{{Short description|2020 non-fiction book by Andrew Ziminski}} {{About|the book|the play by Cormac McCarthy|The Stonemason|other uses|The Stonemason (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox book | name = The Stonemason: A History of Building Britain | title_orig = | translator = | image = File:Stone Mason Cover.jpg | caption = | author = Andrew Ziminski {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FSA}} | illustrator = Clare Venables | cover_artist = | country = United Kingdom
| subject = | genre = | publisher = John Murray | pub_date = 5 March 2020 | english_pub_date = | pages = 366 | isbn = 978-1473699762 | preceded_by = | followed_by = | website = {{url|www.the-stonemason.co.uk}} }}
'''''The Stonemason: A History of Building Britain''''' is a book written by Andrew Ziminski, published by John Murray in 2020.<ref name="Darley">{{cite journal |last1=Darley |first1=Gillian |date=April 2020 |title=Sticks and Stones |journal=History Today |volume=70 |issue=4 |pages=104 }}</ref> The book is divided into four parts, combining a chronological and geological approach, with each part concentrating on a single type of stone and how it is used in a particular architectural style and period.<ref name="Wells">{{cite news |last=Wells |first=Emma |date=3 April 2020 |title=Mournful hunk |work=The Times Literary Supplement |url=https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/the-stonemason-andrew-ziminski-review-emma-wells/| url-access=limited}}</ref> Partly an autobiography,<ref name="Darke">{{cite news |last=Darke |first=Diana |author-link=Diana Darke |date=26 June 2020 |title=Holiday in the living room |work=The Times Literary Supplement |url=https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/summer-books-list-tls-2020/| url-access=limited}}</ref> the book features examples that are principally drawn from the author's own work in an area broadly corresponding to Wessex,<ref name="Mount">{{cite news |last=Mount |first=Harry |date=7 March 2020 |title=Carve his name with pride: Andrew Ziminsky rebuilds the West Country |work=The Spectator |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/carve-his-name-with-pride-andrew-ziminsky-rebuilds-the-west-country |url-access=limited}}</ref> and chapters are arranged to reflect the passage of a single year, beginning and ending at Samhain.<ref name="Fox-Leonard">{{cite news |last=Fox-Leonard |first=Boudicca |date=23 March 2020 |title=A stonemason's history of Britain: the stones and people who built our past |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/life/stonemasons-history-britain-stones-people-built-past/ |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Each chapter is preceded by a linocut print produced by Clare Venables.<ref name="Bignell">{{cite news |last=Bignell |first=Eric |date=1 May 2020 |title=Book review: The Stonemason – A History of Building Britain by Andrew Ziminski |url=https://www.stonespecialist.com/news/stone-heritage/book-review-stonemason-history-building-britain-andrew-ziminski |work=Stone Specialist Newsletter |access-date=6 June 2020 }}</ref>
The first part, "Sarsen", describes the Neolithic structures around Avebury and Stonehenge, beginning at West Kennet Long Barrow. This is followed by "Limestone", which describes the Roman baths of Aquae Sulis and some surviving Anglo-Saxon churches, such as St Laurence's Church, Bradford-on-Avon. "Marble" considers the rise of Gothic architecture, and the influence of Purbeck Marble, which like other types of Purbeck stone is in fact a type of limestone. Finally "Concrete" discusses the influence of the Industrial Revolution on architecture around Bath, Somerset, and particularly the role played by the Kennet and Avon Canal and the Great Western Railway.
As well as being a working stonemason, Ziminski is a William Morris Craft Fellow at the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.<ref name="Stone">{{cite news |last=Stone |first=Ian |date=2 June 2020 |title=The Stonemason: A History of Building Britain |work=The Medieval Magazine |url=https://www.themedievalmagazine.com/book-reviews/2020/6/1/book-review-the-stonemason-a-history-of-building-britain}}</ref>
Ziminski's second book, ''Church Going'', his guide to the history and architecture of churches in Britain, was announced in March 2023<ref>{{cite news |last1=Spanoudi |first1=Melinda |title=Profile Books nabs Siminski's 'fascinating' guide to the history of Britain's churches in four-way auction |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/profile-books-nabs-ziminskis-fascinating-guide-to-the-history-of-britains-churches-in-four-way-auction |access-date=21 March 2023 |work=The Bookseller |date=21 March 2023}}</ref> and published in October 2024.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Butler-Gallie |first1=Amelia |title=Church Going by Andrew Ziminski review — our churches' bawdy secrets |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/church-going-stonemasons-guide-churches-british-isles-andrew-ziminski-review-v39k0zfdw |access-date=19 October 2024 |work=The Times |date=19 October 2024}}</ref>
== Reviews == The book has received many positive reviews. In ''The Daily Telegraph'' Christopher Howse writes that "The mark of Ziminski's approach is that he knows what he is doing" and that "Ziminski is no mere recorder of impressions. He brings plenty of helpful information from history, geology and architecture."<ref name="Howse">{{cite news |last=Howse |first=Christopher |date=5 April 2020 |title=The Stonemason by Andrew Ziminski, review: prepare to be astonished by these tales |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/stonemasonby-andrew-ziminski-review-prepare-astonished-tales/ |work=The Daily Telegraph |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In ''The Sunday Telegraph'' Robert Leigh-Pemberton compares Ziminski to William Morris, concluding that "Ziminski is undertaking something more profound than the charm of this delightful book first suggests."<ref name="Leigh-Pemberton">{{cite news |last=Leigh-Pemberton |first=Robert |date=21 March 2020 |title=The Stonemason by Andrew Ziminski, review: an infectious quest for English history through its architecture |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/stonemason-andrew-ziminski-review-infectious-quest-english-history/ |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
In ''The Spectator'' Harry Mount notes his "unparalleled understanding of this country's stones",<ref name="Mount"/> while in ''Literary Review'' Will Wiles emphasises "the remarkable way that Ziminski weaves together architecture, craft, landscape, archaeology and natural history".<ref name="Wiles">{{cite news |last=Wiles |first=Will |date=21 March 2020 |title=Hanging with the Hunky Punks |work=Literary Review |url=https://literaryreview.co.uk/hanging-with-the-hunky-punks}}</ref> In ''History Today'' Gillian Darley describes Ziminski as "thoughtful, observant and well-informed",<ref name="Darley"/> while in ''The Times Literary Supplement'' Emma Wells writes that "Absorbing and engaging, ''The Stonemason'' perfectly captures the genius loci of the British landscape and its ancient buildings."<ref name="Wells"/>
In ''The Times'' Jonathan Morrison praises the book as "uncompromisingly learned" and containing "moments of great lyricism", but notes that "the greatest regret is that you do not emerge feeling that you understand the stonemason's craft that much better". However, he concludes that "Ziminski fills you afresh with a longing to visit one of the most extraordinary regions in the world".<ref name="Morrison">{{cite news |last=Morrison |first=Jonathan |date=29 May 2020 |title=The Stonemason by Andrew Ziminski review — dentists on a giant scale |work=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/the-stonemason-by-andrew-ziminski-review-5dzf7nrt8 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Writing in the Evening Standard, Julian Glover describes the book as "compelling", "rooted in the making of England", and "a magical read".<ref name="Glover">{{cite news |last=Glover |first=Julian |author-link=Julian Glover (journalist) |date=25 June 2020 |title=The ES guide to the best books to read this summer |work=Evening Standard |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/books/best-books-for-summer-2020-a4479986.html}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.johnmurraypress.co.uk/titles/andrew-ziminski/the-stonemason/9781473699762/ Book page at John Murray Press] * [https://www.historyextra.com/period/ancient-history/andrew-ziminski-stonemason-history-britain-stone-monuments/ HistoryExtra interview with Andrew Ziminski] * [https://www.church-going.co.uk/ Authors Website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stone Mason, The}} Category:2020 non-fiction books Category:John Murray (publishing house) books Category:Stonemasonry Category:Books about British architectural history