This series of beautifully produced small books is intended to be an introduction to the often hidden worlds that lie within the great churches and cathedrals of the British Isles, Ireland, and Europe. Mike Harding presents a selection of the most fascinating manifestations of green men, gargoyles, misericords, and stained glass, explaining the background and meaning behind each subject in text and illustrations. Gargoyles that grin and leer down from roofs and towers of medieval churches have stood for centuries warding off evil and this book depicts the many fearsome faces of these monstrosities throughout history. The creatures reached their flowering in the Middle Ages yet their story goes far beyond that time to the very beginnings of art, when man created demons to scare away demons. The photographs in this small book present the range of these gargoyles in full color.