Richard Taylor (British writer)

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Richard Taylor (born 1967) is a British author, broadcaster and practising lawyer best known for his books, television and radio programmes on Christian imagery, symbolism, history and law.

Richard Taylor giving a talk in Gamalero, Italy.
Italy, August 2011

Biography

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Taylor was born in London, where he attended Highgate School. He took degrees in English at St Catherine's College, Oxford, and law at the London School of Economics.[1]

Taylor lives in Ranmoor, Sheffield, with his daughter (born 2001).[2] He was widowed in 2016. He is a partner specialising in technology and intellectual property at law firm DLA Piper in Sheffield,[3] and until 2012 was the IP/IT columnist for the Law Society Gazette.>

Taylor is also a Vice-President of the National Churches Trust.[4]

Writings and presenting

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His book How to Read a Church has sold over 100,000 copies and been translated into five languages.[5] He is the writer and presenter of the six-part BBC Four series Churches: How to Read Them broadcast in September and October 2010.[6] Since 2014 he has been a guest presenter for BBC Songs of Praise, presenting items on Chaucer, Shakespeare, Austen, the Brontë family, the UK patron saints, Henry V, and the birthplaces of the Christian denominations.[7]

He wrote and presented Still Ringing After All These Years: A Short History of Bells[8] and Pugin: God's own architect (2012),[9] also on BBC Four, and Copyright or Wrong on BBC Radio 4.[10]

Bibliography

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  • How to Read a Church. A guide to images symbols and meanings in churches and cathedrals, Rider, 2003 ISBN 1-84413-053-3
  • How to Read a Church. Illustrated Edition, Rider, 2004 ISBN 1-84413-238-2
  • How to Read an English Garden, Ebury, 2006 (co-author with Andrew Eburne) ISBN 0-09-190900-7
  • How to Read a Church. Pocket Guide, Rider, 2007 ISBN 1-84604-073-6
  • Secrets of The National Archives: The stories behind the letters and documents of our past, Ebury, 2014 ISBN 978-0091943356

References

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  1. ^ Taylor, Richard (2003). How to Read a Church, author biography. London: Rider. ISBN 1-84413-053-3.
  2. ^ Dawes, Martin. "Fun and Not 'Churchy'", The Star, Sheffield, 31 August 2010.
  3. ^ "Richard Taylor", DLA Piper.
  4. ^ "Our Patron, Vice-Patron, Presidents and Vice-Presidents", National Churches Trust.
  5. ^ Bond, Chris. "Here beginneth the first lesson... how to unlock the secrets of our churches", Yorkshire Post, Leeds, 30 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Churches: How to Read Them", BBC Four.
  7. ^ Songs of Praise, BBC One.
  8. ^ "Still Ringing After All These Years: A Short History of Bells", BBCFour.
  9. ^ "Pugin: God's Own Architect", BBC Four.
  10. ^ "Copyright or Wrong", BBC Radio 4.