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The Stonemason: A History of Building Britain
Stonemason Andrew Ziminski has three decades of experience with the tangible history of this country - from raising stones at Stonehenge, the restoration of roman ruins in the City of Bath, to work to save some of our most important medieval churches and cathedrals.
But there's nothing dusty about this stonemason.
Offering a unique account of life as a craftsman as well as a history of Britain from the New Stone Age to the Industrial Revolution, The Stonemason is both a celebration of man's close relationship with its greatest of natural materials, and a reminder of the value of 'made by hand'.
But there's nothing dusty about this stonemason.
Offering a unique account of life as a craftsman as well as a history of Britain from the New Stone Age to the Industrial Revolution, The Stonemason is both a celebration of man's close relationship with its greatest of natural materials, and a reminder of the value of 'made by hand'.
316 pages, Hardcover
Published May 2, 2019
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292 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 7, 2020
All of my career I have been an engineer, working with all sorts of materials and changing them from one form to another and making things out of them. But stone as a material has always been a mystery to me; how can people take this material from the ground, cut it, shape it and form it into beautiful buildings and art. Cutting stone with modern tools is relatively easy these days, but the art of taking a roughly shaped stone and using just hand tools and the eye of the mason to create a perfectly square and shaped block is still amazing.
People have been working stone for thousands of year in this country, though how they did it without metal tools is another mystery. Andrew Ziminski has got three decades of experience as a mason and it is with the Neolithic that he begins his journey around the South West of the country, beginning in the West Kennet Long Barrow on the festival of Samhain. He was there to see if the collapsing walls could be repaired, and it was an opportunity to see how our ancient relatives built these structures without metal tools to dress the stones.
Just over a month and a half later he is at Stonehenge for the Solstice and to follow for himself the route in his canoe, laughing Water that most think that the stones took along the Avon and up onto the site and to check for himself a new alignment that a farmer had discovered. Mostly though he wanted to study the sarsens for himself to see how these ancient craftsmen had made their monument.
Next up is a trip to Bath where he is there to help repair a tholos, but this gives him an excuse to consider the impact that Roman architecture had on the country and Bath in particular. When finished there he is back in his canoe to paddle to Bradford-on-Avon to go and see St Laurence’s Church which is a rare survival of a stone Anglo-Saxon church.
The third part of the book is concentrating on marble and he is responding to an urgent call to repair some carved corbels in the Norman church in Lullington. Carving requires more delicate tools than regular masonry and it is an opportunity to hear about the tools that he inherited from a carver from the Purbecks that are over 80 years old now. A trip to Wales to collect freestone from a quarry. After a brief interlude for the summer solstice at Stonehenge again, he is back in my part of the country for this, as the stone he needs for repairs uses the fine stone from the Purbecks.
This is a charming guide to our architecture and history. I really liked this book, as not only is it a fascinating history of how our nation has used stone to build a humble home, breath-taking palaces and places of worship over the past 5000 years, it is also a very personal history of our land seen from the perspective of the craftsmen and women who built it over thousands of years with a little bit of travel thrown in for good measure. He has a wonderful conversational style in his writing, I can imaging sitting in the garden of the Square and Compass pub listening to him tell of the places that he has worked and paddled. I liked the way he wove in the folklore alongside the Christian faith, seeing what they have given us in the way of building as their true contribution. There were a couple of tiny flaws, I would have liked a little more on the craft of masonry, it would have been nice to have some photos or diagrams of the building elements that Ziminski was talking about in the book as well as photos of the buildings that he has worked on. Thankfully he has a website with some of the images here.
People have been working stone for thousands of year in this country, though how they did it without metal tools is another mystery. Andrew Ziminski has got three decades of experience as a mason and it is with the Neolithic that he begins his journey around the South West of the country, beginning in the West Kennet Long Barrow on the festival of Samhain. He was there to see if the collapsing walls could be repaired, and it was an opportunity to see how our ancient relatives built these structures without metal tools to dress the stones.
Just over a month and a half later he is at Stonehenge for the Solstice and to follow for himself the route in his canoe, laughing Water that most think that the stones took along the Avon and up onto the site and to check for himself a new alignment that a farmer had discovered. Mostly though he wanted to study the sarsens for himself to see how these ancient craftsmen had made their monument.
Next up is a trip to Bath where he is there to help repair a tholos, but this gives him an excuse to consider the impact that Roman architecture had on the country and Bath in particular. When finished there he is back in his canoe to paddle to Bradford-on-Avon to go and see St Laurence’s Church which is a rare survival of a stone Anglo-Saxon church.
The third part of the book is concentrating on marble and he is responding to an urgent call to repair some carved corbels in the Norman church in Lullington. Carving requires more delicate tools than regular masonry and it is an opportunity to hear about the tools that he inherited from a carver from the Purbecks that are over 80 years old now. A trip to Wales to collect freestone from a quarry. After a brief interlude for the summer solstice at Stonehenge again, he is back in my part of the country for this, as the stone he needs for repairs uses the fine stone from the Purbecks.
This is a charming guide to our architecture and history. I really liked this book, as not only is it a fascinating history of how our nation has used stone to build a humble home, breath-taking palaces and places of worship over the past 5000 years, it is also a very personal history of our land seen from the perspective of the craftsmen and women who built it over thousands of years with a little bit of travel thrown in for good measure. He has a wonderful conversational style in his writing, I can imaging sitting in the garden of the Square and Compass pub listening to him tell of the places that he has worked and paddled. I liked the way he wove in the folklore alongside the Christian faith, seeing what they have given us in the way of building as their true contribution. There were a couple of tiny flaws, I would have liked a little more on the craft of masonry, it would have been nice to have some photos or diagrams of the building elements that Ziminski was talking about in the book as well as photos of the buildings that he has worked on. Thankfully he has a website with some of the images here.
June 21, 2020
The concept behind this book really appealed to me. The author is a skilled stonemason who restores old and ancient monuments and buildings. In relating how he does this, he explores the broader history of the buildings, their settings, and those who built and used them. So far, so good. So why then, did it fail to hold my interest? I really tried to finish reading it but gave up in the end because it became a chore rather than a pleasure. It may have been the writing style or that much of the history was already well known to me. It didn’t help that he referred to his dog, who accompanies him to work when possible, as ‘the whippet’. I found that odd, if not an affectation.
I’m pleased I had the opportunity to read this and I appreciate that it is attracting very good reviews. I can understand why that is but it just wasn’t for me.
With thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for a review copy.
I’m pleased I had the opportunity to read this and I appreciate that it is attracting very good reviews. I can understand why that is but it just wasn’t for me.
With thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for a review copy.
September 28, 2021
The author, Andrew Ziminski, deserves all the praise that this captivating, thoughtful and, at times, humorous book has bestowed upon him. It is a broadly chronological look at construction in - and the construction of - Britain, from the barrows of the Neolithic, the distinct Roman and Saxon styles of building and up to the most recent of contemporary architectural styles, all of which document the ‘warp and weft of English history, nature and geology’. This well-woven tapestry of British history is further revealed and explored through the evolution of building techniques and materials.
The book, itself, is divided into four parts, each examining a period of history and detailing exciting developments and social change through the lens of a significant building material: sarsen, limestone, marble and concrete. In this regard, it can be seen as a repository for the impacts and influences of cultural exchange - both good and bad - on masonry and architecture in Britain, whether by way of conquest, erudition or tutelage. On top of this, the book is replete with examples demonstrating the authors evident masonic skill and insight, as well as a truly remarkable knowledge of British history, such as when he talks about medieval builders using ‘the finger of God’ - a lodestone made of magnetised magnetite - to determine true cardinal direction so that they could orientate their creation in the direction of Jerusalem, as is the case with St Mary’s Church in Old Dilton.
What I feel makes this book such an enjoyable and engrossing read is that the authors passion and incandescent love for preservation shines through on every page. Such a detailed and personally heartfelt history of British masonry discloses not only the evolution of building, although I did learn a lot about building materials and techniques, but a plethora of other facts and oddities about Britain and its people. In this regard, my favourite account is the brief story of the elderly man who owned a cottage by Savernake Forest, in Wiltshire, who requested that the myriad of apotropaic finds - including, but not limited to, a frog punctured with hawthorns hidden behind a brick, the jaw of a cow and a pair of odd shoes stashed on a ledge in the chimney, and smashed glass bottles strung up by their necks with twine in the loft - uncovered during renovation be put back exactly where they were found so that his home might stay protected.
As well as through the presentation of some of the superstitions and idiosyncrasies of the British people throughout time, I also found that the authors obvious intelligence and kindness made this book all the more entertaining. Never before have I read a book with so many words I was unfamiliar with and the analysis of the interconnectedness between masonry, local environment and culture was hugely insightful. Whilst evident to anybody who has travelled within Britain, this book highlighted the sheer extent to which our nations history has been shaped by its riparian island nature. This is shown from start to finish as the author recounts his travels from one significant place to another using his canoe, ‘Laughing Water’, often with only his whippet in tow, and is outright stated when he explains how the Thames ‘became the arterial route of the Industrial Revolution’ in the final chapter.
Andrew Ziminski does a marvellous job at permeating this book with a character reflective of the stories and histories that imbue each village and construction he mentions with such magic. I found it to be a truly and unexpectedly thought-provoking book, stressing the importance of cogitating on the past and the histories of all places. Finally, as someone who has an interest in both history and architecture, what endears me to Ziminski, is the two sources from which he has taken inspiration. Firstly, the architectural foundations as set forth by Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius who, in ‘De Architectura’, declared that architecture should satisfy the three characteristics of solidarity, usefulness and beauty. Secondly, towards the end of the final chapter of the book, he eulogises William Morris who believed in preservation rather than restoration because of the ‘nobility of handcraft, and [the idea] handmade goods contain the spirit of the people who put them together’. This is something I, personally, believe but which stands in direct contrast to the homogeneity encouraged by modern architectural styles, which all seem to have their root in the Internationalist style.
The book, itself, is divided into four parts, each examining a period of history and detailing exciting developments and social change through the lens of a significant building material: sarsen, limestone, marble and concrete. In this regard, it can be seen as a repository for the impacts and influences of cultural exchange - both good and bad - on masonry and architecture in Britain, whether by way of conquest, erudition or tutelage. On top of this, the book is replete with examples demonstrating the authors evident masonic skill and insight, as well as a truly remarkable knowledge of British history, such as when he talks about medieval builders using ‘the finger of God’ - a lodestone made of magnetised magnetite - to determine true cardinal direction so that they could orientate their creation in the direction of Jerusalem, as is the case with St Mary’s Church in Old Dilton.
What I feel makes this book such an enjoyable and engrossing read is that the authors passion and incandescent love for preservation shines through on every page. Such a detailed and personally heartfelt history of British masonry discloses not only the evolution of building, although I did learn a lot about building materials and techniques, but a plethora of other facts and oddities about Britain and its people. In this regard, my favourite account is the brief story of the elderly man who owned a cottage by Savernake Forest, in Wiltshire, who requested that the myriad of apotropaic finds - including, but not limited to, a frog punctured with hawthorns hidden behind a brick, the jaw of a cow and a pair of odd shoes stashed on a ledge in the chimney, and smashed glass bottles strung up by their necks with twine in the loft - uncovered during renovation be put back exactly where they were found so that his home might stay protected.
As well as through the presentation of some of the superstitions and idiosyncrasies of the British people throughout time, I also found that the authors obvious intelligence and kindness made this book all the more entertaining. Never before have I read a book with so many words I was unfamiliar with and the analysis of the interconnectedness between masonry, local environment and culture was hugely insightful. Whilst evident to anybody who has travelled within Britain, this book highlighted the sheer extent to which our nations history has been shaped by its riparian island nature. This is shown from start to finish as the author recounts his travels from one significant place to another using his canoe, ‘Laughing Water’, often with only his whippet in tow, and is outright stated when he explains how the Thames ‘became the arterial route of the Industrial Revolution’ in the final chapter.
Andrew Ziminski does a marvellous job at permeating this book with a character reflective of the stories and histories that imbue each village and construction he mentions with such magic. I found it to be a truly and unexpectedly thought-provoking book, stressing the importance of cogitating on the past and the histories of all places. Finally, as someone who has an interest in both history and architecture, what endears me to Ziminski, is the two sources from which he has taken inspiration. Firstly, the architectural foundations as set forth by Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius who, in ‘De Architectura’, declared that architecture should satisfy the three characteristics of solidarity, usefulness and beauty. Secondly, towards the end of the final chapter of the book, he eulogises William Morris who believed in preservation rather than restoration because of the ‘nobility of handcraft, and [the idea] handmade goods contain the spirit of the people who put them together’. This is something I, personally, believe but which stands in direct contrast to the homogeneity encouraged by modern architectural styles, which all seem to have their root in the Internationalist style.
April 13, 2021
Didn't quite live up to my expectations. Too much leaping from place to place. Could do with some illustrations or photos.
June 13, 2024
A really nice book, lots of poignant moments and plenty of interesting things to say. It's great to hear a stonemason's perspective, and I was a fan of the temporal and physical journey through the year and through Wessex. I liked the boat journeying in particular and the lucidity this brought to the writing, thinking about and experiencing the landscape and built environment differently because of moving along ancient waterways. I found the writing style quite difficult to follow a lot of the time, though, and lots of the nuance in what Ziminski was trying to say wasn't clear for whole passages, meandering through lots of (often interesting, but simultaneously quite confusing) tangents, and I found I just had to push through the dense writing to get to his final point sometimes. His final point often did become clear, but many of the details along the way were not fully explored or developed and it felt like things were just getting chucked at my head - I fundamentally really disliked that I was getting lost along the way when this is a subject I feel so passionately about, and wish this had a bit of a tighter edit! A great gazetteer - it's given me lots of places I'd like to visit, and the overall points are ones I enjoyed reading and thinking about.
April 16, 2020
I’m a sucker for buying books because I’ve seen the author in Twitter. Never has that been such a good decision as when I bought The Stone Mason.
It is far more than a history of building Britain, covering a wonderfully broad scope of religion, geography, politics, economics... Ziminski has a wonderful writing style, clearly an excellent story teller able to build little details into a beautiful picture so you can really get a sense of the places he is talking about, I could almost taste the dust in the air.
This is a wonderful read a I highly recommend it!
It is far more than a history of building Britain, covering a wonderfully broad scope of religion, geography, politics, economics... Ziminski has a wonderful writing style, clearly an excellent story teller able to build little details into a beautiful picture so you can really get a sense of the places he is talking about, I could almost taste the dust in the air.
This is a wonderful read a I highly recommend it!
October 13, 2025
An interesting story, but told in a very confusing way and with no useful illustrations.
The author describes different architectural styles and types of building materials used in southern Britain over the centuries. The story is partially clad in anecdotes from his life as a restorer of old buildings and partially in a canoe trip around southern England.
Unfortunately he chops and changes between these three threads, and between anecdotes, with no signals or warning. There are sudden non-sequiturs and stream-of-consciousness moments throughout the book which definitely keep the reader on their toes.
Not being a professional stone-worker myself, I would have liked a lot of photographs and illustrations to show me visually what was only told in prose. Said prose included a lot of technical terms I needed to look up on line. I also found myself looking on line for images of many of the buildings he was describing just so I could get a picture in my mind of what he was talking about.
Having said all that. I really did enjoy the book, but it was not an easy read.
The author describes different architectural styles and types of building materials used in southern Britain over the centuries. The story is partially clad in anecdotes from his life as a restorer of old buildings and partially in a canoe trip around southern England.
Unfortunately he chops and changes between these three threads, and between anecdotes, with no signals or warning. There are sudden non-sequiturs and stream-of-consciousness moments throughout the book which definitely keep the reader on their toes.
Not being a professional stone-worker myself, I would have liked a lot of photographs and illustrations to show me visually what was only told in prose. Said prose included a lot of technical terms I needed to look up on line. I also found myself looking on line for images of many of the buildings he was describing just so I could get a picture in my mind of what he was talking about.
Having said all that. I really did enjoy the book, but it was not an easy read.
January 3, 2022
I think I may have already found my favourite book of 2022 - not that I'll stop looking for a better one....
This covered quite a few places I've read about or visited, but from a completely different angle.The perspective of the mason.is quite different from the archaeologist, and I'd really love to know if the guys who excavate places like Stonehenge have seen them through the mason's eyes, the marks of the tools on the different types of stone etc
I wish my dad was still around, I think he'd have bee fascinated by this book.
This covered quite a few places I've read about or visited, but from a completely different angle.The perspective of the mason.is quite different from the archaeologist, and I'd really love to know if the guys who excavate places like Stonehenge have seen them through the mason's eyes, the marks of the tools on the different types of stone etc
I wish my dad was still around, I think he'd have bee fascinated by this book.
July 15, 2025
I picked this book up very randomly during a day out in Settle, without knowing anything about the author, or the likely content. I bought it because my paternal ancestors were stonemasons, and it's something I know absolutely nothing about.
Immediately I was surprised to discover that it is actually written by a practising stonemason, not a writer or researcher who had gone around talking to masons or reading histories. Andrew Ziminski is clearly an expert in his field as he has been trusted to restore some of England's most precious historical monuments. Not only is he a master stonemason, he is also an excellent writer, and has a broad knowledge of history and landscape, nuggets of which are interwoven with this trail through time.
We begin in the neolithic at West Kennet Long Barrow, and journey with Andrew via Stonehenge, Roman Bath, mediaeval churches, post reformation chapels and palaces right up to the industrial revolution, with the genius of various masons and builders championed along the way. Along with much architectural description, there is a spiritual and human element to this journey. We discover, for example that Wells Cathedral's Abbot Suger believed radiant sunlight was a manifestation of God, and therefore wanted bigger windows to allow more of it in. We also learn that the patina of an old building is probably its most valuable quality - perhaps something like its soul.
Reading this account, we are in no doubt that here is a man living his vocation, and committed to continuing the work of his occupational ancestors.
The account is chronological, and divided by location. Towards the end, we join the author on a canoe trip to Hampton Court and beyond.
For me, this book was full of wonders. I will definitely need to read it again, but ideally while also travelling around Wessex and visiting the many locations it describes, book in hand.
I do think the book would be improved by the inclusion of photographs, maps and simple diagrams of the various architectural features Andrew describes, so if there's every a new edition, I hope the publishers can stretch to that.
Immediately I was surprised to discover that it is actually written by a practising stonemason, not a writer or researcher who had gone around talking to masons or reading histories. Andrew Ziminski is clearly an expert in his field as he has been trusted to restore some of England's most precious historical monuments. Not only is he a master stonemason, he is also an excellent writer, and has a broad knowledge of history and landscape, nuggets of which are interwoven with this trail through time.
We begin in the neolithic at West Kennet Long Barrow, and journey with Andrew via Stonehenge, Roman Bath, mediaeval churches, post reformation chapels and palaces right up to the industrial revolution, with the genius of various masons and builders championed along the way. Along with much architectural description, there is a spiritual and human element to this journey. We discover, for example that Wells Cathedral's Abbot Suger believed radiant sunlight was a manifestation of God, and therefore wanted bigger windows to allow more of it in. We also learn that the patina of an old building is probably its most valuable quality - perhaps something like its soul.
Reading this account, we are in no doubt that here is a man living his vocation, and committed to continuing the work of his occupational ancestors.
The account is chronological, and divided by location. Towards the end, we join the author on a canoe trip to Hampton Court and beyond.
For me, this book was full of wonders. I will definitely need to read it again, but ideally while also travelling around Wessex and visiting the many locations it describes, book in hand.
I do think the book would be improved by the inclusion of photographs, maps and simple diagrams of the various architectural features Andrew describes, so if there's every a new edition, I hope the publishers can stretch to that.
April 3, 2020
In The Stonemason: A History of Building Britain, Andrew Ziminski takes us on a history of building in Britain, beginning with our Neolithic ancestors through to our modern age. A large feat considering the book is less than 300 pages, however, Ziminski does it with ease and enthusiasm which takes the reader on a journey across parts of the UK that reflects his 30-year career as a stone mason working on some of the country’s most iconic buildings.
Travelling to various jobs we join Ziminski as heAndrew Ziminski entwines the landscape and architecture, the art and craft, the archaeology and history of the building of Britain into a singular thread that wraps the reader into the tranquility of the landscape of the very world we’ve created to admire a skill that we’ve all but left behind. Ziminski takes us on a tour of building the landscape around us to the country we recognise today and bypass the art and craftsmanship which made this iconic landscape from the days of megalithic Sarsens to our modern use of concrete to create an “artificial stone”.
ould have used by masons throughout time.
Travelling to various jobs we join Ziminski as he travels to a variety of churches, castles and manor houses, not only admiring the buttresses and crenellations, but explaining with almost child like joy how his skills are used to repair the structure and preserve it for the generations to come to admire a skill that we’ve all but left behind. Ziminski takes us on a tour of building the landscape around us to the country we recognise today and bypass the art and craftmanship which made this iconic landscape from the days of megalithic Sarsens to our modern use of concrete to create a “artificial stone”.
In The Stonemason: A History of Building Britain Andrew Ziminski entwines the landscape and architecture, the art and craft, the archaeology and history of the building of Britain into a singular thread that wraps the reader into tranquility of the landscape of the very world we’ve created.
Travelling to various jobs we join Ziminski as heAndrew Ziminski entwines the landscape and architecture, the art and craft, the archaeology and history of the building of Britain into a singular thread that wraps the reader into the tranquility of the landscape of the very world we’ve created to admire a skill that we’ve all but left behind. Ziminski takes us on a tour of building the landscape around us to the country we recognise today and bypass the art and craftsmanship which made this iconic landscape from the days of megalithic Sarsens to our modern use of concrete to create an “artificial stone”.
ould have used by masons throughout time.
Travelling to various jobs we join Ziminski as he travels to a variety of churches, castles and manor houses, not only admiring the buttresses and crenellations, but explaining with almost child like joy how his skills are used to repair the structure and preserve it for the generations to come to admire a skill that we’ve all but left behind. Ziminski takes us on a tour of building the landscape around us to the country we recognise today and bypass the art and craftmanship which made this iconic landscape from the days of megalithic Sarsens to our modern use of concrete to create a “artificial stone”.
In The Stonemason: A History of Building Britain Andrew Ziminski entwines the landscape and architecture, the art and craft, the archaeology and history of the building of Britain into a singular thread that wraps the reader into tranquility of the landscape of the very world we’ve created.
February 24, 2024
This was a fascinating and unusual look at British history through the eyes of a stone mason. It has made me want to revisit cathedrals and churches I thought were familiar and go off in search of hidden gems.
The book is particularly strong in the first two-thirds as the author explores the earliest stone structures on the Salisbury plain, the Roman buildings in Bath, and then the glorious cathedrals and little churches.
I loved the fascinating hidden histories of the master masons who brought new techniques and ideas, often from distant shores. The mixing of Islamic ideas with European, the regaining of old skills lost, the influence of building materials on the built landscape, and the astonishing skills of the people who built and now maintain these buildings - all made me look at my surroundings with new eyes.
The author's style is engaging, and I loved the way he seemed so at ease in the landscape, paddling down waterways and sleeping out in the buildings he was repairing.
It slightly lost its way in the final third. There was still much to enjoy, but the story lost a little cohesion as it approached more modern times and tried to cram in too much.
But all in all, it was a very enjoyable read that will stay with me.
The book is particularly strong in the first two-thirds as the author explores the earliest stone structures on the Salisbury plain, the Roman buildings in Bath, and then the glorious cathedrals and little churches.
I loved the fascinating hidden histories of the master masons who brought new techniques and ideas, often from distant shores. The mixing of Islamic ideas with European, the regaining of old skills lost, the influence of building materials on the built landscape, and the astonishing skills of the people who built and now maintain these buildings - all made me look at my surroundings with new eyes.
The author's style is engaging, and I loved the way he seemed so at ease in the landscape, paddling down waterways and sleeping out in the buildings he was repairing.
It slightly lost its way in the final third. There was still much to enjoy, but the story lost a little cohesion as it approached more modern times and tried to cram in too much.
But all in all, it was a very enjoyable read that will stay with me.
February 22, 2020
What a thoroughly engaging book. The passion for our built heritage comes out from the pages of this book. The skill of the mason has persisted throughout our history and this book takes the reader through different periods, it shows some of the building types of each and gives an example of the conservation work carried out by Ziminski. We travel with Andrew around his varying jobs, he tells of his travels and also of the landscapes he passes through and how this has an influence on the buildings. The author enthuses you with his interest in his work and whilst looking at many historic techniques an insight is gained into the science which now goes to underpin good practice. Alongside the buildings the author weaves a story of the country through time into this.
So, who would enjoy reading this book? Firstly anyone who appreciates a tale well told, second anyone who loves Britain and its buildings, thirdly people with an interest in the history of our country, and finally, those with an interest in conservation.
This is one of the easiest 5 star books to review as it was such a pleasure.
#TheStonemason #NetGalley
So, who would enjoy reading this book? Firstly anyone who appreciates a tale well told, second anyone who loves Britain and its buildings, thirdly people with an interest in the history of our country, and finally, those with an interest in conservation.
This is one of the easiest 5 star books to review as it was such a pleasure.
#TheStonemason #NetGalley
November 23, 2020
This tale was told by a journeyman stonemason who had spent his life and career working around the ancient and more modern structure created by successive generations of stonemasons working around England and Wales. The story takes us from prehistoric long barrows through the periods of English history when significant structure such as the Avebury Standing Stones and Stonehenge were erected to the Christian era when churches and cathedrals were not just constructed in a convenient space, but there was careful thought applied as to their location and especially the orientation of the building.
It was his personal impressions that made all the difference for me as it took the reader to these locations and he was in a sense, a wonderful tour guide that incentivized the reader to visit these fascinating world of history. One piece of advice take a copy of the book with you as it contains so much diverse detail on each location that one cannot remember it all. If you want to embark on a tour to follow the book, go by bike and canoe (Canadian type) for a real adventure.
It was his personal impressions that made all the difference for me as it took the reader to these locations and he was in a sense, a wonderful tour guide that incentivized the reader to visit these fascinating world of history. One piece of advice take a copy of the book with you as it contains so much diverse detail on each location that one cannot remember it all. If you want to embark on a tour to follow the book, go by bike and canoe (Canadian type) for a real adventure.
June 26, 2020
This book has been extensively, and well, reviewed in the UK press, and clearly Ziminski is an engaging character, and steeped in his craft. The book is a (nearly) elegaic tour of some aspects of the development of the craft of building in stone across the southern parts of the country.There is love and care in the desciptions of the work and the buildings, but I often found it very difficult to envision what was being described, either as a building or as an activity. The author often describes making sketches as part of his work, but there are none in the book. It absolutely cries out for illustration, both drawings and photographs, for that greater comprehension of the prose. Fortunately, the web is our friend…
I made it to the end of the book, but was immensely frustrated by this lack of illustration, either a necessary editorial decision on cost grounds, or deliberatley to focus purely on the prose. But wrong on either ground, in my opinion.
I made it to the end of the book, but was immensely frustrated by this lack of illustration, either a necessary editorial decision on cost grounds, or deliberatley to focus purely on the prose. But wrong on either ground, in my opinion.
September 23, 2020
Brilliant Way to Look at and Learn about History and Much More
This outstanding book is part history of architecture through the unusual eyes of a master stonemason from Wessex, part personal memoir of work done in the company of an unnamed whippet and a canoe called Laughing Waters, and part erudite reflection of a man in love with his work and - mostly - highly respecting of the people he comes into contact with along the way. Every page has a nugget of information, either new or with a fresh perspective illuminating it. A great deal of philosophising is done but so gently couched in almost poetic phraseology that the reader is led through the chapters as though through a particularly well illustrated story.
This outstanding book is part history of architecture through the unusual eyes of a master stonemason from Wessex, part personal memoir of work done in the company of an unnamed whippet and a canoe called Laughing Waters, and part erudite reflection of a man in love with his work and - mostly - highly respecting of the people he comes into contact with along the way. Every page has a nugget of information, either new or with a fresh perspective illuminating it. A great deal of philosophising is done but so gently couched in almost poetic phraseology that the reader is led through the chapters as though through a particularly well illustrated story.
January 27, 2024
The Stone Mason: A History of Building Britain by Andrew Ziminski is a real gem, that is, if you have a passion for history, architecture, and medieval building technology. The writing is remarkably lyrical. Ziminski sprinkles anecdotes from his own rich history of preserving treasured buildings together with technical aspects of a stone mason’s craft. This blend of deep historical knowledge with his hands-on experience of a lifetime means a text that is unique and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. After reading The Stone Mason, a reader is unlikely to ever look at medieval building or cathedral in the same way. The stones tell tales, and Ziminski teaches one to hear those tales.
August 13, 2023
I was thoroughly absorbed by this book
It tells a story of the author’s journey from the earliest stone structures in Britain to modern concrete shopping centres. He uses his skill as a stonemason to provide us with interesting details about the craft of the stonemason and how cathedrals and churches were constructed and decorated. It covers a lot of other ground touching on Tudor brick buildings, buildings and structures in the Industrial Revolution through to the influence of the Bauhaus on modern building.
I am inspired to visit some of the buildings and places he mentions such as Kelmscott.
It tells a story of the author’s journey from the earliest stone structures in Britain to modern concrete shopping centres. He uses his skill as a stonemason to provide us with interesting details about the craft of the stonemason and how cathedrals and churches were constructed and decorated. It covers a lot of other ground touching on Tudor brick buildings, buildings and structures in the Industrial Revolution through to the influence of the Bauhaus on modern building.
I am inspired to visit some of the buildings and places he mentions such as Kelmscott.
January 8, 2024
What an unusual way to explore British history. Ziminski talks about the history of stones, masons, and buildings as he repairs historic monuments. He takes the reader inside an ancient burrow to the top of cathedral steeples. It was helpful to know a little about basic architecture like vaulted ceilings, capitals on columns, and the layout of cathedrals, but there is an extensive glossary. Ziminski has a website with photos of some of the monuments in the book. I visited the monuments websites for further information.
It is also a travel dialogue as Ziminski travels by kayak to many of the sites. He describes what he is seeing along the way as a traveler not a tour guide.
It is also a travel dialogue as Ziminski travels by kayak to many of the sites. He describes what he is seeing along the way as a traveler not a tour guide.
March 17, 2020
This is a very readable history of British buildings from the unique perspective of a man who really understands how they were built - because he currently repairs them. I studied "Architecture" years ago at school, but it never came alive for me until I read The Stonemason. Andrew Ziminski's approach and style is personable and engaging, his enthusiasm and love of his craft permeates the book. I will never again wander aimlessly through an historic church - I will look around with a new found wonder and enjoyment. Thank you, Mr Zee!
July 23, 2023
A broad history of buildings taken from the practical viewpoint of a stonemason who has spent many years repairing historical buildings of all ages and types.
Sometimes amusing, sometimes funny but always thoughtful and interesting I think I could learn more history of buildings and archaeology from Andrew Ziminski's personal account than I could from many more academic books on buildings.
There is an authenticity here, a practical knowledge which is to be respected and speaks true.
Thank you, Andrew for the benefit of your time an experience in writing this fascinating book.
Sometimes amusing, sometimes funny but always thoughtful and interesting I think I could learn more history of buildings and archaeology from Andrew Ziminski's personal account than I could from many more academic books on buildings.
There is an authenticity here, a practical knowledge which is to be respected and speaks true.
Thank you, Andrew for the benefit of your time an experience in writing this fascinating book.
January 22, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this look at the history of building in Britain through the eyes of a stonemason. I think that the writer has a strong vocabulary and I found I had to look up lots of words, there is a glossary of stonemasonary terms at the back of the book. It did make me consider the use of language and how writers think about accessibility in their work. That’s a whole other discussion and this book was, nevertheless, very interesting to read.
March 13, 2020
It was a fascinating read, well researched and informative.
The author tells the story of buildings in Britain as it were a novel and you cannot put it down.
It was an amazing read that made me discover a lot of elements and historical facts.
A great read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
The author tells the story of buildings in Britain as it were a novel and you cannot put it down.
It was an amazing read that made me discover a lot of elements and historical facts.
A great read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
June 8, 2025
I don’t know who the readership of this book was intended to be. I’d say the author wrote it for himself in a “I may only be a stonemason but I’m very clever” kind of way. It was a bit all-over-the-place and the absence of useful illustrations and photographs is unforgivable with such a book. I managed to finish it though.
August 11, 2025
Just beautiful. A respectful, calming and hugely knowledgeable account of a modest and down to earth master craftsman's experience of his worming environment. I would love to listen to Andrew talk about his craft. He has a huge respect and understanding of people and place and inspires others to look and understand.
July 15, 2025
Loved this book! I was impressed not only by Ziminski's stonemason knowledge but also how well he knew the geography and history of the places he worked and spoke of. Definitely a must read for those interested in history, stonemasonry, or heritage trades.
March 4, 2024
Lucid, intelligent history using the writer's expert knowledge of stone and masonry to open our eyes to phenomenal buildings through time. A must read.
March 31, 2025
A man on a mission.
A great way to understand how these fabulous buildings were constructed but more importantly how they sit in the landscape.
A great way to understand how these fabulous buildings were constructed but more importantly how they sit in the landscape.
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