Barchester Towers
The quiet cathedral city of Barchester is thrown into comic uproar when a new, low-church bishop arrives with his domineering wife and the oily, ambitious chaplain Mr. Slope, igniting a war over church politics, patronage, and the hand of a wealthy young widow. Trollope’s beloved satire of clerical rivalry is warm, witty, and irresistibly readable, peopled with some of his finest comic creations. The most popular of the Barsetshire novels, Barchester Towers gently skewers ambition and hypocrisy while celebrating decency and good humor. Delightful and sharply observed, it is a perfect entry into Trollope’s richly imagined cathedral world and one of the great comic novels of the Victorian age.
About the Author
Anthony Trollope (1815-1882) was an English novelist of the Victorian era, celebrated for the Barsetshire and Palliser series, whose warm, realistic novels of society and character remain widely loved.
See all books by Anthony Trollope →
Listen to Barchester Towers Audiobook Free
Listen to Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope free online. The full audiobook (22 hr 26 min, 53 chapters, read by volunteer narrators) streams free on this page.
Barchester Towers (1857) is a public domain work.
| # | Chapter | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I.I Who will be the new Bishop? | 20:25 | |
| 2 | I.II Hiram's Hospital | 20:30 | |
| 3 | I.III Dr. and Mrs. Proudie | 16:27 | |
| 4 | I.IV The Bishop's Chaplain | 19:55 | |
| 5 | I.V A Morning Visit | 21:44 | |
| 6 | I.VI War | 28:28 | |
| 7 | I.VII The Dean and Chapter take Counsel | 16:22 | |
| 8 | I.VIII The Ex-Warden rejoices at his probable Return to the Hospital | 16:26 | |
| 9 | I.IX The Stanhope Family | 33:32 | |
| 10 | I.X Mrs Proudie's Reception--Commenced | 22:36 | |
| 11 | I.XI Mrs. Proudie's Reception - Concluded | 35:30 | |
| 12 | I.VII Slope versus Harding | 18:06 | |
| 13 | I.XIII The Rubbish Cart | 23:58 | |
| 14 | I.XIV The New Champion | 16:40 | |
| 15 | I.XV The Widow's Suitors | 32:36 | |
| 16 | I.XVI Baby Worship | 30:23 | |
| 17 | I.XVII Who shall be Cock of the Walk? | 22:18 | |
| 18 | I.XVIII The Widow's Persecution | 18:41 | |
| 19 | I,XIX Barchester by Moonlight | 24:04 | |
| 20 | II.I Mr Arabin | 29:39 | |
| 21 | II.II St Ewold's Parsonage | 25:06 | |
| 22 | II.III The Thornes of Ullathorne | 32:24 | |
| 23 | II.IV Mr Arabin reads himself in at St Ewold's | 23:50 | |
| 24 | II.V Mr Slope manages matters very well at Puddingdale | 24:02 | |
| 25 | II.VI Fourteen Arguments in favour of Mr Quiverful's Claims | 20:13 | |
| 26 | II.VII Mrs Proudie wrestles and gets a Fall | 32:36 | |
| 27 | II.VIII A Love Scene | 40:54 | |
| 28 | II.IX Mrs Bold is entertained by Dr and Mrs Grantly at Plumstead | 43:18 | |
| 29 | II.X A serious Interview | 26:19 | |
| 30 | II.XI Another Love Scene | 29:03 | |
| 31 | II.XII The Bishop's Library | 13:52 | |
| 32 | II.XIII A New Candidate for Ecclesiastical Honours | 35:13 | |
| 33 | II.XIV Mrs Proudie Victrix | 25:56 | |
| 34 | II.XV Oxford--The Master and Tutor of Lazarus | 20:44 | |
| 35 | III.I Miss Thorne's Fete Champetre | 22:15 | |
| 36 | III.II Ullathorne Sports--Act I | 34:36 | |
| 37 | III.III The Signora Neroni, the Countess De Courcy, and Mrs Proudie meet each other at Ullathorne | 33:35 | |
| 38 | III.IV The Bishop sits down to Breakfast and the Dean dies | 33:02 | |
| 39 | III.V The Lookalofts and the Greenacres | 26:24 | |
| 40 | III.VI Ullathorne Sports--Act II | 28:54 | |
| 41 | III.VII Mrs Bold confides her Sorrow to her Friend Miss Stanhope | 24:04 | |
| 42 | III.VIII Ullathorne Sports--Act III | 28:58 | |
| 43 | III.IX Mrs and Mrs Quiverful are made happy. Mr Slope is encouraged by the Press | 40:51 | |
| 44 | III.X Mrs Bold at Home | 23:31 | |
| 45 | III.XI The Stanhopes at Home | 26:28 | |
| 46 | III.XII Mr Slope's parting Interview with the Signora | 25:04 | |
| 47 | III.XIII The Dean Elect | 26:12 | |
| 48 | III.XIV Miss Thorne shows her Talent at Match-making | 26:47 | |
| 49 | III.XV The Belzebub Colt | 15:09 | |
| 50 | III.XVI The Archdeacon is satisfied with the State of Affairs | 16:44 | |
| 51 | III.XVII Mr Slope's Farewell to the Palace and its Inhabitants | 21:28 | |
| 52 | III.XVIII The new Dean takes Possession of the Deanery, and the New Warden of the Hospital | 18:52 | |
| 53 | III.XIX Conclusion | 10:46 |
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