Description

‘A joyous and illuminating exploration of our glorious heritage of old churches. A must for anyone who’s ever stared at an apse or a misericord with no idea what they’re looking at’ – Sir Tony Robinson

‘Captivating … Brims with humour and humanity’ – ‘Book of the Week’, The Times

‘Andrew Ziminski’s books are treasure troves of lived and learned experience. They have changed the way I look at buildings and Britain’- Max Porter, author, Grief Is the Thing with Feathers

‘From bulletholes in weathervanes to beehives in church walls, Ziminski has an eye for charming details and an ear for a good story’ – Peter Ross, author, Steeple Chasing

Churches are many things to us – they are places of worship, vibrant community hubs and oases of calm reflection. To know a church is to hold a key to the past that unlocks an understanding of our shared history.

Andrew Ziminski has spent decades as a stonemason and church conservator, acting as an informal guide to curious visitors. Church Going is his handbook to the medieval churches of the British Isles, in which he reveals their fascinating histories, features and furnishings, from flying buttresses to rood screens, lichgates to chancels. Beautifully written and richly illustrated, it is a celebration of British architectural history.

Publisher Review

Fascinating – a masterly guide to the detail and meaning but also to the glory of Britain’s heritage — SIMON JENKINS A beautiful book – in which curiosity, hand-skill and creativity combine in a hymn to craftsmanship, and vernacular and sacred architecture. Ziminski is a rare and wonderful voice — RORY STEWART Utterly, utterly fascinating, from start to finish. One of the most enjoyable books I’ve ever read. Thank you, Andrew Ziminski, for opening our eyes to the vast treasure trove of thrilling history which lies in the churches across Britain. The wonders of this book will stay with its readers for years to come — ALICE LOXTON This book is an anatomy of buildings we take for granted, an opening-up of architectural bodies to reveal marvellous mechanisms in gold, bone, ancient stone and holy wells of stories — AMY JEFFS, author * Storyland * A joyous and illuminating exploration of our glorious heritage of old churches. A must for anyone who’s ever stared at an apse or a misericord with no idea what they’re looking at — Sir Tony Robinson Andrew Ziminski’s books are treasure troves of lived and learned experience. They have changed the way I look at buildings and Britain — Max Porter, author * Grief Is the Thing with Feathers * From bulletholes in weathervanes to beehives in church walls, Ziminski has an eye for charming details and an ear for a good story — Peter Ross, author * Steeple Chasing * Andrew Ziminski’s joyful, fascinating and often funny book will no doubt inspire a whole new generation of church detectives – and encourage a host of young stonemasons, too. A treasure — Victoria Finlay, author * Fabric * As a ‘son of the manse’ I like to think I can tell a doom painting from an embrasure. After joining Andrew in these pages I now understand a whole lot more — Jeremy Wade The medieval churches of the British Isles are among the finest and most diverse anywhere in Europe. This superb book brings them to life by examining the details of their construction and decoration. Only a stonemason could explain and reveal the motives that inspired the craftsmen who gave these ancient buildings their unique grandeur, beauty and magic. Ziminski’s churches are like people – and many still possess a lively sense of humour — Francis Pryor, author * The Making of the British Landscape * Praise for The Stonemason: A History of Building Britain * : * Delicate as the threads that tie us to the past can seem, thanks to work like Ziminski’s, both as mason and as author, we can hope they will remain unbroken * Daily Telegraph * Ziminski is one of those lucky souls with rural X-ray spectacles. He looks at the countryside and sees a series of historical slides going back over several millennia … what a magician! * Spectator * The author’s eagerness to experience the past physically sets him apart from drier academic historians … Ziminski’s writing is vividly evocative and craftsmanlike … it’s a fascinating book and a wise one * Daily Mail * Thoughtful, observant and well-informed, as much at ease with words and emotions as with the stone he works with * History Today * A wonderful behind-the-scenes history, where time works on a different scale and stone is a living, breathing entity … by a master craftsman whose expertise connects him to the generations that came before him * BBC Countryfile Magazine * There are few reading pleasures that compare with a passionate expert describing their work, and Ziminski stands proudly in this field … remarkable * Literary Review * This is a compelling book … it is rooted in the making of England and is a magical read * Evening Standard *