author
Ernest Gilliat-Smith
A Catholic writer with a strong feel for history and place, he became known for books that bring old European cities and religious figures vividly to life. His work blends literary charm with a clear love of medieval culture and Catholic tradition.
2 Audiobooks
The Story of Bruges
by Ernest Gilliat-Smith
The Story of Brussels
by Ernest Gilliat-Smith
About the author
Born in Woodmansterne, Surrey, on July 8, 1858, Frederick Ernest Gilliat-Smith was an English writer, poet, and convert to Catholicism. He entered the Catholic Church in 1879 and went on to build a literary career focused on history, religion, and travel-inflected cultural writing.
He is especially associated with books such as The Story of Bruges and The Story of Brussels, works that reflect his interest in European cities, architecture, and the past. He also wrote on saints and contributed to Catholic reference writing, showing a lasting commitment to religious and historical subjects.
Gilliat-Smith lived for a time in Bruges and later moved to Rome in 1913. He was married to Elinor Cockerell and had three children. He died in Newbury, Berkshire, on February 22, 1935.