Myth and mystery have long surrounded the age and purpose of the round towers that stand at the west end of many of the parish churches of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex and are such an evocative feature of the East Anglian scene.

Whatever their origins - it has even been suggested that some are the remnants of wells sunk into landscapes now eroded by the relentless attrition of the sea - whether built by the Anglo-Saxons for defence or refuge against Viking raiders or later by the Normans as bell-towers and perhaps inspired by continental influ­ences, why are they round, and why, apart from a very few else­where in the country, are most to be found in East Anglia? These are questions that continue to provoke ongoing debate.

This generously-illustrated book is an authoritative guide to a sub­ject of fascination to all who share an interest and love of our his­torical churches. Through careful observation of the architecture of these towers, their construction and the alterations of centuries, and by attention to the way they relate to their churches, the author's per­ceptive interpretations shed fresh light on some of these questions.

Since retiring from his architectural practice in 1989, Stephen Hart has extended his enduring interest in medieval churches to a detailed study of the history and architectural development of those with round towers; during his research he visited all 181 of them. A member of the Round Tower Churches Society since 1989 and a member of its committee, he has for three years edited the Society's quarterly magazine and is a regular contributor to it. He has also had papers on individual round-towered churches pub­lished in archaeological journals, and his earlier book Flint Architecture of East Anglia published in 2000 received compli­mentary critical reviews.

Front cover pictures

Top left: Needham Church

Bottom left: Forncett St Peter Church Right: Quidenham Church

ISBN 1-903797-32-2

ISBN (13)9781903797327

£15.99