Exeter Cathedral: The Garden of Paradise

(Paperback)

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Description

Nine hundred years ago, foundations were dug for a great church in
Exeter which would develop into the beautiful cathedral that still marks
the heart of the city. It is distinctive among English cathedrals for
its twin transept towers, and unbroken vault stretching from the
entrance to the high altar, and the sheer profusion of carving of plants
and animals throughout. Exeter is a heavenly garden in stone, and this
new book, illustrated with specially commissioned photography, draws on
archaeology, archives and imagery to explain what its builders in a
surprisingly cosmopolitan city were trying to tell us about their
understanding of the world, and the realm they envisioned beyond us.

Reviews

"...beautiful to look at though it be, this is no mere coffee table book; on the contrary, it offers the latest scholarship concerning the design of the Norman cathedral and presents new ideas about the construction and design of its Gothic successor." -- Peter King, www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk; The title acknowledges the profusion of carved plants and animals to be seen in this building, whose foundations were laid nine centuries ago. -- Catherine Pickford, Church Times;

Author Bio

Diane Walker is a volunteer tour guide for Exeter Cathedral. Dr Jonathan Foyle is an architectural historian, broadcaster, consultant and advocate for heritage sites. His previous publications include Lincoln Cathedral: The Biography of a Great Building, ISBN 9781857599282, and Architecture of Canterbury Cathedral ISBN 9781857597011, (both published by Scala). He also writes for the Financial Times.