Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Heaven Tree | 1960 | Ellis Peters | Buy |
| 2 | The Green Branch | 1962 | Ellis Peters | Buy |
| 3 | The Scarlet Seed | 1963 | Ellis Peters | Buy |
The Heaven Tree trilogy is historical fiction set in 13th-century England during the reign of King John. Published between 1960 and 1963, the three novels follow master builder Harry Talvace and his descendants through decades of conflict between the English crown and the Welsh border lords.
Ellis Peters wrote the trilogy under her real name, Edith Pargeter, drawing on her deep knowledge of the Welsh Marches. The architecture of medieval churches provides both a literal and metaphorical framework for the stories, with Harry’s work as a stone carver driving the narrative of the first book. The later volumes follow the consequences of Harry’s choices across generations.