Wales : Churches, Houses, Castles

From the great citadels of Caernarvon, Harlech, Powis and Beaumaris in the north, to the Victorian glories of Cardiff in the south, St David's cathedral ('the loveliest church in Wales') in the west to the exquisite little hill church of Patrishow in the east, from Plas Newydd above the Menai Straits to the romantic citadel of Carreg Cennan in the heart of the country, the buildings of Wales embody its history and are the equal of any in the British Isles. Simon Jenkins has travelled, it seems, every mile of the country to celebrate, and in some cases to find the very best of them, and irresistibly conveys in this book his enthusiasm for them. Cumulatively they amount to a cultural history of Wales by one of its most devoted sons. Anyone who is visiting Wales or who loves it will want to own this glorious book.

Simon Jenkins is Chairman of the National Trust and one of Britain's most prominent journalists. He writes a column for the Guardian, has edited both the Evening Standard and The Times, and has written many books on politics, history and architecture, including England's Thousand Best Churches and England's Thousand Best Houses, both published by Penguin. His most recent book was Thatcher and Sons. He is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and lives in London and Aberdyfi.