**Pointing persistently to heaven: A guide to UK cathedrals** Power, glory, bloodshed, prayer: cathedrals in the UK are as much about human drama as spiritual sanctuary, as much about political wrangling as religious fervour. From Christian beginnings in the Middle Ages through Reformation, Renaissance and Modernity, the great cathedrals of Britain have been both battleground and place of quiet reflection; created for the glory of God for sure, but also for the glory of men. There s a litany of great deeds and a list of secrets tied up in our national cathedrals and all are revealed within our guides, the ideal companions to the stories behind the greatest cathedrals of all. Whether you are travelling to view the buildings themselves or being an armchair enthusiast, let us take you on a journey. **Book One: The North of England and Scotland**: includes York, Durham, Ripon, Wakefield, Sheffield, Bradford, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen. From early Celtic influences through to English Reformation and the rise of Scots Calvinism, Scotland and the north of England has had a turbulent religious history. It was once united as the Kingdom of Northumbria, from Edinburgh and Lothian right down to the Humber, incorporating the counties of Durham and York and the holy isle of Lindisfarne. Today the kingdom has been dismantled but the cathedrals, which include some of the most famous buildings in the UK, still flourish and offer their secrets for discovery. Here you will solve the mystery recently uncovered in a mass grave in the country s oldest cathedral. Find a link to one of the UK s most famous retailers in an 11th century building. Enter inside the grand Scottish cathedral built in tribute to a 7th century Greek hermit. And go underground to discover a Saxon crypt, dating from the mid 600s.