West Country

The British have never been keen on organized religion, yet they have always had a passion for religious buildings and have erected some of the finest in the world. Today more people than ever before visit them, usually at times when they can wander round undisturbed by priests or preachers. British spirituality is informal and personal. "The Spirit of Britain" is a series of guides to these places of spiritual interest. Each book suggests tours, or pilgrimmages, around a particular part of the country. This volume covers the west of England, which includes counties with the finest coastlines and mildest climate in Britain. It suggests four pilgrimmages. The first, from Salisbury to Malmesbury, covers the area with the greatest concentration of prehistoric sites. The second, from Bristol to Cleeve Abbey, covers an area rich in monastic foundations. The third moves along the hills overlooking the beaches of Dorset and Devon. And the fourth goes along the north coast of Cornwall, the Celtic heartland of England.