Westminster Abbey certainly ranks as one of the top tourist draws in the world, especially for American travelers, and those desiring a deeper profile of this London church than what a basic guidebook generally offers will do well to pay attention to this beautifully articulated essay by an Oxford professor...Exploration of the abbey's evolving functions since its origins in the thirteenth century takes the author specifically into such topics as the nature of Gothic architecture (with particular attention paid to Henry VII's chapel), the circumstances by which the abbey became a royal mausoleum and pantheon of the great, its importance as a gallery of sculpture, its physical setting within London's changing cityscape, and its major function as the site of coronations. A mellifluous writing style caps this splendid reading and learning experience.
   --Brad Hooper, Booklist

Fresh and original...it's the next best thing to being there accompanied by an expert guide, with fascinating stories about the Abbey's history, influence and architectural style.
   --What's On in London

Few of us have so sure a grasp of the history, architecture, artworks and literary connections of this venerable Gothic structure as Richard Jenkyns, a British writer who has made the landmark his own. Westminster Abbey is a secular hymn to a great church. Jenkyns, an Oxford professor with a fine historical sensibility, is a witty and erudite teacher.
   --David Armstrong, San Francisco Chronicle

Richard Jenkyns is Professor of the Classical Tradition at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall. His previous books include The Victorians and Ancient Greece and Dignity and Decadence: Victorian Art and the Classical Inheritance.

Read More by Richard Jenkyns:

• Dignity and Decadence: Victorian Art and the Classical Inheritance
• Three Classical Poets: Sappho, Catullus, and Juvenal