Anne Hayward spends several months each year walking to sacred sites in Britain and beyond, now having covered many thousands of miles. Her third book recounting these pilgrimage walks looks in more detail at the history of 40+ sites she has visited in Wales or in places with a strong connection to it. In roughly chronological order, the book follows the history of Christianity in the country, discussing topics as varied as Roman roads, early medieval bell-founding, the development of Quaker graveyards, and the reinvention of an early saint in contemporary literature. It tells the remarkable story of religious faith in Wales, not only from the later Roman period and the Age of the Saints, but also in later times and into our own day, asking whether anywhere else has packed quite so much interest into so small a nation.
1. Church of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Beaumaris; 2. St Tysilio's Church, Menai Bridge; 3. The churchyard cross, Tremeirchion; 4. Holy Cross Church, Woodchurch; 5. The Gladstone Library, Hawarden; 6. Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Bala; 7. Mary Jones Pilgrim Centre, Llanycil; 8. Capel Celyn Memorial Chapel; 9. St Tudclud's Church, Penmachno; 10. St Gwyddelan's Church, Dolwyddelan; 11. St David's Church, Blaenau Ffestiniog; 12. St Cian's Church, Llangian; 13. St Mary's Abbey, Bardsey; 14. Sarn Helen; 15. The Pilgrim Cross at Bwlch y Groes, Gwynedd; 16. St Tydecho's Church, Llanymawddwy; 17. Jerusalem Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, Refail; 18. Shrine of St Winefride, Shrewsbury Abbey; 19. The Pales Meeting House, Llandegley; 20. St Padarn's Church, Llanbadarn Fawr, Powys; 21. St David's Church, Dylife; 22. Ffald y Brenin, Pontfaen, Fishguard; 23. Caldey Island; 24. The Hospital, Llawhaden; 25. Roman Amphitheatre, Heol Y Prior, Carmarthen; 26. The Llandeilo Gospels Exhibition, Llandeilo; 27. Castle Car Park, Llandovery; 28. St Cadmarch's Church, Llangammarch Wells; 29. St Matthew's Church, Llandefalle; 30. The Vaughan Walk, Talybont-on-Usk; 31. St Tydfil's Old Parish Church, Merthyr Tydfil; 32. Hanover Chapel, Llanover; 33. Castle Dell Car Park, Chepstow; 34. Tabernacle United Reformed Church, Llanfaches; 35. Afon Col-huw, Llantwit Major; 36. Ewenny Priory Church; 37. St Cynwyd's Church, Llangynwyd; 38. The Saint's Way, Fowey, Cornwall; 39. Church of St. Pompée, Langoat, France; 40. Kirk Maughold, Isle of Man; 41. St Mary's Church, Putney, London; 42. St Mungo on High Street, Glasgow