Abbey joins Da Vinci row

It is one of the best-selling and most controversial novels ever, with more than 20 million copies sold worldwide. The Da Vinci Code, which follows an American professor trying to discover the secrets of the Holy Grail, has been heavily criticised by religious leaders.

Now the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey have gone one step further, calling the novel " theologically unsound".

They say it is important people realise the thriller, written by Dan Brown, is neither religiously nor historically correct and contains errors.

They have even armed marshals at the abbey with leaflets to tell tourists exactly what the novel got wrong.

In an official statement, the abbey said: "Although a real page-turner, the Da Vinci Code is theologically unsound and we cannot commend or endorse the contentious and wayward religious and historical suggestions made in the book."

The row comes as filming of a screen version, starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou, is due to start in Europe this summer. The abbey has told the producers they will not be allowed to film in the building, rejecting an offer of ?100,000. Lincoln Cathedral will now double for the building.

Dr Wesley Carr, Dean of Westminster, said the book "mixes up history, literary criticism and theological understanding". He added: "It was unanimously agreed by myself, all the senior canons and the senior management of the abbey that it would not be appropriate to be directly linked with the book any more than we already are, especially since the Christian faith relies on a historical event."

Both the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church have criticised the novel, with the Vatican appointing a senior cardinal to rebut the "lies and distortions". The Church says the book:

Westminster Abbey is critical of the appearance of the abbey itself in the novel. Its statement says: "It's not very accurate. Tourists ask about the book and we want to set the record straight." Errors in the novel about Westminster include: two mentions of metal detectors in the abbey, which do not exist; that Alexander Pope delivered the eulogy at Isaac Newton's funeral (although he did write the epitaph, he was not present for the ceremony); that visitors can carry out brass rubbings (no "charcoal pencils" or paper are available); that the College Garden is visible from the Chapter House - it is not.