The Man Who Gave His Horse to a Beggar: following in the footsteps of Aidan of Lindisfarne, the Saint Who Walked to Heaven through Ireland, Scotland and the North of England Hardcover – 10 February 2020

I bought this as a gift for my brother, so only had a brief flick through it. The photographs with in the book were beautiful and the recipient was delighted with it. A sumptuous volume for anyone interested in Celtic saints or that era.

This is a real labour of love and it shows. A lavishly illustrated hardback back in a square format that charts the journey of St Aidan through Britain on his mission to convert the northern Anglo-Saxons. Informative, accessible, and sumptuously put together, this will look good on any bookshelf.

If you are already interested in the stories of faith, power and kingship in Early Medieval Northumbria, this should be required reading. Even if you're not- and let's face it, not everyone is- the lavish illustrations and thoughtful prose will undoubtedly reel you in. Very much a labour of love for the author, this is an epic true story that deserves wider recognition. Perhaps a few more maps would enhance it to show how one evocative site relates to another. Otherwise, my only complaint would be its a little unwieldy for reading in the bath.