Pauline Collett Spiegl Press 2012 209pp. £9.99 This book is full of useful information, written in a very readable style. It has been written by local teacher and artist Pauline Collett, who has produced the excellent illustrations, and includes photographs taken by Barry Collett. The introduction gives a review of the development of the design of churches in Rutland, including a reference to the types of stone used in construction, and also an indication of where in the county to see examples of the more important church features such as woodwork, stained glass, wall paintings and monuments. The main part of the book contains an interesting description of the location and history of each church, a review of the architecture, and a panel summarising the main features, such as the font, the pulpit, stained glass and items of furniture. There are four appendices. One gives a brief biography of those Victorian architects who were notable for their work on churches, pointing out where their work can be seen in Rutland. Another notes the more important stained glass artists whose windows are to be found in the county. The third is a valuable glossary of the terms used in describing the architecture of the buildings, and finally there is a bibliography of relevant publications. Simon Jenkins in his book England’s Thousand Best Churches says the county ‘has more good churches per square mile than any other’. Rutland is fortunate in having such an abundance of fine churches and many people are keen to visit these historical and architectural gems. No such visit is complete without reliable information about what there is to see, and so we must be grateful to Pauline Collett for having provided us with this comprehensive guide. Peter Tomalin

The Parish Churches of Rutland