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Steeple Chasing: Around Britain by Church
*Featuring a brand new chapter!*
Churches are all around us. Their steeples remain landmarks in our towns, villages and cities, even as their influence and authority has waned. They contain art and architectural wonders - one huge gallery scattered, like a handful of jewels, across these isles.
Award-winning writer Peter Ross sets out to tell their stories, and through them a story of Britain. Join him as he visits the unassuming Norfolk church which contains a disturbing secret, and London's mighty cathedrals with their histories of fire and love. Meet cats and bats, monks and druids, angels of oak and steel.
Steeple Chasing, though it sometimes strikes an elegiac note, is a song of praise. It celebrates churches for their beauty and meaning, and for the tales they tell. It is about people as much as place, flesh and bone not just flint and stone. From the painted hells of Surrey to the holy wells of Wales, consider this a travel book . . . with bells on.
Churches are all around us. Their steeples remain landmarks in our towns, villages and cities, even as their influence and authority has waned. They contain art and architectural wonders - one huge gallery scattered, like a handful of jewels, across these isles.
Award-winning writer Peter Ross sets out to tell their stories, and through them a story of Britain. Join him as he visits the unassuming Norfolk church which contains a disturbing secret, and London's mighty cathedrals with their histories of fire and love. Meet cats and bats, monks and druids, angels of oak and steel.
Steeple Chasing, though it sometimes strikes an elegiac note, is a song of praise. It celebrates churches for their beauty and meaning, and for the tales they tell. It is about people as much as place, flesh and bone not just flint and stone. From the painted hells of Surrey to the holy wells of Wales, consider this a travel book . . . with bells on.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2023
119 people are currently reading
1464 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
February 17, 2025
I found this to be a wonderful book. The author evidently began his site research just as Covid hit and was sometimes unable to go where he wanted to go. Regulations and closures eventually came to an end but the impact of the pandemic sits heavily on everyone including the author.
The book is not a listing of churches around England (though he takes us to many), Wales (a few), Ireland (1) and Scotland (again 1). His travels are here and there, not one to the next. Chapters are mostly by subject such as monks, stone, holy wells, new agey Glastonbury, preservation, cats and bats.
Steeple Chasing is not written from a religious perspective but is sympathetic. Most churches visited here are undergoing severe problems keeping up membership and funding repairs. Many of the churches Ross visited in London are largely repurposed or have new missions. I find it sad that most of the people Ross talks with are very old. Those who are regular churchgoers usually belong to parishes with 6-8 or at best 35 old people who are somehow expected to clean, organize money making projects, maintain holy wells and churchyards, etc. On top of that they are the guardians of priceless works of art.
The majority of the sites are at least 900 years old and often built on even older holy sites. There are evidently many places on the brink of disaster. If nothing else these places hold history, architecture and art. It’s such a shame to see that they made it through invasions, plagues, The Reformation, unfortunate remodeling and now often utter neglect.
The book is not a listing of churches around England (though he takes us to many), Wales (a few), Ireland (1) and Scotland (again 1). His travels are here and there, not one to the next. Chapters are mostly by subject such as monks, stone, holy wells, new agey Glastonbury, preservation, cats and bats.
Steeple Chasing is not written from a religious perspective but is sympathetic. Most churches visited here are undergoing severe problems keeping up membership and funding repairs. Many of the churches Ross visited in London are largely repurposed or have new missions. I find it sad that most of the people Ross talks with are very old. Those who are regular churchgoers usually belong to parishes with 6-8 or at best 35 old people who are somehow expected to clean, organize money making projects, maintain holy wells and churchyards, etc. On top of that they are the guardians of priceless works of art.
The majority of the sites are at least 900 years old and often built on even older holy sites. There are evidently many places on the brink of disaster. If nothing else these places hold history, architecture and art. It’s such a shame to see that they made it through invasions, plagues, The Reformation, unfortunate remodeling and now often utter neglect.
September 6, 2023
Steeple Chasing is an absolute delight. Peter Ross takes the reader on a tour of the often overlooked glories of British churches. From great cathedrals to tiny, disused parish churches, it is a song of praise to their endless variety, their art and architecture, but most of all, to their place in the communities they have served for centuries. Ross writes narrative non-fiction with a novelist’s sensibility, always with an ear for the interesting human story and the telling detail and with a remarkable ability to sniff out the surprising and the unexpected. Steeple Chasing is one of the best books I’ve read this year and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it feature on a number of end of year ‘books of the year’ lists come December.
July 13, 2024
Admittedly I skim read some chapters of this one as it was a library loan and I had limited time to get through it.
Ross does a good job of covering different churches around Britain and looking at various aspects of said churches (bats, gargoyles, pilgrims, ancient tombs/graves etc). Obviously there is a lean on religiosity throughout the text and many of the peeps he talks to get into a bit of a chat about religion (which as an atheist I found boring hence the skimming!)
There is enough diversity to keep you interested however; I particularly liked the chapters on Lindisfarne, church cats (obvs!) and the sheela-na-gig carvings. My main criticism would be that the book is just that bit too long, I felt like I was flagging towards the end of a marathon.
Ross does a good job of covering different churches around Britain and looking at various aspects of said churches (bats, gargoyles, pilgrims, ancient tombs/graves etc). Obviously there is a lean on religiosity throughout the text and many of the peeps he talks to get into a bit of a chat about religion (which as an atheist I found boring hence the skimming!)
There is enough diversity to keep you interested however; I particularly liked the chapters on Lindisfarne, church cats (obvs!) and the sheela-na-gig carvings. My main criticism would be that the book is just that bit too long, I felt like I was flagging towards the end of a marathon.
January 31, 2024
As someone who is not religious but has always been awed by the power of churches to captivate us, I was fascinated by this book. Steeple Chasing provides an enthralling overview of many of Britain's churches, both famous and forgotten, and the people (and cats and bats!) that call them a home. Ross covers history, art, architecture and a wide variety of religious and secular individuals in a beautiful writing style. As well as covering the Anglo-Saxon, medieval and Victorian origins of many of the places of worship, the writer brings their stories right up to the present day with links to how these buildings are surviving in the modern day. The returning themes of conflict, plague and persecution have accompanied many of the churches throughout their long history, and unfortunately they are still very relevant today. It's easy while reading to picture the buildings as static sentinels, standing unmoving as islands of tranquillity amongst the chaos and tumult of life. Ross's deft interweaving of the past and the present provides a moving demonstration of the continuing power of churches to captivate those of all faiths. However, the real stars are undoubtedly the humans and animals, each of whom has a story every bit as heartfelt and compelling as the churches and cathedrals. They cover every possible aspect of the human experience, and collectively offer a powerful testament to the grounding and redemptive power these edifices hold to so many. This book is a fitting tribute to these masterworks of stone and the eclectic mixture of people who populate them, and an enjoyable and affecting reading experience in its own right.
December 3, 2025
This is a travel book describing the many chapels, churches, and cathedrals in the UK that have an interesting story to tell ranging from Southwark Cathedral's former resident cat to the village church in Chaldon in Surrey with its 850-year old mural depicting torment and resurrection.
I read about the holy wells in rural Wales, the monumental Angel of the North in Gateshead, and a 'working' monastery called Pluscarden Abbey in north-east Scotland.
St Winefride's Well Shrine in Holywell in North Wales is known as the Lourdes of Wales although it should be the other way around as St Winifride's Well is over 1,300 years old. It attracts around 35,000 visitors a year. The present buildings only date from the late 15th Century and were paid for by Lady Margaret Beaufort to thank God for her son's victory at Bosworth Field in 1485. This association may 'well' explain why her grandson Henry VIII didn't destroy the shrine during his reformation of the monasteries.
I read about the holy wells in rural Wales, the monumental Angel of the North in Gateshead, and a 'working' monastery called Pluscarden Abbey in north-east Scotland.
St Winefride's Well Shrine in Holywell in North Wales is known as the Lourdes of Wales although it should be the other way around as St Winifride's Well is over 1,300 years old. It attracts around 35,000 visitors a year. The present buildings only date from the late 15th Century and were paid for by Lady Margaret Beaufort to thank God for her son's victory at Bosworth Field in 1485. This association may 'well' explain why her grandson Henry VIII didn't destroy the shrine during his reformation of the monasteries.
June 22, 2023
Stunning follow up to A Tomb With A View. A must read for anyone who loves churches and graveyards!
September 6, 2023
In this book, the author takes us to various churches around Britain and tells us the stories of the buildings, the communities and the people connected with the Churches. It’s a book which can be enjoyed by anyone, whether you have a faith or not.
I thought this book was absolutely fascinating. It is full of interesting stories about places of worship both large and small, famous or obscure. As the author said at the recent event, he wanted to make this book about the buildings certainly but also about the people, communities and stories connected with the buildings and about hope. The book is a song of praise to churches and how they can be an touching place of past and present.
I was particularly interested in the chapter about the angel roofs found in many churches in Norfolk. These carved angels are high up of course and, perhaps because of that, survived much of the destruction during the reformation. I wanted to share a short quotation from this chapter as an example of how evocatively the author writes and how he easily paints a vivid picture with his words.
‘The angels are survivors. Destruction was nothing new to them of course, they were born of it. Acorn to oak to angel, these were trees once. They had roots and branches, drank from the earth, knew the thistledown touch of the sky. Birds landed and nested in them, the wings of crows foreshadowing their own coming form. In time they felt the kiss of the axe, the teeth of the saw and they began to take shape, to become angelic.‘
Many of the chapters talk about the incredible artefacts which can be found in churches whether art, stained glass, beautiful carvings, sculptures or, in one case, a rather disturbing wax effigy! The author talks of the buildings as being like museums or art galleries. Small congregations can’t afford to maintain the buildings or care for the artefacts as they would be cared for if they were in a museum. A museum curator visiting a church was quite horrified to see a priest holding a 15th century chalice without gloves which would be required in the museum. The priest, unphased, pointed out they use it every week, no doubt for Communion. A possibly valuable item being valued and used for its intended purpose.
With many churches facing closure due to falling rolls and falling income, it is clear throughout the book that churches are not just places of worship but play a vital role in communities. This can take many forms such as running a foodbank or soup kitchen, providing a welcoming safe space for anyone who needs it, being the place where addiction support groups, counselling groups, youth organisations, toddlers groups and so much more take place. When the buildings go, what will happen to these vital services?
Peter Ross has touched upon just a handful of stories connected with Churches throughout the UK. I’m sure that this book could easily have been twice as long. Every church will have its stories whether an ancient building or a more modern one. Through this book we see what a rich heritage they have and what they have brought and continue to bring to communities throughout Britain. It will be sad to see buildings close, as they inevitably will, as they are the heart of so many communities. Whether you are a believer or not, there is much you will find of interest in this absorbing, informative, thought-provoking and hugely enjoyable book.
I thought this book was absolutely fascinating. It is full of interesting stories about places of worship both large and small, famous or obscure. As the author said at the recent event, he wanted to make this book about the buildings certainly but also about the people, communities and stories connected with the buildings and about hope. The book is a song of praise to churches and how they can be an touching place of past and present.
I was particularly interested in the chapter about the angel roofs found in many churches in Norfolk. These carved angels are high up of course and, perhaps because of that, survived much of the destruction during the reformation. I wanted to share a short quotation from this chapter as an example of how evocatively the author writes and how he easily paints a vivid picture with his words.
‘The angels are survivors. Destruction was nothing new to them of course, they were born of it. Acorn to oak to angel, these were trees once. They had roots and branches, drank from the earth, knew the thistledown touch of the sky. Birds landed and nested in them, the wings of crows foreshadowing their own coming form. In time they felt the kiss of the axe, the teeth of the saw and they began to take shape, to become angelic.‘
Many of the chapters talk about the incredible artefacts which can be found in churches whether art, stained glass, beautiful carvings, sculptures or, in one case, a rather disturbing wax effigy! The author talks of the buildings as being like museums or art galleries. Small congregations can’t afford to maintain the buildings or care for the artefacts as they would be cared for if they were in a museum. A museum curator visiting a church was quite horrified to see a priest holding a 15th century chalice without gloves which would be required in the museum. The priest, unphased, pointed out they use it every week, no doubt for Communion. A possibly valuable item being valued and used for its intended purpose.
With many churches facing closure due to falling rolls and falling income, it is clear throughout the book that churches are not just places of worship but play a vital role in communities. This can take many forms such as running a foodbank or soup kitchen, providing a welcoming safe space for anyone who needs it, being the place where addiction support groups, counselling groups, youth organisations, toddlers groups and so much more take place. When the buildings go, what will happen to these vital services?
Peter Ross has touched upon just a handful of stories connected with Churches throughout the UK. I’m sure that this book could easily have been twice as long. Every church will have its stories whether an ancient building or a more modern one. Through this book we see what a rich heritage they have and what they have brought and continue to bring to communities throughout Britain. It will be sad to see buildings close, as they inevitably will, as they are the heart of so many communities. Whether you are a believer or not, there is much you will find of interest in this absorbing, informative, thought-provoking and hugely enjoyable book.
August 26, 2023
Really fantastic read. I hope his next book is 500 pages long! It's been very inspiring, now I have started to watch church-crawling videos on the internet.
April 29, 2024
I used to love going steeplechasing and thought nothing of cycling miles to visit an old church. I can confirm that Norfolk is the best place for this, as it's so flat. This book is beautiful for its appreciation of our common history and also for its compassion. I find it truly heartbreaking that old churches in the UK are given no help from the state. In Sweden they are and you never see a church in a disheveled state as too many in the UK are. Our churches and cathedrals are our artistic heritage and deserve protection. (And I am not a believer except in the need to keep beauty in place for the future.)
February 10, 2024
This is a very enjoyable trip around the country visiting all kinds of churches, small, large, rural, city churches, up to monasteries and cathedrals. Its theme is really that these buildings are built into the social history of Britain, and are important to everyone, of all faiths and no faith. In the course of the visits the author tells many stories, both historical and contemporary.
May 6, 2024
Captivating and poetic. I didn't want it to finish. I look forward to reading his other books.
April 17, 2025
Church looms large in my life, a place I feel close to my mum, a place I find the people whose short lives are commemorated only there, a place I go when I don’t know where else to go. This book reflects the church as a building, as a civic space, as a community hub and as a house of God without ever being condescending or pious. I loved it.
April 20, 2024
Very interesting trip around different places of worship and history and culture behind those places ! Lindisfarne very interesting 🧐
April 22, 2024
Every time I picked this book up I also wanted to put my coat on, and to tell my dog to go and fetch her lead! It’s really true, because opening this book feels like going for a dander in good company! That’s a stroll for those who aren’t familiar with NI slang, and I think, very fitting! I first befriended Peter - in the graveyards of A Tomb With a View, so I also think we’re on a first-name basis now! Peter is great company.
In Steeple Chasing, Peter tells you that he is drawn to stories, and this really shows through his appreciation of exploring and learning about Britain’s churches and the people connected to them. This is definitely a book where no words are wasted. Throughout, he shares stories from history, present day and hopes for the future regarding the buildings and communities they belong to. I particularly enjoyed Peter’s observations of the wildlife at-home-in, and surrounding the churches. It is all very captivating! 🐱🦇
Like Peter, I am drawn to stories, too, and I learned so much from these. I feel encouraged to explore more, and to take an extra glance at churches (and graveyards) when I pass them. Overall, Steeple Chasing has helped me to appreciate my local community and the spaces where people connect and share stories.
In Steeple Chasing, Peter tells you that he is drawn to stories, and this really shows through his appreciation of exploring and learning about Britain’s churches and the people connected to them. This is definitely a book where no words are wasted. Throughout, he shares stories from history, present day and hopes for the future regarding the buildings and communities they belong to. I particularly enjoyed Peter’s observations of the wildlife at-home-in, and surrounding the churches. It is all very captivating! 🐱🦇
Like Peter, I am drawn to stories, too, and I learned so much from these. I feel encouraged to explore more, and to take an extra glance at churches (and graveyards) when I pass them. Overall, Steeple Chasing has helped me to appreciate my local community and the spaces where people connect and share stories.
September 14, 2023
This is without doubt a book that will stay with me, dare I say my favourite book this year? From cathedrals to tiny crumbling parish churches, Peter Ross celebrates each one with the same attention to detail and praise for the people who look after them, sometimes as interesting as the churches.
His love of churches does not stem from a conventional religious
standpoint, but from the quietness and spirituality which they offer, even to the non-believer. When on holiday I find it hard to pass a church without trying to visit, and the pleasure of turning a heavy doorknob and finding a church open is such a pleasure. I shall be taking this book with me when I go away somewhere, it will become my travel guide, and might even encourage me to put together my own small Steeple Chase.
His love of churches does not stem from a conventional religious
standpoint, but from the quietness and spirituality which they offer, even to the non-believer. When on holiday I find it hard to pass a church without trying to visit, and the pleasure of turning a heavy doorknob and finding a church open is such a pleasure. I shall be taking this book with me when I go away somewhere, it will become my travel guide, and might even encourage me to put together my own small Steeple Chase.
January 1, 2025
A wonderful book - we explore different religious settings in England from mighty catherdrals to tiny country churches. Finding out about the human connections of these places; past and present. Living spaces these precious places - purposeful and necessary still.
May 20, 2025
I was besotted with this book from start to finish! Even spilled a few unexpected tears here and there. An absolute delight :)))
August 29, 2024
If you're a fan of visiting England's old churches, and some in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland too, this book is very helpful and entertaining reading.
I've had to write down a list of churches and cathedrals while reading it, to add to my must visit list. They are places where Peter has discovered real oddities, such as the wax effigy in a case and mediaeval carved angels on ceiling bosses where you can get up close. He discovers too churches rescued from near demolition by local, often non believers, who realise that the country's history and culture are disappearing fast as Christianity really is extinguished through people's choices, as it was once predicted by a former Archbishop of Canterbury.
The book is tinged with that sense of sadness that secularisation is not only leaving our historic churches poorly attended, but in danger of shutting up shop. Peter Ross writes like other similar authors, of the irritation of having to find the key holder to gain access to some churches and how some areas are worse than others for keeping churches locked.
As he describes over and over again how a handful of grey haired sixty or seventy or older somethings are keeping our remaining churches going, it clear that we could be the last generation to have a local Anglican church. Imagine that - a village or a town without a church. But we've only ourselves to blame.
He visits too old and relatively new seminaries and convents, now either shutdown and dilapidated or with a skeleton number of monks or nuns dedicating their lives to God.
This book is very readable and the author has found interesting guests to speak to with wonderful anecdotes to tell.
I learned so much from this book including a potted history of a group I'd never heard of before - who kept St Paul's Cathedral protected during the German Luftwaffe's terrifying blitz of London in the Second World War.
I shall now search out for the author's other work about cemeteries!
I've had to write down a list of churches and cathedrals while reading it, to add to my must visit list. They are places where Peter has discovered real oddities, such as the wax effigy in a case and mediaeval carved angels on ceiling bosses where you can get up close. He discovers too churches rescued from near demolition by local, often non believers, who realise that the country's history and culture are disappearing fast as Christianity really is extinguished through people's choices, as it was once predicted by a former Archbishop of Canterbury.
The book is tinged with that sense of sadness that secularisation is not only leaving our historic churches poorly attended, but in danger of shutting up shop. Peter Ross writes like other similar authors, of the irritation of having to find the key holder to gain access to some churches and how some areas are worse than others for keeping churches locked.
As he describes over and over again how a handful of grey haired sixty or seventy or older somethings are keeping our remaining churches going, it clear that we could be the last generation to have a local Anglican church. Imagine that - a village or a town without a church. But we've only ourselves to blame.
He visits too old and relatively new seminaries and convents, now either shutdown and dilapidated or with a skeleton number of monks or nuns dedicating their lives to God.
This book is very readable and the author has found interesting guests to speak to with wonderful anecdotes to tell.
I learned so much from this book including a potted history of a group I'd never heard of before - who kept St Paul's Cathedral protected during the German Luftwaffe's terrifying blitz of London in the Second World War.
I shall now search out for the author's other work about cemeteries!
April 4, 2024
Such an interesting book! A book that makes you look a bit harder and longer at places that have been special for hundreds of years.
July 9, 2023
Good heavens but I am enamoured of Peters world. He conjures up images of pastoral bliss, with sublime rural church’s and majestic cathedrals. And even though our modern world is anything but blissful, this feeling of nostalgia for church’s, and all they embody, still shines through.
I am as far away from a believer in any sort of religion as one can possible be, but I do worship at the alter of church/church yard architecture and the world such buildings inhabit. So this book was the equivalent to the bible for me. It took me from war art of the 1920’s to water ceremonies at Glastonbury via the matriarch of London herself, St Paul’s.
Peters journey around this steepled isle was intriguing and fascinating to behold. The people he met along the way fabulous, and the cats regal. His writing style is second to none and his passion for his subject and the privilege he feels when meeting both places and people is palpable.
I implore anyone who is a fan of steeple chasing and the myths and ceremonies of the UK to pick this beautifully covered book up, as you will not be disappointed.
Exquisite.
I am as far away from a believer in any sort of religion as one can possible be, but I do worship at the alter of church/church yard architecture and the world such buildings inhabit. So this book was the equivalent to the bible for me. It took me from war art of the 1920’s to water ceremonies at Glastonbury via the matriarch of London herself, St Paul’s.
Peters journey around this steepled isle was intriguing and fascinating to behold. The people he met along the way fabulous, and the cats regal. His writing style is second to none and his passion for his subject and the privilege he feels when meeting both places and people is palpable.
I implore anyone who is a fan of steeple chasing and the myths and ceremonies of the UK to pick this beautifully covered book up, as you will not be disappointed.
Exquisite.
March 20, 2024
I saw this book on sale in our local big bookseller. One of the staff said that it was a good book, not preachy at all.
I really enjoyed this book, it has lots of information about a lot of churches. Not just the big well known ones, but little ones in small villages and also small ones in cities. It covers history, artwork and wildlife from Anglo Saxon times, medieval times and almost every time moving forwards. The author talks to people who preach, worship and just plain like these buildings.
I will look at Churches in a different way now.
I really enjoyed this book, it has lots of information about a lot of churches. Not just the big well known ones, but little ones in small villages and also small ones in cities. It covers history, artwork and wildlife from Anglo Saxon times, medieval times and almost every time moving forwards. The author talks to people who preach, worship and just plain like these buildings.
I will look at Churches in a different way now.
April 30, 2024
You don't have to be a believer to enjoy touring Britain by Church with Peter Ross. Anyone interested in History or Architecture or indeed in Churches for their own sake will enjoy this book. Peter did this tour just after the Covid 19 pandemic had forced us all into lockdown and captures that unique moment in time when we were forced apart and tentatively, cautiously trying to come back together. A great book, I will be reading others from him.
October 18, 2024
Really enjoyed this. Part church history, part social history and part architectural history. And the thing that pulls it all together so well is the people that the author meets at each church he visits. They tell their story of the church and the part it plays in their lives. Beautifully written with a lovely turn of phrase. Very highly recommended whether you’re a church goer or not. Just read it and enjoy it.
October 11, 2024
This is a fascinating tour of random churches, cathedrals and abbeys up and down the country told by interesting people the author meets on the way.
My favourite quote from the book -
‘A map of churches is a treasure map. They contain art and architectural wonders, and might be regarded as one great hoard scattered, like a handful of jewels, across these isles.’
My favourite quote from the book -
‘A map of churches is a treasure map. They contain art and architectural wonders, and might be regarded as one great hoard scattered, like a handful of jewels, across these isles.’
June 22, 2024
Joyful and educational. It's not a combination that often goes together. This is a journey around churches great and small, highlighting the extraordinary people who care for them and the incredible historical objects the churches contain.
July 4, 2023
Variable: some chapters were fascinating - other quite tedious.
but overall an interesting read.
but overall an interesting read.
September 1, 2024
Was loaned this by a friend and loved reading it every minute. It is heavy reading... I don't mean in a depressing, sour or bleak way; but rather in a " must absorb the heartbreakingly beautiful prose" kind of heavy. There were times I was moved to tears when the author was interviewing locals about their churches and what the church had meant to them and their villages over the centuries.
Written during the pandemic, you relive the early days of the global shutdown but also the optimism and joy when folks started getting the vaccine. Each chapter drew me in more and more and the last 3 chapters (one being a new, only in paperback chapter about Westminster and coronation chair awaiting to crown King Charles following his mother's death); were the loveliest of all.
Would highly, highly recommend!
Written during the pandemic, you relive the early days of the global shutdown but also the optimism and joy when folks started getting the vaccine. Each chapter drew me in more and more and the last 3 chapters (one being a new, only in paperback chapter about Westminster and coronation chair awaiting to crown King Charles following his mother's death); were the loveliest of all.
Would highly, highly recommend!
June 10, 2025
As an American that has little access to "old world" adventures, this book was a great little portal into the next best thing. London is one of my favorite places to visit and I've always enjoyed touring the cathedrals since it's like being in a time warp. The book read like a series of travelogues you would read every week in the paper. This goes well beyond London and into countryside of the UK to forgotten churches from yesteryear that hold a certain charm for whatever reason. Not just incredible architecture to be admired but the glue that might hold a small town or village together these many years later. While religion has retreated in most of these places, the buildings are still viewed with great affection, and it was interesting to see how the author told those stories through the use of a particular theme. (Instead of numbered chapters, we get themes like - "Light" or "Cats"). This is a book that Brits will certainly appreciate, but I think this is accessible to anyone interested in history, architecture, and just good story telling.
June 15, 2024
This is the second work of non fiction I’ve read by Peter Ross and I adored it.
His writing style is so inviting and his journeys across the UK, visiting churches big and small, seeking out some of the odd little parts remaining from older traditions that have been enveloped into the churches themselves and speaking to the people who have these places as part of the fabric of their lives is by turns comforting, devastatingly sad and also uplifting.
Written across the tail end of Covid, it’s a unique look back, at medieval churches in particular, showing how much has changed and yet how many struggles and challenges that are part of the human condition are carried through these buildings.
I really loved it.
His writing style is so inviting and his journeys across the UK, visiting churches big and small, seeking out some of the odd little parts remaining from older traditions that have been enveloped into the churches themselves and speaking to the people who have these places as part of the fabric of their lives is by turns comforting, devastatingly sad and also uplifting.
Written across the tail end of Covid, it’s a unique look back, at medieval churches in particular, showing how much has changed and yet how many struggles and challenges that are part of the human condition are carried through these buildings.
I really loved it.
September 2, 2024
This book was a bit of a cover-buy: I couldn’t resist the quaint English village atmosphere evoked by the beautiful illustration, especially when combined with a description that effectively promises a scenic tour of the UK by church.
I found this piece of travel writing cosy, comforting, and extremely atmospheric. It was exactly what I needed as I recovered from a nasty bout of the ‘flu. As someone who particularly enjoys visiting beautiful churches as part of holiday travel, I liked reading about several places I’ve enjoyed visiting in the past, and having my interest in visiting many others freshly piqued. An enjoyable read!
I found this piece of travel writing cosy, comforting, and extremely atmospheric. It was exactly what I needed as I recovered from a nasty bout of the ‘flu. As someone who particularly enjoys visiting beautiful churches as part of holiday travel, I liked reading about several places I’ve enjoyed visiting in the past, and having my interest in visiting many others freshly piqued. An enjoyable read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews