This eclectic selection of papers looks at historic and contemporary issues concerned with the redundancy of churches, and their subsequent reuse and maintenance. When did it come to be thought preferable to reuse the buildings rather than demolish them? What is the role of the Church of England, and how has the law changed over time? How have ideas evolved about the acceptability of different uses - by members of other religions, for commercial purposes, and involving for instance licensed premises and martial arts? And how are heritage bodies entrusted with former churches, such as the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, the Churches Conservation Trust and the Norwich Historic Churches Trust (NHCT), coping with the challenges of maintaining and converting the buildings in an age of austerity? Papers presented at conferences organized by the NHCT and its Friends in 2014 and 2015 are supplemented by four specially written contributions on aspects of the NHCT itself: its history, its guiding principles, the Heavenly Gardens project to enhance churchyards, and the experiences of a tenant. The NHCT is entrusted with the care of 18 of Norwich's redundant medieval churches, and works not only to maintain them but to increase awareness of architectural, historical and other related aspects of our medieval ecclesiastical heritage. All profits from the sale of this book go to support its work.

His energy, his sometimes eccentric convictions and his failure to consider others' points of view perhaps hampered the career of W. S. Gilly (1789-1855) in the Church of England. But they contributed to a life which was remarkable in its depth and breadth of achievement - as preacher, writer, social reformer and philanthropist. Gilly was born in Suffolk and spent his early years in south-east England, including a spell as a student at Christ's Hospital. He later lambasted the public school system of his day. As a young clergyman in East London he preached to an inattentive Charles Dickens. But the main path of his life was set by two events: his second marriage to a connection of a Bishop of Durham, which brought him access to considerable funds, and his visit to the valleys in Piedmont where Waldensian Protestants had settled. Gilly spearheaded English attempts to help the Waldensians, including the setting-up of a college to train their pastors. As Prebend of Durham Cathedral and Vicar of Norham, in the Borders, he also became a notable agitator for social reform in the North-East, working to relieve poverty in the city of Durham and championing the hinds, the travelling labourers of the Borders region. He published many books and articles, and a number of memorials to his work survive. This thoughtful and wide-ranging review of Gilly's life and work is illustrated with maps, genealogies, photographs and contemporary illustrations, including sketches by Gilly's wife Jane.

Academical dress has been worn by students and graduates for hundreds of years and even in this modern time shows no obvious sign of becoming obsolete. Each new university, on receiving its charter, adopts its own distinctive robes. This is an updated and expanded third edition of Dr George Shaw's comprehensive guide to the academical dress of British and Irish universities, produced in accordance with the original author's wishes, and published by the Burgon Society.

The Norwich Historic Churches Trust, entrusted with the care of 18 of Norwich's redundant medieval churches, works not only to maintain them but to increase awareness of architectural, historical and other related aspects of our medieval ecclesiastical heritage. This is the first of two books the Lasse Press is publishing in association with the Trust, with all profits going to support its work. It focuses on historically oriented papers from its 2014 and 2015 conferences. An authoritative but also entertaining (and at times eccentric) collection, which ranges well beyond Norwich itself, they are copiously illustrated and should appeal to all those interested in the history of Norwich or in medieval churches more generally. The collection is edited by Nicholas Groves, convenor of the conferences and co-author of William Stephen Gilly, also published by the Lasse Press.