"I AM constantly amazed by the wonderful examples of Saxon, Romanesque, Gothic, Enlightenment, Victorian, and 20th-century churches that you would be hard-pressed to find in such a relatively compact area anywhere else in the country," Julie Banham (left) says. She is the organiser of a local amateur-photography exhibition as part of the centenary celebrations of Sheffield diocese.

There were six categories: Church(yard) in the landscape; Light, ritual, and season; Beasts and monsters; In memoriam; Faith; and Hidden gems. The prizes were shared between three people: Tim Wragg received one for his powerfully evocative photo of a snow-covered cross, taken at dawn on Easter Day in Stannington; Gerald Robinson won two prizes; and Tim Leach took three.

The prizes were given by Richard Taylor (right), the author of How to Read a Church and the BBC TV series of the same title. He said that he had been surprised by the popularity of his book and the TV series, but they had clearly struck a chord with people from all walks of life, who see the distinctive character and atmosphere of church buildings as a means of identity, history, pride, and focus for their communities.