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@cee-dee wrote:

In the beginning................ it was all to do with attempting to control the easily led/convinced populace.

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Not just in the beginning either. There's much that can be found that demonstrates the wishes of church and state to have great influence on the lives of parishioners.

At the turn of the 18th/19th century there was a concern in society that, following the French Revolution of 1789–99, there might be a similar uprising in Britain. It was considered that "the influence of the Church and its religious and moral teaching was a bulwark against revolution". Some argued that a major function of the church was to complement the work of the state; that "the church's main function was social control".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commissioners'_church

I remember watching a programme on tv not so long ago, 'The History of London' or something like that. The Gin Craze of the 18th century was discussed along with associated debauchery etc., and part of the solution to curb the problems was to 'Build More Churches'. Get the people to church and get them to change their ways. In other words social control!!!