The largest congregations
Measured by the number of people worshipping each week, Britain's biggest churches are a mix of African-heritage Pentecostal centres, contemporary evangelical churches and Anglican resource churches with multiple sites.
- Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC), London. Founded by Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo in 1992, KICC draws several thousand worshippers each weekend across its main auditorium in Chatham and satellite branches, making it one of the largest congregations in western Europe.
- Hillsong London. Meeting in a central London theatre, the UK expression of the Australian movement became known for polished contemporary worship and a young, international congregation across several services.
- Kingsgate Community Church, Peterborough.Grown from a small house group into one of England's largest churches, with a purpose-built auditorium and further sites in Cambridge and Leicester.
- Audacious Church, Manchester. A lively contemporary church in the city centre known for its production values, conferences and youth work.
- Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB), London.The Church of England's most influential large church, spread over several sites, home of the Alpha course and the seedbed for dozens of church plants across the capital and beyond.
- Jesus House, London. A prominent parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Brent Cross, one of the flagship black-majority churches in Britain.
Precise attendance figures shift year by year and churches count differently, so treat any ranking as indicative rather than a league table. What the list shows clearly is that the biggest congregations in Britain today are overwhelmingly in large cities, and that London dominates.
The largest church buildings
The buildings tell a different story, because Britain's vastest churches are its cathedrals rather than its busiest congregations.
- Liverpool Cathedral.Giles Gilbert Scott's colossal Anglican cathedral, completed in 1978, is the largest church building in Britain and among the largest in the world, with a tower visible across the Mersey.
- York Minster.Northern Europe's largest medieval Gothic cathedral, celebrated for its stained glass and chapter house.
- St Paul's Cathedral, London.Wren's baroque masterpiece, whose dome defined the London skyline for three centuries.
- Westminster Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral. Not the biggest by floor area, but unmatched in national significance, from coronations to the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
For the story behind these buildings, see our guide to historic churches in Britain.
Does size matter when choosing a church?
A large church offers energy, strong music, extensive children's and youth provision and the anonymity some newcomers prefer at first. A small parish church offers familiarity, intergenerational friendship and the certainty of being missed if you stay away. Neither is better; they suit different people and different seasons of life. If you are exploring, our guides on how to choose a church and megachurches in the UK dig into the trade-offs, and you can search churches near you of every size in our directory.