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.

Churches 200 feet or taller RankName of ChurchHeight (m)Height (ft)LocationNotesImage1Salisbury Cathedral123404Salisbury, WiltshireTallest church in the United Kingdom, amongst the tallest medieval churches in the world.2St Paul's Cathedral111366City of LondonLondon's tallest structure from 1710 to 1962; previous tallest in London until Great Fire of London.3Liverpool Anglican Cathedral101331LiverpoolTallest 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.4Norwich Cathedral96315Norwich, Norfolk5Preston, St Walburge94309Preston, LancashireTallest non-cathedral church in the United Kingdom, tallest Roman Catholic church in the country.6Edinburgh, St Mary's Cathedral90295EdinburghThe tallest of the three Cathedrals in the UK with three spires. Tallest church in the UK outside of England.7Louth, St James89293Louth, LincolnshireTallest Church of England parish church in the country. Architectural height of 288 feet.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. . 8(Old) Coventry Cathedral88290CoventryCathedral destroyed in the Coventry Blitz on November 14, 1940; only the tower and spire remain intact. New Cathedral built adjoining old. Architectural height 284 feet.Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 262–273. .9Westminster Cathedral87284LondonTallest Roman Catholic Cathedral in the country.10Grantham, St Wulfram87283Grantham, LincolnshireArchitectural height 274 feetFlannery, 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. . 11Warrington, St Elphin86281Warrington, Lancashire12=Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral85278Liverpool12=Kensington, St Mary Abbots85278Kensington, Greater LondonTallest parish church in London.14Chichester Cathedral84277Chichester, West Sussex15St Mary Redcliffe84274BristolCommonly misquoted as 292 feet high, which includes the deep foundations and substructure.Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 179–180. . Architectural height 262 feet.16Lincoln Cathedral83272Lincoln, LincolnshireFormerly tallest building the world from 1311 to 1549 when spire collapsed in a storm. Tallest medieval non-spired church in the country.17Boston Stump81271Boston, LincolnshireArchitectural height 267 feet.Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 444–457. . 18Derry, St Eugene's Cathedral78256Derry19Kilburn, St Augustine77253Kilburn, Greater London20Lichfield Cathedral77252Lichfield, StaffordshireThe only medieval cathedral in the United Kingdom with three spires.21Truro Cathedral76249Truro, Cornwall22Wakefield Cathedral75247WakefieldTallest church in Yorkshire.23Hulme, St Mary73241Hulme, Greater Manchester24=Lancaster Cathedral73240Lancaster24=Salford Cathedral73240Salford, Greater Manchester26=Canterbury Cathedral72236Canterbury26=Newark-on-Trent, St Mary Magdalene72236Newark-on-Trent, NottinghamshireTallest church in Nottinghamshire. Architectural height 231 feet.Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 142-151. . 26=Coventry, Holy Trinity72236CoventryTallest surviving church in Coventry.26=Halifax, All Souls72236Halifax, West Yorkshire30York Minster72235YorkLargest medieval Cathedral in the United Kingdom.31St Michael and All Angels, Mount Dinham, Exeter71233ExeterTallest church in Devon.32Chesterfield, St Mary and All Saints70230Chesterfield, DerbyshireFamous for its twisted spire.33=Trinity Church, Ossett69226Ossett, West Yorkshire33=Westminster Abbey69225London33=Gloucester Cathedral69225Gloucester33=Glasgow, St Mungo's Cathedral69225Glasgow36Bath, St John68222Bath37Derry, St Columb's Cathedral67221Derry38=Leicester Cathedral67220Leicester38=Albion United Reformed Church67220Ashton-under-Lyne40Durham Cathedral66218DurhamLargest surviving Romanesque cathedral in the United Kingdom.41Ely Cathedral66217Ely, CambridgeshireKnown as the 'Ship of the Fens' due to its huge size above the surrounding flat marshes.42=Bristol, Christ Church Clifton65212Clifton, Bristol42=Derby Cathedral65212Derby42=Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs65212Cambridge42=Ashbourne, St Oswald65212Ashbourne, Derbyshire46=Oundle, St Peter64210Oundle, Northamptonshire46=Bottesford, St Mary the Virgin64210Bottesford, Leicestershire46=Armagh, St Patrick's Cathedral (Roman Catholic)64210Armagh46=Dorking, St Martin64210Dorking, Surrey49South Dalton, St Mary63208South Dalton, East Riding of Yorkshire50=Plymouth Cathedral62205Plymouth50=St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow62205Glasgow52=Worcester Cathedral62203Worcester52=Newcastle Cathedral62203Newcastle-upon-TyneArchitectural height 194 feet.Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 434–443. . 54=Southampton, St Mary61202Southampton54=Bournemouth, St Peter61202Bournemouth54=Spitalfields, Christ Church61202Spitalfields, Greater London54=Bodelwyddan, Marble Church61202Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire54=Birmingham, St Martin61202Birmingham59=St John the Divine, Kennington61200London59=Oxford, University Church of St Mary the Virgin61200OxfordArchitectural height 191 feet.Flannel, Julian (2016). Fifty English Steeples: The Finest Medieval Parish Church Towers and Spires in England. Thames and Hudson. pp. 114–123. .

References