Suggested Reading List
Cathedrals, Castles, Great Houses and Holy Places of Southern England
June 27-July 5, 2014
Barchester Towers
By Anthony Trollope
This novel is set in the Salisbury Cathedral in the 19th century.
Glittering Images
By Susan Howatch is another novel set in Salisbury Cathedral 100 years or so later. It is
"R" rated.
The British Isles, A History of Four Nations
By Hugh Kearney A survey of 2000 years of British history from the Celts to the
Romans, the Normans, to the rise (and fall) of the empire. With a welcome focus
on the interaction of the Celts, Normans and other cultures that have made their
home in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.
The Cotswolds, A Cultural History
By Jane Bingham A literary, cultural guide to the art, architecture, traditions
and history of the Costwolds. Take a tour in the heart of Southern England and
visit churches and manor houses from the Middle Ages. The Cotswold
countryside is rich in natural beauty and history, from ancient stone circles and
ruined Roman villas to the industrial mills and factories.
The Pillars of the Earth
By Ken Follet Ken Follett is known worldwide as the master of split-second
suspense, but his most beloved and bestselling book tells the magnificent tale of
a twelfth-century monk driven to do the seemingly impossible: build the greatest
Gothic cathedral the world has ever known.
Everything readers expect from Follett is here: intrigue, fast-paced action, and
passionate romance. But what makes The Pillars of the Earth extraordinary is the
time—the twelfth century; the place—feudal England. Salisbury Cathedral was
used as the model for the book.
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Murder in the Cathedral
By T.S. Eliot The Archbishop Thomas Becket speaks fatal words before he is
martyred in T. S. Eliot's best-known drama, based on the murder of the
Archbishop of Canterbury in 1170. Praised for its poetically masterful handling
of issues of faith, politics, and the common good, T. S. Eliot's play bolstered his
reputation as the most significant poet of his time.
The Canterbury Tales
In his day Chaucer was more famous for his services to the king. At various
times he was a yeoman of the king’s chamber, comptroller of the Petty Customs,
went on several diplomatic missions abroad and was eventually created a
Knight of the Shire for Kent.
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