Simon Jenkins has travelled the length and breadth of England to select his thousand best churches.

Organised by county, each church is described - often with delightful asides - and given a star-rating from one to five.

All of the county sections are prefaced by a map locating each church, and lavishly illustrated with colour photos from the Country Life archive.

Jenkins contends that these churches house a gallery of vernacular art without equal in the world. Here, he brings that museum to public attention.