The History of England's Cathedrals

by Nicholas Orme

England's sixty or so Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals are among its most iconic buildings and attract thousands of worshippers and visitors every year. Yet though much has been written about their architecture, there is no complete guide to their history and activities. This book provides the first rounded account of the whole of their 1700 years from Roman times to the present day. It explains the layout of their buildings, the people who ran them, their worship and music, their links with learning and education, and their outreach to society. It relates their history to the history of England and shows how they adapted to change and weathered disasters to survive as great repositories of our national history. Nicholas Orme is a noted religious historian, and this is his pioneer history of the subject. Although much has been written about their architecture, no one has ever told the whole of their story from Roman times to the present day, and in such an accessible manner. The Cathedrals of England are institutions older than the realm itself, and are perhaps more cherished and flourishing now than they have ever been, as this richly enjoyable volume makes clear. There can be no-one better qualified than Nicholas Orme to present the full range of their long history. (Diarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church, University of Oxford) Clear, accessible, and superbly illustrated, this book should be essential reading for visitors to English cathedrals. The book has no rival in serious and accessible literature. Anyone interested in cathedrals should have it on their shelves. (David Rollason, Professor Emeritus of Early Medieval History, Durham University)

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Education, Architecture

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

A specialist in the Middle Ages and Tudor period, Nicholas Orme is an Emeritus Professor of History at Exeter University. He studied at Magdalen College, Oxford, and has worked as a visiting scholar at, among others, Merton College, Oxford, St John's College, Oxford, and the University of Arizona.

Reviews

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding book. It does exactly what it says on the tin. It offers an historical survey of the development of English cathedrals from Roman times to the present day. It is not a guidebook to the cathedral buildings (there are many of those, both individually and collectively). Rather it describes how the cathedrals came to be founded and how the organisations of bishoprics and dioceses were formed and then changed over the centuries. It embraces both Church of England and Catholic cathedrals.

I have been interested in cathedrals since my childhood but until this book, I had not understood the meaning of "Old Foundation" or "New Foundation", for example. This book explains this and the other organisational features in clear and accessible terms. Architecture is of course discussed but very much as an historical theme.

The book is well illustrated with a selection of photographs, plans and especially charming paintings, and there is an excellent glossary of terms which helps you to fix the account in your mind.

This is a work of scholarship but also aimed at the general and informed reader, and it will certainly enhance and stimulate interest in these wonderful creations.

[Richard Hakes · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was always going to be a dry book with a title like it has. The book stayed specifically to its title, 'No Westminster Abbey' allowed. If you split the subject into hardware and software, its the hardware I am mostly interested in. The early parts of the book seem to cover that quite well and I suppose less is known of the software. In the later part the software takes over and I am afraid I lost it a bit in the
nuance of differing services and their timings. It does help the overall understanding of these magnificent buildings.

[Andrea Engle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and concise, this admirable history of England’s cathedrals begins in 314 and extends to the present day ... complete with floor plans and abundant color illustrations ... scholarly, but not oppressively so ...

[em · Rating 3 out of 5]

i love me a nave