My nephew recently went to England with his high school's marching band and were all in a parade. While there, he took pictures of multiple sights, including some churches, which looked like Catholic churches. I asked him about one particular church if it was a Catholic church and another family member said there were no Catholic churches in England and they were all driven out.
![Er... what? o_O o_O](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I was shocked at that response and did an internet search on churches in England and found there are over 3,000 Catholic churches there.
How many Catholic churches are there in the UK?
There are over 3,000 Catholic parish churches and chapels in England, mainly in urban and suburban areas; there are relatively few rural examples, but those that survive are often amongst the oldest and most important.
https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search...ima&hsimp=yhs-st_mig&type=q3000_A0API_ga_bsfq
When your family member said that the Catholic churches had been driven out, they were correct but referring to past history. When King Henry VIII started the Anglican church, the Church of England, he confiscated all Catholic church properties and claimed them for his church. He made it illegal to be Catholic in England.
But, Mailmandan, your assertion is correct, today there are many Catholic churches in England. Surprisingly, while the Church of England is declining rapidly, the Catholic church is growing in England.
And the reason that you thought that some churches looked Catholic is that they most possibly were built by Catholics and confiscated by the Anglican church.
Just some history.
The English laws against Catholics resembled the German/Nazi laws against Jews in many aspects.
The relevant portion of law:
Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 c. 7 (Regnal. 10_Geo_4)Section 18:
It shall not be lawful for any person professing the Roman Catholic religion directly or indirectly to advise his Majesty, or any person or persons holding or exercising the office of guardians of the United Kingdom, or of regent of the United Kingdom, under whatever name, style, or title such office may be constituted, [F1or the lord lieutenant of Ireland], touching or concerning the appointment to or disposal of any office or preferment in the [F2Church of England], or in the Church of Scotland; and if any such person shall offend in the premises he shall, being thereof convicted by due course of law, be deemed guilty of a high misdemeanor, and disabled for ever from holding any office, civil or military, under the Crown.
I think that it's still illegal to have a Catholic in the British monarchy.