Great Cloister. A Lost Canterbury Tale is the first comprehensive and complete historical study of the important national monument that is the Canterbury cathedral cloister. It aims to answer the questions of why, when, and for whom each of the 856 original heradic shields was placed here. The lost roll of donors has been recreated, thus reconnecting a masterpiece of medieval art and architecture with the story of its times. It provides a window on the dramatic reign of King Henry IV from the perspective of many different individuals. The origins and rationale for each shield design have been considered, thereby taking the time frame back from the fifteen, to the twelfth century, when heraldry began. Each unique shield is illustrated in colour. Book jacket.