An illustrated introduction to rites and traditions relating to death, funerary rites and commemoration, from Medieval times to the present day.

In this illustrated book historian and folklorist Helen Frisby describes how, since the Middle Ages, people have prepared for death and sent the dead on their way. The Black Death spawned a rich funerary culture, which came under attack during the Reformation. However, some old customs, such as the passing bell and funeral tea, persisted well into the Industrial Age. Meanwhile, customs which now seem long established have much more recent origins; professional undertakers first emerged in the 1700s, whilst the Victorians invented the garden cemetery and legalized cremation. Nowadays expressions of individuality are more valued, and our funeral customs continue to evolve accordingly. Yet from walking funerals to the motor hearse, prayers for the dead to eco-burial, ritual has always proved a powerful way of facing up to the inevitable. Using contemporary images and photographs, this fascinating book is a concise introduction to funerary rites in the UK.