The English Road to Rome

Rome has attracted British travellers for the past 20 centuries - priests, artists, writers, tourists and historians. This book tells the stories of some of these travellers - Adrian IV the only English Pope, Inigo Jones, Robert Adams, Joshua Reynolds, John Keats, Edward Lear and Augustus Hare.

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Rome has attracted British traveller for the past 20 centuries - priests, artists, writers, tourists and historians. Rome has meant different things to different people through the centuries. Until the 15th century, Rome was the centre of the church, and travels were only undertaken by pilgrims. In the 16th century, Rome became one of the centres that followed more travellers flocked to the city as part of the Giro d'Italia or Grand Tour. By the beginning of the 19th century it had become fashionable amongst the British aristocracy to winter there. With the arrival of the railways Rome became more accessible, and by the end of the centuries the middle classes were also enjoying the city. This book tells the stories of some of the British men and women who visited Rome: the 5th century heretic Pelagius, Adrian IV - the only English pope, Inigo Jones, Robert Adam, Joshua Reynolds, John Keats, Edward Lear, Augustus Hare, and many others.