REGINA Magazine 30 | Page 89

REGINA | 89

THE PARISH CHURCH WAS THE CENTRE OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. Many activities took place there, secular as well as religious. The main focus was the sacred liturgy, but parish churches also served as meeting places for the local community and venues for business transactions, plays and even for “church ales” -- popular feasts held to raise church funds. (Photo of St Martin’s Church, Canterbury, courtesy of Wikipedia)