
Every attempt has been made to replicate the original as printed.
ILLUSTRATIONS
INTRODUCTION
ABBEYS OF GREAT BRITAIN - PART I—NORTHERN COUNTIES - CHAPTER I NORTHUMBERLAND: DURHAM LINDISFARNE: HEXHAM: JARROW: FINCHALE - LINDISFARNE (Benedictine)
HEXHAM (Augustine Canons)
JARROW (Benedictine)
FINCHALE (Benedictine)
PART II—SOUTHERN COUNTIES - CHAPTER V KENT: SURREY: SUSSEX: BERKSHIRE MINSTER: FAVERSHAM: BATTLE: CHERTSEY: READING: ABINGDON - MINSTER (Benedictine)
PART III—EASTERN COUNTIES - CHAPTER VII LINCOLNSHIRE: SUFFOLK: ESSEX CROYLAND: THORNTON: SWINESHEAD: BURY ST EDMUNDS: WALTHAM - CROYLAND (Mitred Benedictine)
PART IV—WESTERN COUNTIES - CHAPTER VIII HEREFORDSHIRE: SOMERSETSHIRE: GLOUCESTERSHIRE: MONMOUTHSHIRE DORE: GLASTONBURY: BATH: TEWKESBURY: TINTERN: LLANTHONY - DORE (Cistercian)
Step into the silent stone corridors of Britain’s ancient monastic world, where the story of faith begins long before Augustine’s arrival. The narrator sketches the early spread of Christianity, drawing on the testimony of saints and historians to reveal a church that survived Roman departure and early persecution. Listeners gain a concise portrait of how monastic life rooted itself in the island’s rugged landscape.
From the north’s remote Lindisfarne to the grandeur of Westminster, the work unfolds as a guided tour of more than sixty abbeys, organized by county. Each stop is enriched with vivid illustrations that bring frescoes, cloisters and towering spires to life, while concise histories spotlight the people and events that shaped each community. The structure moves region by region, allowing a leisurely immersion in the architectural and spiritual diversity of the British Isles.
By the end of the first act, you’ll feel the echo of chanting monks and the weight of centuries pressed into every stone. The blend of scholarly insight and accessible storytelling makes the journey appealing to both history enthusiasts and casual listeners. It’s an invitation to explore a hidden tapestry of faith, art and endurance that still whispers across Britain’s countryside.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (362K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Chuck Greif, Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2015-05-30
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
1810–1888
Best known for The Abbeys of Great Britain, this little-documented author left behind a vivid tour of Britain’s ruined monasteries and church history. The surviving record is sparse, which gives the book an added sense of mystery as well as period charm.
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