Peterborough Cathedral is one of England’s finest Norman buildings and, with the addition of its uniquely arranged west front, also among the most individual. Architectural historian Dr Jonathan Foyle combines the wealth of his specialist knowledge with the recent findings of other historians in this study and elucidation of a truly impressive building. He shows how its liminal position between land and water reflects the mediating role of the medieval Church between the terrestrial and the celestial realms. It is fundamental to the Saxon abbey’s dedication to St Peter, bearer of the key to heaven, and is reflected in the construction, decoration and symbolic language of the twelfth-century building. Engagingly written and beautifully illustrated with specially commissioned photography and the author’s own architectural drawings, Peterborough Cathedral: A Glimpse of Heaven offers a superb tribute to one of England’s most beautiful and enigmatic medieval buildings.

Contents: Introduction; 1. Between Land and Water; 2. Destruction and Rebuilding; 3. Cathedral Completed; 4. Nave Ceiling; 5. The End of an Era; 6. Survival and Renewal.

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