Eleanor

A 200-Mile Walk in Search of England's Lost Queen: A Waterstones History Book of 2025

De: Alice Loxton

Narrado por: Alice Loxton

Read by the author.

An extraordinary journey that uncovers historical secrets about England’s forgotten Queen. From Alice Loxton, author of the acclaimed bestseller Eighteen.

‘Alice Loxton is the star of her generation’ – Dan Snow, historian and host of History Hit

‘I loved this beautiful, elegiac, honest and compelling book - a modern-day pilgrimage walking in the footsteps of one of the great forgotten queens’ – Kate Mosse, bestselling author of The Map of Bones

In 1290, England mourned the death of a queen, Eleanor of Castile, beloved wife of King Edward I. Her body was carried on a 200-mile journey from Lincoln to London, a solemn procession that would become immortalized in stone. To mark the places where her cortege rested, a heartbroken Edward commissioned twelve magnificent Eleanor Crosses.

More than seven centuries later, bestselling historian Alice Loxton set herself an epic challenge: following in history’s footsteps by walking the entire 200-mile funeral route on the corresponding dates.

As Alice journeys in search of England’s forgotten Queen, over ancient paths and modern motorways, history comes alive in surprising ways. Lively and entertaining, Eleanor uncovers the extraordinary life and formidable character of this lesser-known royal, revealing her inspiring legacy and the hidden history of Britain.

'Captivating . . . Eleanor is a reminder of the beauty and intrigue all around us on this storied island' – Luke Sherlock, bestselling author of Forgotten Churches

‘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

Reseñas de la Crítica

I loved this beautiful, elegiac, honest and compelling book - a modern-day pilgrimage walking in the footsteps of one of the great forgotten queens. This is history as it should be done, connecting the real people of the past with the people we are now. Storytelling at its finest (Kate Mosse, bestselling author of The Map of Bones)

Eleanor is dazzling, alive with wit, elegance and insight. A book that makes history feel urgent, intimate and unforgettable (Rob Rinder MBE, bestselling author of The Trial)

Alice Loxton takes us on a highly engaging 200-mile trek that resonates with history and shows why a rather amazing 13th-century queen was remembered so poignantly by her heartbroken husband. Written with energetic zest and originality by a natural storyteller (Charles Spencer, bestselling author of The White Ship)

The perfect walk through history – great queens and small inconveniences, magnificent architecture and crippling blisters. A joyous read! (Sir Tony Robinson, actor, author of The House of Wolf and presenter of Time Team)

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)

Thoroughly Enjoyable!!!

Once again, Alice Loxtox (History Alice on social media) continues to make history so much fun. In her latest book, we literally get the fun one step at a time. Alice gives us so much knowledge as she traces the steps of the funeral cortage of Eleanor of Castile, wife of Edward I. Over the 200 mile journey, we get to meet several friends, her mum, rainy days, stops to learn masonry, or just McDonald's for bacon. I have enjoyed all her books thus far... this, the best. I learned so much, I laughed. I also related to a few things. Congratulations on a job well done. This was a fun listen for anyone interested in medieval history. Alice's enthusiasm is always so contagious.

Where is the PDF?

There is supposed to be a PDF with photos of the route? Why are they not here?

Light-hearted approach

The content was interesting. Obviously not a scholarly biography but some interesting detail not just about Eleanor but medieval era. Did not care for the narration as it conveyed some arrogance about how much more informed/intelligent we are in 2025. Eleanor was a product of her age and can’t be measured by modern standards.