Malcolm Hislop was born and brought up in Yorkshire. He studied History and Archaeology at the University of Nottingham, where he developed a special interest in medieval buildings, and subsequently went on to complete a PhD thesis based around the fourteenth-century master mason, John Lewyn of Durham. He writes regularly about medieval buildings for academic journals and has a particular curiosity about the manner in which medieval builders and architects worked. He now lives in Shropshire and teaches courses on historic buildings.

This book explains in detail the practice of masoncraft in the Middle Ages, using evidence from a number of sources. Monastic chronicles, building contracts and other contemporary documents have already revealed a good deal of information on the subject, but less attention has, until now, been paid to archaeological evidence preserved in numerous surviving Medieval buildings. Dr Hislop investigates how a study of certain features in these buildings, such as the stonework and building joints, can contribute to our knowledge of working practices of masons in medieval England. By focusing on how to interpret clues in the building structure, this account provides a practical guide to pursuing the study of masonry, and helps the reader to understand and identify the medieval mason's approach to design and constructional techniques.