Which is the oldest wooden church still in use?

Greensted Church
Greensted Church, in the small village of Greensted, near Chipping Ongar in Essex, England, has been claimed to be the oldest wooden church in the world, and probably the oldest wooden building in Europe still standing, albeit only in part, since few sections of its original wooden structure remain.

What is the oldest wooden building in the world?

However, reconstructed at least 1,300 years ago, the Kondō (main hall) is widely recognized as the world’s oldest wooden building….Hōryū-ji.

When was greensted church built?

Situated deep in the Essex countryside lies Greensted Church, an ancient place of worship which has the distinction of being the oldest wooden church in the world. Indeed, it is also the oldest wooden building in Europe with a nave dating back to between 998 and 1063 AD.

What is the oldest building that is still standing?

Knap of Howar Dating back to around 3600 BCE, the Knap of Howar is the oldest building in the world and is most likely the oldest house still standing. The Knap of Howar consists of two stone-built houses that were discovered in the 1930s when erosion revealed parts of the stone walls.

What is the oldest wooden building in Europe?

by Ben Johnson. Situated deep in the Essex countryside lies Greensted Church, an ancient place of worship which has the distinction of being the oldest wooden church in the world. Indeed, it is also the oldest wooden building in Europe with a nave dating back to between 998 and 1063 AD.

Who was the founder of Greensted Church in Essex?

There is evidence that the current wooden church is the second, or perhaps the third to stand on this site. It is possible that the earliest church was founded by St Cedd, who was responsible for establishing numerous churches in this area in the 7th century.

How old is the chancel of the Greensted Church?

The 51 timber planks you see here today date from about 1060, although excavations undertaken in the chancel in 1960 revealed the existence of two earlier timber structures dating from the 6th, and 7 th centuries, around the time that St. Cedd began his work of converting the Saxons to Christianity.

Is the Church of St Andrew in Greensted still open?

Its full title is The Church of St Andrew, Greensted-juxta-Ongar. It is, however, commonly known simply as Greensted Church. Greensted is still a functioning church and holds services every week. The volume of tourist visits is light, but steady.

When was the tower at Greensted Church built?

The tower was built over one hundred years later during the Stuart period. In the 19th century the church went through a fairly substantial restoration by the Victorians. This included adding brickwork to the structure and replacing the dormer windows, along with a host of other alterations.