In The Swords of Canterbury, set in 1546 after the shock of the Reformation and the dissolution of the monasteries – we join the Llewelyn family as they journey in wagons to Canterbury, hoping to find work as stonemasons at the Cathedral. Work is so much scarcer than it was, though, as there were few monasteries left in existence, and therefore fewer places of work for such craftsmen.
Of course, school taught us the bare bones of the Reformation, but the resulting damage to various skilled artisans eluded me. It no longer does, thanks to The Company of Stonemasons series. The protagonist is the young stonemason Edward Llewelyn who has decided to leave his love behind until he can offer her a reliable life and now travels for work with his parents, siblings, uncle and a fellow workman, concentrating on the most reliable of employers – the Cathedrals. They finally smell Canterbury – yes really – and why would it be otherwise when sewage was an ongoing problem, – no flushing lavatories for them. They hot foot it to the Guildhall to make their mark in the Guild register hoping someone would need them.
How interesting is this Guildhall information?
And so the novel goes on, opening up our eyes to the era as we become engrossed in this warm-hearted family group and the twists and turns of the plot; their missing fellow worker, and the arrival of a homeless youth seemingly in need, but is he? A strange old hag with a jackdaw – is that a sinister event, is she even real? Will we learn more? Of course we will. Will there be a fascinating denouement? And what about the violent criminals…
Well I’m not going to tell you, but what I will hint at is that what begins as a possible source of work soon becomes a dangerous adventure with, ultimately, a surprising discovery for this family group. But will the discovery ever see the light of day? Ah, there’s the question. Nope, I will not tell you. Read it, you won’t regret it, this is a most fascinating novel.
The Swords of Canterbury by Graham Williams is in Kindle and paperback: The Swords of Canterbury