St Paul’s Cathedral

• Beautifully illustrated with rare items from city and cathedral archives
• Tells the wonderful story, from the planning to construction, of a masterpiece at the heart of London, complete with disaster and triumphs

St Paul’s Cathedral has dominated the London skyline for hundreds of years and has seen the city, with which it has become synonymous, change beyond recognition. This book tells the story of St Paul’s, beginning with the foundation of the original cathedral in 604. It describes the planning, construction and craftsmanship of the magnificent building that stands today at the heart of the City of London and at the centre of national life. The masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren, mathematician and astronomer turned architect, it has been a source of wonder ever since its completion in 1711. In the last century, St Paul’s emerged as a symbol of survival, presiding over the ruined City during the Second World War.

This thoroughly researched account, which tells of the disasters and difficulties as well as the triumphs of those who worked on St Paul’s, is illustrated with rare archival material and glorious colour photography, capturing the grandeur of the architecture and works of art within the cathedral that date from the Middle Ages to the present.

Dr Ann Saunders MBE is an acknowledged expert on the history and architecture of London. She is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and Honorary Fellow of University College London.