List of tallest church buildings in the United Kingdom

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.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

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. [1]
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. [2]
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. [3]
4	Norwich Cathedral	96	315	Norwich, Norfolk	[4]
5	Preston, St Walburge	94	309	Preston, Lancashire	Tallest non-cathedral church in the United Kingdom, tallest Roman Catholic church in the country. [5]
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. [6]
7	Louth, St James	89	293	Louth, Lincolnshire	Tallest Church of England parish church in the country. [7] Architectural height of 288 feet. [8]
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. [9] Architectural height 284 feet. [10]
9	Westminster Cathedral	87	284	London	Tallest Roman Catholic Cathedral in the country. [11]
10	Grantham, St Wulfram	87	283	Grantham, Lincolnshire	Architectural height 274 feet [12] [13]
11	Warrington, St Elphin	86	281	Warrington, Lancashire	[14]
12=	Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral	85	278	Liverpool	[15]
12=	Kensington, St Mary Abbots	85	278	Kensington, Greater London	Tallest parish church in London. [16]
14	Chichester Cathedral	84	277	Chichester, West Sussex	[17]
15	St Mary Redcliffe	84	274	Bristol	Commonly misquoted as 292 feet high, which includes the deep foundations and substructure. [18] Architectural height 262 feet.
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. [19] [20]
17	Boston Stump	81	271	Boston, Lincolnshire	Architectural height 267 feet. [21]
18	Derry, St Eugene's Cathedral	78	256	Derry	[22]
19	Kilburn, St Augustine	77	253	Kilburn, Greater London	[23]
20	Lichfield Cathedral	77	252	Lichfield, Staffordshire	The only medieval cathedral in the United Kingdom with three spires. [24]
21	Truro Cathedral	76	249	Truro, Cornwall	[25]
22	Wakefield Cathedral	75	247	Wakefield	Tallest church in Yorkshire. [26]
23	Hulme, St Mary	73	241	Hulme, Greater Manchester	[27]
24=	Lancaster Cathedral	73	240	Lancaster
24=	Salford Cathedral	73	240	Salford, Greater Manchester	[28]
26=	Canterbury Cathedral	72	236	Canterbury	[29]
26=	Newark-on-Trent, St Mary Magdalene	72	236	Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire	Tallest church in Nottinghamshire. Architectural height 231 feet. [30]
26=	Coventry, Holy Trinity	72	236	Coventry	Tallest surviving church in Coventry. [31]
26=	Halifax, All Souls	72	236	Halifax, West Yorkshire	[32]
30	York Minster	72	235	York	Largest medieval Cathedral in the United Kingdom. [33]
31	St Michael and All Angels, Mount Dinham, Exeter	71	233	Exeter	Tallest church in Devon.
32	Chesterfield, St Mary and All Saints	70	230	Chesterfield, Derbyshire	Famous for its twisted spire. [34]
33=	Trinity Church, Ossett	69	226	Ossett, West Yorkshire	[35]
33=	Westminster Abbey	69	225	London	[36]
33=	Gloucester Cathedral	69	225	Gloucester	[37]
33=	Glasgow, St Mungo's Cathedral	69	225	Glasgow	[38]
36	Bath, St John	68	222	Bath	[39]
37	Derry, St Columb's Cathedral	67	221	Derry	[40]
38=	Leicester Cathedral	67	220	Leicester	[41]
38=	Albion United Reformed Church	67	220	Ashton-under-Lyne	[42]
40	Durham Cathedral	66	218	Durham	Largest surviving Romanesque cathedral in the United Kingdom. [43]
41	Ely Cathedral	66	217	Ely, Cambridgeshire	Known as the 'Ship of the Fens' due to its huge size above the surrounding flat marshes. [44]
42=	Bristol, Christ Church Clifton	65	212	Clifton, Bristol	[45]
42=	Derby Cathedral	65	212	Derby	[46]
42=	Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs	65	212	Cambridge	[47]
42=	Ashbourne, St Oswald	65	212	Ashbourne, Derbyshire	[48]
46=	Bottesford, St Mary the Virgin	64	210	Bottesford, Leicestershire	[49]
46=	Armagh, St Patrick's Cathedral (Roman Catholic)	64	210	Armagh	[50]
46=	Dorking, St Martin	64	210	Dorking, Surrey	[51]
49	South Dalton, St Mary	63	208	South Dalton, East Riding of Yorkshire	[52]
50=	Plymouth Cathedral	62	205	Plymouth	[53]
50=	St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow	62	205	Glasgow	[54]
52=	Worcester Cathedral	62	203	Worcester	[55]
52=	Newcastle Cathedral	62	203	Newcastle-upon-Tyne	Architectural height 194 feet. [56]
54=	Southampton, St Mary	61	202	Southampton	[57]
54=	Bournemouth, St Peter	61	202	Bournemouth	[58]
54=	Spitalfields, Christ Church	61	202	Spitalfields, Greater London
54=	Bodelwyddan, Marble Church	61	202	Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire	[59]
54=	Birmingham, St Martin	61	202	Birmingham	[60]
59=	St John the Divine, Kennington	61	200	London	[61]
59=	Oxford, University Church of St Mary the Virgin	61	200	Oxford	Architectural height 191 feet. [62]

References

1. "Britain's tallest spire". Salisbury Cathedral. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
2. "Climb the Dome - St Paul's Cathedral". St Paul's Cathedral, London. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
3. "Liverpool Cathedral - The Tower". Liverpool Cathedral. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
4. Jane Vadnal, Philip Maye. "Medieval Norwich Cathedral- Plans and Drawings". Art and Architecture of Medieval Churches, University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
5. "St Walburge's Church • Visit Preston". Visit Preston. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
6. "St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh | 110847 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
7. "St James's Visitor Information – Team Parish of Louth". Louth Parish Team. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
8. Flannery, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. New York City, New York, United States: Thames and Hudson. pp. 458–471. ISBN   978-0-500-34314-2.
9. Munzara, Tatenda. "How Coventry Cathedral Emerged From the Ruins". Culture Trip. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
10. Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 262–273. ISBN   978-0-500-34314-2.
11. "Westminster Cathedral, London | 136291 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
12. Ross, David. "Grantham, St Wulfram's Church | History, Photos & Visiting Information". Britain Express. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
13. Flannery, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. New York City, New York, United States: Thames and Hudson. pp. 130–141. ISBN   978-0-500-34314-2.
14. "Warrington St Elphin". Explore Churches. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
15. "Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool | 110845 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on June 15, 2016. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
16. "St. Mary Abbots Church, London | 136689 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
17. Jane Vadnal, Philip Maye. "Medieval Chichester: Market Cross". Art and Architecture of Medieval Churches, University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
18. Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 179–180. ISBN   978-0-500-34314-2.
19. Santos, Cory (2013-11-06). "When Lincoln Cathedral was the tallest building in the world". The Lincolnite. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
20. "Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln | 127684 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on June 22, 2016. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
21. Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 444–457. ISBN   978-0-500-34314-2.
22. "St. Eugene's Cathedral, Londonderry | 208561 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
23. "St. Augustine's Church, London | 136424 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
24. "Lichfield Cathedral, Lichfield | 208562 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
25. "Truro Cathedral, Truro | 208563 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on April 10, 2015. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
26. "The Architecture". Wakefield Cathedral. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
27. "Church of St Mary Upper Moss Lane Hulme Manchester - Building | Architects of Greater Manchester". Manchester Victorian Architects. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
28. "Salford Cathedral, Salford | 209611 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on November 10, 2019. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
29. "Cathedral Map". Canterbury Cathedral. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
30. Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 142-151. ISBN   978-0-500-34314-2.
31. "Holy Trinity Church, Coventry | 209612 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
32. "All Souls' Church, Halifax | 209720". Emporis. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
33. "York Minster Dimensions". Medieval and Middle Ages History Timeline. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
34. Newman, Dr Alan P. "Chesterfield's Crooked Spire". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
35. "Ossett Pictures - Holy Trinity Church". www.ossett.net. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
36. "Westminster Abbey, London | 136418 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
37. "Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester | 209726 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
38. "Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow | 139848 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
39. "HIGHEST - Church Spire in Bath - St. John the Evangelist - Bath, Somerset - Superlatives on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
40. Brown, Oliver. "Living City - St Columb's Cathedral" (PDF). Foyle Civic Trust.
41. "Leicester Cathedral, Leicester | 210867 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
42. "Albion United Reformed Church, Ashton-under-Lyne | 267861 |". Emporis. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
43. Simpson, David (2019-11-10). "Durham Cathedral central tower : A view from the Top". England's North East. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
44. "Ely Cathedral - A Descriptive Tour of Ely Cathedral". Ely Cathedral. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
45. "Christ Church Clifton, Bristol | 151241 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
46. "Derby Cathedral". Cheshire Now. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
47. "Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs, Cambridge | 211447 |". Emporis. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
48. "St Oswald's Church, Ashbourne | 211449 |". Emporis. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
49. "St Mary the Virgin | History". www.stmarysbottesford.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
50. "Archiseek - Irish Architecture - 1860 - St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh". Archiseek - Irish Architecture. 2009-09-28. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
51. Historic England (1973-06-11). "Church of St Martin, Dorking (1028904)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 20 June 2023.
52. "Churches - Dalton Holme Parish Council". Dalton Parish Council. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
53. "Plymouth Cathedral, Plymouth | 212647 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on July 5, 2020. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
54. "St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow | 208621". Emporis. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
55. "Worcester Cathedral, Worcester - Building #646". www.skyscrapernews.com. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
56. Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 434–443. ISBN   978-0-500-34314-2.
57. "St Mary's Church, Southampton | 1419228 | EMPORIS". Emporis . Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
58. Historic England. "CHURCH OF ST PETER, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole (1153014)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 2021-01-21.
59. "St Margaret's Church, Bodelwyddan (165595)". Coflein. RCAHMW . Retrieved 2021-09-29.
60. "St Martin's-in-the-Bull Ring, Birmingham | 225376 |". Emporis. Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
61. "History". St John the Divine, Kennington. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
62. Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 114–123. ISBN   978-0-500-34314-2.