On This Holy Island

Almost 500 years ago, pilgrimage was outlawed in England. In this book acclaimed travel writer Oliver Smith travels across Britain to create an entirely modern pilgrimage - finding the holy places across the country that time has left behind. He travels by foot, recording the landscape and people he meets as he re-discovers places that have been considered sacred in Great Britain. He uncovers the stories of individuals, religions, cults and others who had locally sourced their 'Gods' on home soil. Partly a history of pre-Christian Britain, about which almost nothing is known, partly a reflection on the roots of the British people and the nation, and a paean to the role of spirituality, sense of place and need for meaning in our lives - this book is an evocative and enlightening journey through the sacred places long since forgotten.

On a Holy Island is a personal journey that will be divided into ten 'Gods'. These are Gods of many guises: prehistoric, postmodern, personal, literary, mystical and mainstream - most never considered in each other's company. They are all connected by Smith's walk and each tells us something about British culture, nostalgia, beliefs and sense of place. This is not a definitive list but instead Smith's own curated 'pantheon' - extraordinary stories chosen because they tell us something about the national character of Britain. The locations linked to these 'Gods' follow the natural westward trajectory, from London towards Wessex and Wales. It's an example of a journey that goes deeper rather than further and will inject fresh meaning into familiar places and the role of spirituality in our history.