Book of the month August 2022

Julian Cope - The Modern Antiquarian

Without this book there would be no Stone Club.

Julain’s primary research, the thusands of miles travlled, paths walked, stones found, touched and contempated. The essays are revelatory, drawing conclusions that opened up the minds and hearts of a new generation of stone hunters.

The book may still be found in second hand bookshops but the website containing thousands of sites is still very much alive. Visit The Modern Antiquarian and start exploring!

‘Deeply impressive… ancient history: the new rock ’n’ roll.’ The Times

Julian Cope is one of Britain’s best known and most-celebrated post-punk visionaries. In this historical masterpiece, he takes us on an unforgettable journey across the British Isles, uncovering the first temples ever built and their myriad descendants, the relics of which can still be seen today.

The Modern Antiquarian is the result of an eight-year odyssey in search of the roots of British cultural identity. Of the countless sites visited, Cope has selected over 300 of the very best; photographing their remains and explaining fully their relationships with the landscape.

This book shines a powerful light onto the past of a nation hoodwinked into believing that its history began with the Roman conquest. Cope’s deft prose examines our prehistoric beginnings through the evidence of megalithic remains and their surroundings, allowing us for the first time to reconcile the tapestry of our past with modern life.