Steeple Chasing Around Britain by Spire
Steeple Chasing Around Britain by Peter Ross, published by Headline Publishing Group in February 2024, is a 352-page exploration of the churches and cathedrals that dot the British landscape. This edition features a brand new chapter and delves into the architectural and cultural significance of these religious buildings, highlighting their enduring presence as landmarks in towns and cities across the country. Ross invites readers to discover the stories behind these structures, revealing their artistic and historical importance.
In this engaging narrative, readers will encounter a variety of churches, from the unassuming ones in Norfolk to the grand cathedrals of London, each with its own unique tale. The book intertwines themes of architecture, religion, and social science, offering insights into the people and communities connected to these sacred spaces. Through vivid descriptions and thoughtful reflections, Steeple Chasing Around Britain presents a journey that celebrates the beauty and meaning of these architectural wonders, making it a noteworthy addition to travel literature.
Official synopsis Publisher
The Sunday Times paperback bestseller and Waterstones Non-Fiction Book of the Month
*Featuring a brand new chapter!*
‘Never have the joys of exploring the churches and cathedrals of this country been so vividly conveyed as they are in this engaging and elegiac book.’ – New Statesman **BOOK OF THE YEAR pick 2023**
‘A delicious treat’ – Financial Times **TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR pick 2023**
‘A charming odyssey’ – The Times
‘A wonderful book; thoughtful and challenging’ – Daily Telegraph *****
‘A beautiful book’ – Gabriel Byrne
‘Beautiful and brilliant. I loved it’ – Fergus Butler-Gallie
From the author of A Tomb With a View – Scottish Non-Fiction book of the Year
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.
Praise for Peter Ross
‘Ross is a wonderfully evocative writer, deftly capturing a sense of place and history, while bringing a deep humanity to his subject. He has written a delightful book.’ – The Guardian
‘Fascinating . . . Ross makes a likeably idiosyncratic guide and one finishes the book feeling strangely optimistic about the inevitable.’ – The Observer
‘The author’s humanity has acted as a beacon of light in the darkness.’ – The Sunday Times
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