Abstract
IT is only fair to warn the unwary that this book is not a treatise on abbeys in general, or a comprehensive survey of the abbeys of Britain. It deals only with those abbeys which are on or accessible from the Great Western Railway system. There is no hint of this on the title-page, except in the publisher's imprint, which many will not notice. It is, in fact, a glorified guidebook; but a guide-book of a type which we wish were more frequent. Nearly every building is illustrated in one or more photographs, excellently reproduced. In addition, several examples of the priceless manuscripts which were produced by the monks of the abbeys are given in colour. The letterpress of the Provost of Eton is to a great extent, though not entirely, a compilation. As he explains in his preface, he has visited most of the buildings, and to his authorities he has added something of his own. Not only are the buildings adequately explained for the needs of the visitors, but the author has also brought out in each case the relative importance of each and of the community to which it belonged. The list of abbeys classified according to religious orders will be found a great convenience. Prof. A. Hamilton Thompson has contributed an admirable chapter on monastic life. The book is a remarkable production at so low a price.
Abbeys.
Dr.
M. R.
James
By. With an additional Chapter on Monastic Life and Buildings, by Dr. A. Hamilton Thompson. Pp. x + 154 + 107 plates + 13 plans. (London: Great Western Railway, Paddington, 1925.) 5s. net.
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Abbeys . Nature 116, 816 (1925). https://doi.org/10.1038/116816b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/116816b0