Since 1969 the Churches Conservation Trust has been caring for churches no longer needed for regular worship. The 325 retired churches in its care contain over a thousand years of history, religion, art and architecture to be discovered, investigated and enjoyed by pupils and teachers alike. From Saxon simplicity to Victorian splendour, these churches offer a unique learning resource for schools to find out about local history and the individuals who peopled it. Unlike churches still in use, a substantial number of Trust churches remain as their congregations left them fifty, a hundred, or a hundred and fifty years ago. Without electric light or heating, these churches offer a very special experience of what it was like to worship there long ago. They provide access to real evidence of the past to investigate, record, analyse and interpret!