Interpreting Medieval Effigies: the evidence from Yorkshire to 1400. By Brian and Moira Gittos. Pp xx + 241, 77 col and 303 b&w ills. Oxbow, Oxford, 2019. isbn 9781789251289. £40 (hbk).

Abstract

glossary demystifies the necessary technical terms in straightforward language. England’s Cathedrals is an attractively produced book, with plenty of apposite colour illustrations embedded in the text, and its generous provision of maps and plans is effectively used to advance the argument. Its modest price will help it reach the wide audience it deserves. Authoritative and balanced, England’s Cathedrals is thorough and well-researched. Its greatest strength is the context it provides by surveying cathedrals over the long durée. It dispels the widespread assumption that cathedrals are essentially ‘medieval’ by showing how they have been shaped by other periods in their long history. In tracing this history, the author emphasises continuity, survival and adaptation. He writes from a broadly Protestant perspective, but is respectful and deeply understanding of the medieval past. This is a sympathetic and insightful account, though the author’s admiration of and affection for cathedrals is not uncritical. He has done cathedrals a huge service. Readers of England’s Cathedrals will find their subsequent visits to them greatly enriched.