King of Dust By Alex Woodcock

To be published in May - pre order now

‘A personal and illuminating pilgrimage into the mysterious deep time of the medieval stonemason’s art.’ David Keenan ‘A story of deep knowledge, self-discovery, mark-making and deft articulation, King of Dust is a masonic portal through which Alex Woodcock explores humankind’s relationship with stone.’ Dan Richards
King of Dust is a craftsman’s personal journey through the landscapes of ancient sculpture which first inspired him to pick up tools. From the grandeur of Exeter cathedral to the strangeness of the font at Toller Fratrum, this journey through the Romanesque celebrates the lives of medieval carvers and contemporary stonemasons, interwoven with Alex’ own life as he slowly becomes a stonemason. The paperback edition of the much-praised hardback.
Alex Woodcock is a stone carver and writer from the south coast of England. After completing a doctorate in medieval sculpture he worked for six years at Exeter Cathedral, working to repair the internationally significant west front. He has published work on gothic and Romanesque stone carving, on surrealist artists and the geology of England’s south. An award-winning poet and essayist, in 2013 he was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.