An Architectural History of Peterborough clarifies the obscure and tangled building history of one of England's most interesting medieval monuments. Lisa Reilly demonstrates how Peterborough offers extensive information concerning both specific buildings such as Canterbury and broader issues of the period such as the process of cultural assimilation, patterns of construction, and building design as a response to liturgical needs. This study expands the traditional use of formal and archaeological analysis to include a discussion of the building's social and political context. Peterborough Cathedral is the best-preserved example of Anglo-Norman architecture, and provides an ideal case study for the period.