an
744:
222:
191:reported on the imminent closure of the
138:
92:
1108:The Anglican Communion Official Website
263:Some outstanding parish magazines: 1949
1145:
1081:
1051:Rev.elations from Old Parish Magazines
958:Arthur Matthews & Graham Linehan:
699:, which had reached volume 17 by 1962
106:last two of these national examples,
1028:Examples include: J Erskine Clarke,
816:Instant Art for the Church Magazine
589:William James Early Bennett, London
13:
1082:Joseph, Pronechen (3 March 2019).
1075:
980:The Craggy Island Parish Magazines
348:
14:
1164:
1126:
1110:. 14 January 2009. Archived from
56:
1043:
1022:
1006:
985:
972:
952:
939:
878:
854:
829:
804:
772:
738:
702:
689:
672:
660:
648:
628:
618:Crockford's Clerical Directory
594:
576:
543:
504:
490:Crockford's Clerical Directory
477:
417:
368:A humorous paperback entitled
1:
1032:, Kessinger Publishing 2008,
603:The Story of W. J. E. Bennett
411:
115:Eventually the assortment of
1069:areas of Norfolk, 1908-1933.
317:St Mark's Church, Kennington
220:commenting in the foreword:
216:, with the Bishop of London
7:
638:, Parish and People, 1993,
293:All Saints, Margaret Street
10:
1169:
1089:National Catholic Register
982:, retrieved 3 January 2010
305:Chesterfield Parish Church
297:St. Stephen's, Westminster
199:
684:Oxford Parochial Magazine
682:, 1883-1905. However the
636:The Parish Magazine Inset
165:, other magazines became
69:, Vicar of St Michael's,
995:(revised edition, 1992,
778:One writer compared the
331:was the creation of the
253:Archbishop of Canterbury
127:Later format and content
788:. Quoted in Artis A,
311:(Surrey); St. Jamesâs,
273:St Martin-in-the-Fields
269:Better Parish Magazines
152:Southwell Diocesan News
1030:Parish Magazine (1872)
390:diocesan record office
301:Holy Trinity, Brompton
231:
154:
98:
695:One such example was
363:St Albion Parish News
226:
142:
96:
35:ecclesiastical parish
841:www.parishpump.co.uk
623:The Old Church Porch
386:county record office
185:In January 2014 the
1040:(printed on demand)
891:The Daily Telegraph
751:The Daily Telegraph
621:state however that
430:The Daily Telegraph
283:; Immanuel Church,
277:Southwark Cathedral
88:The Parish Magazine
67:John Erskine Clarke
1013:Access to Archives
924:has generic name (
584:Project Canterbury
462:has generic name (
333:Rev. Marcus Morris
313:Milton, Portsmouth
232:
155:
117:Diocesan Magazines
99:
1137:National Archives
1063:Little Massingham
1059:978-1-904006-53-4
1038:978-1-4371-5794-9
1017:National Archives
968:978-0-7522-2472-5
824:978-0-86208-079-2
745:Agencies (2014).
1160:
1122:
1120:
1119:
1099:
1097:
1096:
1070:
1047:
1041:
1026:
1020:
1015:, hosted by the
1010:
1004:
989:
983:
978:Amazon website:
976:
970:
956:
950:
943:
937:
936:
929:
923:
919:
917:
909:
907:
905:
882:
876:
875:
873:
872:
866:www.churchmag.uk
858:
852:
851:
849:
847:
833:
827:
808:
802:
776:
770:
769:
767:
765:
742:
736:
735:
729:
721:
719:
717:
706:
700:
693:
687:
676:
670:
664:
658:
652:
646:
632:
626:
598:
592:
580:
574:
567:This Is Somerset
565:
563:
562:
553:. Archived from
547:
541:
540:
534:
526:
521:
519:
508:
502:
485:W. J. E. Bennett
481:
475:
474:
467:
461:
457:
455:
447:
445:
444:
421:
247:John King Trophy
163:Second World War
79:Old Church Porch
75:W. J. E. Bennett
63:pastoral letters
1168:
1167:
1163:
1162:
1161:
1159:
1158:
1157:
1143:
1142:
1135:(now linked to
1129:
1117:
1115:
1102:
1094:
1092:
1078:
1076:Further reading
1073:
1048:
1044:
1027:
1023:
1011:
1007:
990:
986:
977:
973:
957:
953:
944:
940:
930:
921:
920:
911:
910:
903:
901:
883:
879:
870:
868:
860:
859:
855:
845:
843:
835:
834:
830:
809:
805:
777:
773:
763:
761:
743:
739:
723:
722:
715:
713:
708:
707:
703:
694:
690:
677:
673:
665:
661:
653:
649:
633:
629:
599:
595:
581:
577:
560:
558:
549:
548:
544:
528:
527:
517:
515:
510:
509:
505:
482:
478:
468:
459:
458:
449:
448:
442:
440:
422:
418:
414:
406:Parish Magazine
382:
351:
349:Satirical usage
289:Church Brampton
279:; St Barnabas,
265:
240:The Parish Pump
210:Church Assembly
202:
188:Daily Telegraph
175:United Reformed
129:
103:Parish Magazine
59:
31:church bulletin
27:parish bulletin
23:parish magazine
17:
12:
11:
5:
1166:
1156:
1155:
1141:
1140:
1128:
1127:External links
1125:
1124:
1123:
1100:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1071:
1042:
1021:
1005:
984:
971:
951:
945:J Blair-Fish,
938:
877:
853:
828:
810:J Blair-Fish,
803:
771:
737:
701:
688:
671:
659:
647:
627:
608:Cousin Eustace
593:
575:
542:
503:
476:
415:
413:
410:
381:
378:
350:
347:
291:(Northants.);
264:
261:
257:Rowan Williams
201:
198:
179:Roman Catholic
144:Country Parish
128:
125:
58:
55:
29:, also called
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1165:
1154:
1151:
1150:
1148:
1138:
1134:
1131:
1130:
1114:on 2009-01-26
1113:
1109:
1105:
1101:
1091:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1079:
1068:
1064:
1060:
1056:
1052:
1046:
1039:
1035:
1031:
1025:
1018:
1014:
1009:
1002:
1001:0-7151-3747-6
998:
994:
991:The official
988:
981:
975:
969:
965:
961:
955:
948:
942:
934:
927:
915:
900:
896:
892:
888:
881:
867:
863:
857:
842:
838:
832:
825:
821:
817:
813:
807:
801:
800:0-521-81206-2
797:
793:
792:
787:
784:newspaper as
783:
782:
781:Labour Leader
775:
760:
756:
752:
748:
741:
733:
727:
711:
705:
698:
692:
685:
681:
675:
668:
663:
656:
651:
645:
644:1-873529-60-0
641:
637:
634:Peter Croft,
631:
624:
620:
619:
614:
609:
605:
604:
600:F Bennett in
597:
590:
586:
585:
579:
572:
568:
557:on 2013-09-21
556:
552:
546:
538:
532:
525:
513:
507:
500:
496:
492:
491:
486:
480:
472:
465:
453:
439:
435:
431:
427:
420:
416:
409:
407:
401:
397:
395:
391:
387:
377:
375:
371:
366:
364:
360:
356:
346:
344:
343:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
260:
258:
254:
250:
248:
243:
241:
237:
229:
225:
221:
219:
215:
211:
206:
197:
194:
190:
189:
183:
180:
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
159:rural deanery
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
135:
124:
120:
118:
113:
109:
104:
95:
91:
89:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
57:Early history
54:
52:
48:
44:
40:
36:
32:
28:
24:
19:
1116:. Retrieved
1112:the original
1107:
1093:. Retrieved
1087:
1050:
1045:
1029:
1024:
1008:
992:
987:
979:
974:
959:
954:
946:
941:
902:. Retrieved
890:
880:
869:. Retrieved
865:
856:
844:. Retrieved
840:
831:
815:
811:
806:
789:
785:
779:
774:
762:. Retrieved
750:
740:
714:. Retrieved
704:
696:
691:
683:
679:
678:For example
674:
666:
662:
654:
650:
635:
630:
622:
616:
611:
607:
602:
596:
588:
582:
578:
570:
566:
559:. Retrieved
555:the original
545:
523:
516:. Retrieved
506:
498:
494:
488:
479:
441:. Retrieved
429:
419:
405:
402:
398:
383:
369:
367:
352:
341:
328:
324:
320:
268:
266:
251:
246:
244:
239:
234:
233:
227:
218:William Wand
213:
207:
203:
186:
184:
156:
151:
147:
143:
130:
121:
111:
107:
102:
100:
87:
81:, issued at
78:
60:
39:christenings
30:
26:
22:
20:
18:
1067:Sandringham
922:|last=
794:, page 162
518:24 November
497:(1851) and
460:|last=
359:Private Eye
1118:2023-03-01
1095:2023-03-01
871:2018-07-09
655:Home Words
561:2011-11-24
443:2018-07-09
412:References
374:Father Ted
355:Tony Blair
228:The Bridge
167:ecumenical
148:Home Words
134:mimeograph
108:Home Words
914:cite news
899:0307-1235
759:0307-1235
587:article:
483:The Rev.
452:cite news
438:0307-1235
361:entitled
321:The Anvil
285:Streatham
267:The book
171:Methodist
43:marriages
1147:Category
1053:, 2010,
962:, 1998,
818:, 1986,
726:cite web
667:The Sign
531:cite web
337:Birkdale
150:and the
112:The Sign
51:diocesan
47:funerals
862:"index"
501:(1852).
281:Dulwich
236:advance
200:Quality
193:Haworth
1057:
1036:
999:
966:
904:13 Jan
897:
846:13 Nov
822:
798:
764:26 Jan
757:
716:13 Nov
642:
436:
327:. The
315:, and
309:Morden
45:, and
342:Eagle
329:Anvil
83:Frome
71:Derby
1065:and
1055:ISBN
1034:ISBN
997:ISBN
964:ISBN
933:link
926:help
906:2009
895:ISSN
848:2011
820:ISBN
796:ISBN
766:2014
755:ISSN
732:link
718:2011
640:ISBN
537:link
520:2011
471:link
464:help
434:ISSN
110:and
388:or
335:of
255:Dr
177:or
77:'s
25:or
1149::
1106:.
1086:.
918::
916:}}
912:{{
893:.
889:.
864:.
839:.
753:.
749:.
728:}}
724:{{
533:}}
529:{{
522:.
493:)
456::
454:}}
450:{{
432:.
428:.
323:,
307:;
303:;
299:;
295:;
287:;
275:;
173:,
41:,
21:A
1121:.
1098:.
935:)
928:)
908:.
874:.
850:.
768:.
734:)
720:.
573:.
564:.
539:)
473:)
466:)
446:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
