Eleanor

A delightful book. A brilliant fusion of history and geography, or perhaps history and geography fused by love

Sir Simon Jenkins, columnist and author of A Short History of England

Captivating . . . Eleanor is a reminder of the beauty and intrigue all around us on this storied island

Luke Sherlock, bestselling author of Forgotten Churches

Brilliantly entertaining and informative, Alice Loxton’s Eleanor will no doubt inspire a new generation of readers to lace up their walking boots and set out to discover Britain’s history for themselves

Flora Carr, author of The Tower

Loxton has the novelist's skill of seeing the world through her characters' eyes, and the historian's accuracy of vision

Philippa Gregory, bestselling author of Normal Women

Alice Loxton is the star of her generation . . . the next big thing in history

Dan Snow, historian and author of On This Day in History

Loxton is the leading historian of her generation

Dan Jones, bestselling author of The Templars

Powerful, vivid, fascinating and truly life giving, Alice Loxton’s brilliance, empathy and superb research here wonderfully showcased. A magical journey into history and the rich tapestry of the past lying under our feet. Marvellous

Kate Williams, historian and author of England's Mistress

In Loxton’s hands, a story about following in the footsteps of Eleanor of Castile’s funerary procession feels like nothing short of an epic quest, and Loxton is the perfect companion — interested, erudite and entertaining. I laughed out loud and learnt so much

Luke Pepera, author of Motherland

Alice Loxton brings Eleanor of Castile’s story to life via an atmospheric winter pilgrimage through medieval and modern England. Eleanor is history at its most human; a story that resurrects a queen and her kingdom with wit, warmth and wonder

Andrew Ziminski, stonemason and author of The Stonemason

Eleanor is a beautifully written, effortless read. Alice Loxton illuminates the story of a fascinating and forgotten queen, whose memorials are no less than Britain's answer to the Taj Mahal. With a gift for making history come alive, Alice has written a book both irresistible and surprising

Sam Dalrymple, author of Shattered Lands

Alice always manages to tame the wild pages of history, and serves it on a plate for the modern mind. Eleanor is a forgotten Queen no more!

Charlie Eve, British historian and presenter

Loxton’s approachable written style has the feel of an open-minded, playful pilgrim, seeing the world as it is now, whilst simultaneously existing in the parallel dimension of Eleanor’s time and soul. Loxton made a very good move by fastidiously scheduling her pilgrimage to the exact timings of the actual procession of Eleanor’s body all those centuries ago, an act of writerly magic that creates a compellingly multi-dimensional story with chance encounters and happenings at every turn. Her youthful passion for history and life shines through as she dives into the royal love story in this fully embodied way. I hope that many more historians take Loxton’s lead, and start walking their talk through the land, to access the deeper truths of their stories

Dr Guy Hayward, Co-Founder and Director, British Pilgrimage Trust

Eleanor is a wonderfully refreshing take on history — Alice Loxton is changing how we read the past

Katie Kennedy (@thehistorygossip), author of The History Gossip

A muddy, eventful romp that shines a light on love, loss, and those journeys that unite us

Cosima Carnegie, presenter, writer and historian

A thrilling journey through England’s past . . . Loxton makes history come to life with charm and pizazz

Georgiana Davies (@hrhgeorgiana)

A gripping and entertaining account of the greatest love story in English history

Luke Tomes, historian

A thrilling adventure through the life and legacy of one of the most overlooked queens in British history. This is a journey which makes the past come vividly to life and inspires you to get outside and discover the history waiting to be discovered on your doorstep

Ruby Gray, historian and creator of @too.long.didnt.readd

A wonderful tale we didn’t realize we needed to know, carried by Loxton’s sharp-eyed narrative

Matthew Rice, author of Rice’s Architectural Primer

An uplifting celebration of the past, reminding us how much history there is to discover in the world just beyond our doorstep

Violet Manners, founder of Heritage Explore

Eleanor is a sparkling, joyful read. Alice Loxton's account of her journey retracing Edward I's journey in honour of his wife, interspersed with reflections on medieval conceptions of grief, the splendour of the humble iced bun, and the sheer amount of mud in England, brings Eleanor of Castile’s life story vividly to life. Engaging, funny, personal and insightful, this book deserves a place on every history lover’s bookshelf. It might just inspire you to dust off (or break in) those hiking boots

Katherine Pangonis, author of Twilight Cities

Eleanor is a whimsical love letter to England, as charming and cosy as a Jerome K. Jerome novel. Will make you want to take a long walk, look at some churchyards, and drink a lovely cup of tea

Alice Winn, bestselling author of In Memoriam

[Alice Loxton's] enthusiasm for encounters with the past is infectious, and it is hard to disagree with her argument that we should all get outside and explore the history around us

The Times