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.
Biography 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.Taylor, Richard (2003). How to Read a Church, author biography. London: Rider. .
Taylor lives in Ranmoor, Sheffield, with his daughter (born 2001).Dawes, Martin. "Fun and Not 'Churchy'", The Star, Sheffield, 31 August 2010. He was widowed in 2016. He is a partner specialising in technology and intellectual property at law firm DLA Piper in Sheffield,"Richard Taylor", DLA Piper. and until 2012 was the IP/IT columnist for the Law Society Gazette.>
Taylor is also a Vice-President of the National Churches Trust."Our Patron, Vice-Patron, Presidents and Vice-Presidents", National Churches Trust.
Writings and presenting His book How to Read a Church has sold over 100,000 copies and been translated into five languages.Bond, Chris. "Here beginneth the first lesson... how to unlock the secrets of our churches", Yorkshire Post, Leeds, 30 August 2010. He is the writer and presenter of the six-part BBC Four series Churches: How to Read Them broadcast in September and October 2010."Churches: How to Read Them", BBC Four. 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.Songs of Praise, BBC One.
He wrote and presented Still Ringing After All These Years: A Short History of Bells"Still Ringing After All These Years: A Short History of Bells", BBCFour. and Pugin: God's own architect (2012),"Pugin: God's Own Architect", BBC Four. also on BBC Four, and Copyright or Wrong on BBC Radio 4."Copyright or Wrong", BBC Radio 4.
Bibliography How to Read a Church. A guide to images symbols and meanings in churches and cathedrals, Rider, 2003 How to Read a Church. Illustrated Edition, Rider, 2004 How to Read an English Garden, Ebury, 2006 (co-author with Andrew Eburne) How to Read a Church. Pocket Guide, Rider, 2007 Secrets of The National Archives: The stories behind the letters and documents of our past, Ebury, 2014
References