Review
The word 'parish' summons up thoughts of church halls, quaint traditions and a golden past. But as this fascinating book reveals, the history of the English parish is essentially the history of what it is to be English. Jones has produced a scholarly yet accessible journey from the 8th century Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in today's political, financial and religious bureaucracies. From the start, the book uses the development of the parish to highlight the ever-changing role of the clergy and to underline the evolution of social communities. Interesting areas of contrast are explored geographically, between the parishes of northern and southern England, and historically, using the Norman Conquest and the Reformation as fixed points of change. Each chapter weaves together the many strands of local history, looking at architecture, the origin of place names, religious administration and written records. There is now even an overview of the colourful parochial scenes found in the classic novels of Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope and George Eliot. The final section ends firmly in the present day with a topical look at how the parish may be reformed and preserved for the future. It takes an ambitious historian to attempt a distillation of ten centuries of change, and it is a testament to the skill and dedication of Jones that she has so ably succeeded. Lavishly illustrated throughout, with black and white and colour glossy photographs which conjure up an appropriately nostalgic air, this is an armchair traveller's delight. A joy for all Anglophiles. (Kirkus UK)
Product Description
This book unravels the secrets and workings of the English parish and its effect on English society. There are 13,000 parishes in England, each with its parish church, covering the country in a network which gives identities to local communities. Two-thirds of English parishes are ancient, probably a thousand years old; one-third have been founded in the last 150 years, largely to meet the enormously increased numbers of people in big towns. One of the major themes of the book is the changing social status of the clergy from medieval times. The author also looks at the future of the parish, a long lasting survivor from another age that has done so much to shape the special characteristics of English villages and towns.
See all Product Description