The Druids: A History

The Druids: A History examines how Druids have been imagined, discussed and reconstructed in Britain from the 16th century onwards. Ronald Hutton follows the changing influence of antiquaries, historians, poets and religious thinkers, showing how accounts of the ancient priesthood became entangled with prehistoric monuments, archaeology and ideas of British identity.

The book considers figures such as William Stukeley and Iolo Morganwg, alongside the development of modern Druid orders and beliefs. It also assesses the limited evidence for the ancient Druids, separating what can reasonably be inferred from later traditions and romantic inventions. The result is a history of Druidry as an evolving British cultural idea, rather than a straightforward account of an unbroken ancient religion.