Succumb to one churchman's apocalyptic vision in this prophetic tale by the radical Nobel Laureate and author of Lord of the Flies, William Golding (recorded by Benedict Cumberbatch as an audiobook). There were three sorts of people. Those who ran, those who stayed, and those who were built in. Dean Jocelin has a vision: that God has chosen him to erect a great spire. His master builder fearfully advises against it, for the old cathedral was miraculously built without foundations. But Jocelin is obsessed with fashioning his prayer in stone. As his halo of hair grows wilder and his dark angel darker, the spire rises octagon upon octagon, pinnacle by pinnacle, watched over by the gargoyles - until the stone pillars shriek, the earth beneath creeps, and the spire's shadow falls like an axe on the medieval world below ... 'Astounding ... So recklessly beautiful, so sad and so strange ... Holds such a place in my soul that it's more or less a sacred text.' Sarah Perry 'A kind of miracle ... Genius.' Guardian ' Quite simply, a marvel.' NYRB ' Superb ... A classic.' Rebecca West 'A master fabulist .. An iconoclast.' John Fowles 'A visionary ... His masterwork [of] faith, folly and desperate desire ... Golding at his best.' Benjamin Myers

With a Foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales. One of the best-known of English cathedrals, Salisbury's West Front is its most elaborate exterior feature yet has been neglected in recent studies of the fabric; a neglect splendidly corrected in this work of multiple authorship, which surveys the detailed history of the front over 750 years. It is founded upon five years of investigation, as part of a conservation programme, and it will be of great interest to those with an affection for the Cathedral and to the student of architecture. The book also makes a major contribution to the literature of cathedral repair and conservation.

Revisionist study of the wall-paintings of Salisbury Cathedral, setting them in the context of thirteenth-century religious reform.

Who is depicted in that stained glass window? What is the significance of those geometric figures? Why are there fierce-looking beasts carved amidst all that beauty? Is there a deeper purpose behind the play of light and space in the nave? Why is there a pelican on the lectern and ornate foliage on the pillars? The largely illiterate medieval audience could read the symbols of churches and cathedrals and recognise the meanings and stories deliberately encoded into them. For worshippers these were places of religious education and an awe-inspiring feast that satisfied both the senses and the soul. Today, in an age less attuned to iconography, such places of worship are often seen merely as magnificent works of architecture. This book restores the lost spiritual meaning of these fine and fascinating buildings. The Secret Language of Churches & Cathedrals provides a three-part illustrated key by which modern visitors can understand the layout, fabric and decorative symbolism of Christian sacred structures - thereby bringing back to life their original atmosphere of awe and sanctity. Part One is an analysis of structural features, outside and in, from spires and domes to clerestories and brasses. Part Two is a theme-by-theme guide, which identifies significant figures, scenes, stories, animals, flowers, and the use of numbers, letters and patterns in paintings, carvings and sculpture. Part Three is a historical decoder, revealing the evolution of styles - from basilicas through Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic and beyond. For all those who seek to know more about Christian art and architecture, this richly illustrated book will instruct and delight in equal measure.

Salisbury Cathedral, a famously beautiful work of ecclesiastical architecture, was erected within about 40 years in a single style (Early English Gothic), the only substantial additions being the tower and spire, which were completed by about 1330. Tim Tatton-Brown reveals the story of how a great medieval cathedral was built, from the laying of the very first foundations in 1219 to the completion of the great spire, the tallest in Britain at 122 metres high. Drawing on history and geology as well as his expertise in architecture, he shows the wider context of the building, situating its development against the background of English politics of successive ages. He covers with similar authority the relatively few later changes to the structure, right up to the recent installation of a fine new font. His text is accompanied by outstanding new photographs by John Crook, along with drawings, engravings and other illustrations. Contents: Beginnings Preparing for a new cathedral The first phase Bishop Richard's 'New Basilica' The eastern arm, choir and presbytery The completion of the cathedral The chapter house and cloister Building the tower and spire The late Middle Ages, Tudor and early Stuart periods Restoration

A detailed look at the construction and restoration of almost 300 medieval sculptures of Wells Cathedral. The text provides a clear picture of how the facade was constructed and how it looked when the medieval paint was still fresh and describes how and when repairs were made over its 700-year history.