The county of Gloucestershire has a rich and varied past which is
reflected in its historic churches. The landscape is dominated by two
principal features - the River Severn and the Cotswold hills - and
Gloucestershire's churches reflect the changing face of the county, from
the Forest of Dean to the Cotswold escarpment, the Severn Vale to the
watery southern boundary by the River Thames. In Churches of
Gloucestershire, author Nicola Coldstream explores a selection of the
most interesting churches across the whole of the county, both
well-known and those waiting to be discovered by a wider audience. The
buildings range from rural and urban churches, dating from the
Anglo-Saxons to the modern age, some displaying Gloucestershire's wealth
from the mediaeval wool trade, others its industrial past. Selected for
their architectural interest or their contents such as tombs, fonts and
wall-paintings, interesting Roman Catholic and Nonconformist buildings
are also included. This fascinating picture of an important part of the
history of Gloucestershire over the centuries will be of interest to all
those who live in or are visiting this attractive county in England.
