Canterbury Cathedral, at the heart of the Church in England since the arrival of Augustine in Kent in 597 C.E., is remarkable for its extent, beauty and importance, for the variety of its architectural styles and the many structural changes which it has undergone over the years. In this 1845 work, the Reverend Robert Willis, who was Jacksonian Professor of the University of Cambridge, reproduces historical accounts of the destruction and rebuilding of the cathedral, for example by the monk and chronicler Gervase of Canterbury on the disastrous fire in 1174. He connects these sources to his own informed opinions and interpretations of the historical documents, and includes many illustrative wood engravings to aid the discussion. The modern reader will obtain a great insight into the motives that dictated such changes of plan and structure of this incredible building.-Print ed.
