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Pilgrimage and England's Cathedrals

Past, Present, and Future

Palgrave Macmillan
  • Examines England's cathedrals and their relationship with pilgrimage through history

  • Brings together historians, social scientists, and cathedral practitioners to provide groundbreaking work

  • Combines a historical overview, thematic studies, and individual views from prominent clergy on the subject of cathedrals and pilgrimage

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Table of contents (14 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiii
  2. Introduction

    • Dee Dyas, John Jenkins
    Pages 1-26
  3. Historical Survey

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 27-27
    2. Pilgrimage and Cathedrals in Early Medieval Britain

      • Jonathan M. Wooding
      Pages 29-48
    3. Pilgrimage and Cathedrals in the Victorian Era

      • Elizabeth Macfarlane
      Pages 109-129
  4. Key Themes and Issues, Past and Present

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 145-145
    2. The Multivalent Cathedral

      • Simon Coleman, John Jenkins
      Pages 147-168
    3. Cathedrals, Community, and Identity

      • John Jenkins, Tiina Sepp
      Pages 169-192
    4. Leaving and Taking Away: Cathedrals and Material Culture

      • Marion Bowman, John Jenkins
      Pages 215-233
  5. The View from English Cathedrals Today

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 235-235
    2. Canterbury and Becket Today

      • Christopher Irvine
      Pages 237-245
    3. Pilgrimage and Cathedrals Today

      • Michael Tavinor
      Pages 247-255
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 271-282

About this book

"A brilliant breakthrough in pilgrimage studies. An exemplary study that shows how to bring together different academic and institutional interests in a common cause – understanding the relationship between pilgrimage and English cathedrals over time. A publication that will, hopefully, inspire similar collaborative studies around the globe."


John Eade, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Roehampton, UK



"People who oversee, minister, lead worship, guide, welcome, manage, market, promote and maintain cathedrals will find this book an indispensable treasure. It is aware of the awesome complexity inherent in cathedral life but it doesn’t duck the issues: its clear-eyed focus is on the way people experience cathedrals and how these extraordinary holy places can speak and connect with all the diversity represented by the people who come to them. In a spiritually-hungry age, this book shows us how to recognise and meet that hunger. This book will be required reading for all us “insiders” trying to invite and signpost access to holy ground."


- The Very Reverend Adrian Dorber, Dean of Lichfield, Chair of the Association of English Cathedrals





This book looks at England's cathedrals and their relationship with pilgrimage throughout history and in the present day. The volume brings together historians, social scientists, and cathedral practitioners to provide groundbreaking work, comprising a historical overview of the topic, thematic studies, and individual views from prominent clergy discussing how they see pilgrimage as part of the contemporary cathedral experience.

Editors and Affiliations

  • University of York, York, UK

    Dee Dyas, John Jenkins

About the editors

Dee Dyas is a Reader in the History of Christianity at the University of York, UK.



John Jenkins
is a Research Associate and Teaching Fellow at the University of York, UK.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Pilgrimage and England's Cathedrals

  • Book Subtitle: Past, Present, and Future

  • Editors: Dee Dyas, John Jenkins

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48032-5

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: History, History (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-48031-8Published: 08 August 2020

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-48034-9Published: 09 August 2021

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-48032-5Published: 07 August 2020

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XIII, 282

  • Topics: History of Britain and Ireland, History of Religion, Cultural History, Social History

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access