An extraordinary historical journey through England. From Alice Loxton, author of the acclaimed bestseller Eighteen A Waterstones Best History Book of 2025
âJoyous. The perfect walk through historyâ â Sir Tony Robinson, actor, presenter and author
'Whimsical, charming and cosy. Will make you want to take a long walk, look at some churchyards, and drink a lovely cup of tea' â Alice Winn, bestselling author of In Memoriam
In 1290, England mourned the death of a queen, Eleanor of Castile, beloved wife of King Edward I, the warrior king. Her body was carried on a 200-mile journey from Lincoln to London, a solemn procession that would become immortalized in stone. To mark the places where it stopped overnight, a heartbroken Edward commissioned twelve magnificent Eleanor Crosses.
More than seven centuries later, bestselling historian Alice Loxton set herself an epic challenge: following in historyâs footsteps by walking the entire 200-mile funeral route on the corresponding dates.
As Alice journeys in search of Englandâs forgotten Queen, over ancient paths and modern motorways, history comes alive in surprising ways. Lively and entertaining, Eleanor uncovers the extraordinary life and formidable character of this lesser-known royal, revealing her inspiring legacy and the hidden history of Britain.
âBeautiful, elegiac, honest and compelling . . . a modern-day pilgrimage walking in the footsteps of one of the great forgotten queensâ â Kate Mosse, bestselling author of The Map of Bones
âLoxton has the novelistâs skill of seeing the world through her charactersâ eyes, and the historianâs accuracy of visionâ â Philippa Gregory, bestselling author of Normal Women
âEleanor is dazzling, alive with wit, elegance and insight. A book that makes history feel urgent, intimate and unforgettableâ â Rob Rinder, bestselling author of The Trial
An extraordinary historical journey through England. From Alice Loxton, author of the acclaimed bestseller Eighteen A Waterstones Best History Book of 2025
âJoyous. The perfect walk through historyâ â Sir Tony Robinson, actor, presenter and author
'Whimsical, charming and cosy. Will make you want to take a long walk, look at some churchyards, and drink a lovely cup of tea' â Alice Winn, bestselling author of In Memoriam
In 1290, England mourned the death of a queen, Eleanor of Castile, beloved wife of King Edward I, the warrior king. Her body was carried on a 200-mile journey from Lincoln to London, a solemn procession that would become immortalized in stone. To mark the places where it stopped overnight, a heartbroken Edward commissioned twelve magnificent Eleanor Crosses.
More than seven centuries later, bestselling historian Alice Loxton set herself an epic challenge: following in historyâs footsteps by walking the entire 200-mile funeral route on the corresponding dates.
As Alice journeys in search of Englandâs forgotten Queen, over ancient paths and modern motorways, history comes alive in surprising ways. Lively and entertaining, Eleanor uncovers the extraordinary life and formidable character of this lesser-known royal, revealing her inspiring legacy and the hidden history of Britain.
âBeautiful, elegiac, honest and compelling . . . a modern-day pilgrimage walking in the footsteps of one of the great forgotten queensâ â Kate Mosse, bestselling author of The Map of Bones
âLoxton has the novelistâs skill of seeing the world through her charactersâ eyes, and the historianâs accuracy of visionâ â Philippa Gregory, bestselling author of Normal Women
âEleanor is dazzling, alive with wit, elegance and insight. A book that makes history feel urgent, intimate and unforgettableâ â Rob Rinder, bestselling author of The Trial