Church Going : A Stonemason's Guide to the Churches of the British Isles

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

'There are few better means of discovering local history than from a parish church: Ziminski gives us a penetrating insight into the craftsmanship of the Middle Ages' - '50 Best Books of 2024', Telegraph

'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.