Sarum

The towering story of five families through 100 centuries of turmoil, tyranny, passion and prosperity. In a novel of extraordinary richness the whole sweep of British civilisation unfolds through the story of one place, Salisbury, from beyond recorded time to the present day. A masterpiece of breathtaking scope, from the Ice Age to the present day, Sarum traces the entire turbulent course of English history through the epic saga of five families. The Wilsons and the Shockleys, locked in a cycle of revenge and rivalry for more than 400 years; the Masons, who pour their inspired love of stone into the creation of Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral; the Porters, descended from a young Roman soldier in exile; and the aristocratic Godfreys, who will fall to the very bottom of the social ladder before their fortunes revive. As their fates and fortunes intertwine over the course of the centuries, through struggle and adventure, their greater destinies offer a fascinating glimpse into the future.