Search churches in Birmingham
Find churches across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.
Cathedrals and city-centre churches
Birmingham has the unusual distinction of two cathedrals within a short walk of each other, and neither looks like a conventional Gothic pile:
- St Philip's Cathedral, Colmore Row: one of the smallest cathedrals in England and one of the loveliest, a Georgian baroque church by Thomas Archer with four glowing Burne-Jones windows. The churchyard, known locally as Pigeon Park, is the city centre's favourite green space.
- St Chad's Cathedral: designed by Augustus Pugin and consecrated in 1841, the first Catholic cathedral built in England since the Reformation. It holds the relics of St Chad and serves a busy city-centre Catholic community.
- St Martin in the Bull Ring: the medieval parish church of Birmingham, rebuilt in the Victorian era, now standing dramatically beside the Bullring shopping centre with a lively evangelical congregation and a well-used café.
- Carrs Lane Church: a United Reformed and Methodist partnership in the heart of the city with a long tradition of social action.
A church for every community
What sets Birmingham apart is the sheer breadth of its congregational life. Handsworth, Lozells and Aston are home to some of Britain's most established Black majority churches, many founded by the Windrush generation and now in their third generation of leadership. New Testament Church of God and Church of God of Prophecy congregations sit alongside newer West African Pentecostal fellowships. The Catholic parishes of Digbeth and Erdington serve Irish, Polish and more recent migrant communities, while suburbs such as Moseley, Harborne and Sutton Coldfield support large Anglican, Baptist and independent evangelical churches. The Church of England's Diocese of Birmingham is among the most ethnically diverse in the country.
Browse Birmingham churches in the directory
See every church we list in Birmingham, or explore the surrounding towns, including Coventry, Wolverhampton and Solihull, on our West Midlands county page.
Practical notes for visitors
- Most Sunday services begin between 10am and 11am; larger evangelical churches often add an evening service around 6pm.
- St Philip's and St Chad's both hold weekday services, handy if you work in the city centre.
- City-centre churches are a short walk from New Street, Snow Hill and Moor Street stations. Sunday parking is easier than on weekdays, but check restrictions near the Bullring.
- Many churches run midweek toddler groups, food banks and English classes; church noticeboards and websites list what is on.
Frequently asked questions
What is Birmingham's oldest church?
St Martin in the Bull Ring stands on the site of Birmingham's original medieval parish church, documented from the 13th century. The present building is largely Victorian, but it remains the historic heart of the city's worship.
Which denominations are strongest in Birmingham?
The Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church have the largest networks of buildings, but Pentecostal and independent evangelical churches account for a striking share of actual Sunday attendance, particularly in north and east Birmingham.