An engaging introduction to the workings of church buildings and churchyards, explaining the integral elements of a working church and how they have changed over time.The parish church is a symbol of
Slipware has been one of the most popular types of pottery in Britain since its introduction over four centuries ago. By the seventeenth century the decoration of pottery with slip, or clay mixed to a
Spinning and Spinning Wheels traces the evolution of the ancient skill of spinning, from the early spindle, through the introduction of the wool and the flax wheel, to the numerous variations of the w
This celebration of some of the greatest art, architecture and furniture to be found in English churches offers a fascinating account of centuries of accumulated wealth, and is set off by a selection
This fascinating pocket book draws on numerous primary sources from the early days of the rail network through to the Big Four, British Railways and beyond to present a unique guide to the knowledge a
Bradshaw's guide to London was published in a single volume as a handbook for visitors to the capital, and it includes beautiful engravings of London attractions, a historical overview of the city, an
After VE Day in 1945 the British population returned enthusiastically to the road. But the cost and availability of both vehicles and fuel led to the post-war scene being dominated by motorcycles, mos
The way we shop has undergone many transformations over the years, and a pioneer of one such change was the department store. Selling everything from clothes to cosmetics, furniture to food, the depar
From the 1930s to the 1960s, millions of British people chose to spend their annual summer break at a holiday camp, taking advantage of the all-included package that provided accommodation, food, and
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries a profound change swept across England. The rapid advance of technology increased industrial productivity to a level previously unimaginable. To s
From the bronze age to the present day, man has found numerous uses for tin and its alloys, and has gone to great lengths to extract it from the ground. This book explains why tin minerals are found o
Of all motor vehicles the farm tractor has proved to be among the most beneficial. It has freed hundreds of thousands of laborers and horses from backbreaking toil on the land in all weathers and it h
In 1938, Britain prepared for war, and to spread the word about what should be done in the event of attack, and to distribute the gas masks that would become universal, a body of men and women were ca
Road haulage has been in existence for as long as roads themselves: wherever goods need to be moved across land, people have set themselves up in business to carry those goods. For hundreds of years h
This book emphasises the information to be gleaned from the interpretation of the archaeology, and provides a practical guide to pursuing the study of medieval masoncraft. Dr Hislop reviews the main
In the aftermath of World War II, design was key to a new way of living as carefully thought-out principles were applied to new homes and commercial buildings across the country. From open plan living
The Potteries is the name given to the industrial area in the English Midlands that was home to hundreds of pottery-making companies and until recently supllied most of the country's crockery and deco
Whether they are still operational or long abandoned, quarries are often dismissed as eyesores. Despite this, they can be fascinating to visit, and provide an interesting link to a once powerful and n
Silk was first developed in ancient China as early as 2600 BC and over the centuries to follow it gradually spread first to South East Asia and then to the Middle East, North Africa and Europe along t
Although misericords were originally installed on the hidden undersides of church folding seats to provide comfort to those standing for long periods of prayer, the have gradually become more ornately
During the last days of peace in 1939 nearly two million people, most of them children, were evacuated from British cities, towns and ports to the countryside, or across the Atlantic to the USA and Ca
The village pump was once the focal point of rural life, providing the only water supply to communities and offering a place in town squares and village greens for people to come together. Sadly, with
The market towns of the British Isles were a vital part of rural life, offering farmers and traders the opportunity to bring their produce to sell. Today, many of these traditional market towns still
Providing a vital service to communities and businesses over the years, delivery vans have evolved through time, with many different models taking to the road. In the 1920s and 1930s many types of unu
The relationship established between man and bird is central to the ancient sport of falconry; to earn the trust of the bird, the falconer must show a great deal of patience, skill and intuition. This
In the days before refrigeration, the very wealthy would use specially designed icehouses to store food from one season to the next. This book examines the design and development of icehouses, using m
Although Thomas Crapper is most commonly associated with the invention of the flushing toilet, his models were in fact the result of a long line of improvements to earlier designs which date back to a
Although the evidence for ghosts is largely inconclusive, there has throughout history always been a widespread belief in paranormal beings and to this day the telling of ghost stories continues to in
Mankind has been using wood since prehistoric times to build shelter, houses, containers, vehicles and implements and the tools and techniques used to shape and manipulate wood are thousands of years
Since the early Middle Ages, the Royal and princely families of Europe have conferred a wide range of Orders of Knighthood and Chivalry both to reward loyal service to the Crown or Royal Family and to
Allotments are small areas of land rented to individuals to grow their own food. Nowadays often thought of as havens for peace and quiet, the humble allotment has a surprisingly turbulent history. Bor
The Toby jug is often seen a s a uniquely British form of ceramics. Its history dates back at least as far as the 1770s, and it is possible to trace its ancestors even further back to the creation of
The ancient Egyptians believed that the statutory agricultural labour imposed on them in order to utilise the Nile floods would continue in the afterlife. To avoid this irksome duty they devised the s
Sir Christopher Wren (1632–1723) is now mostly remembered as a genius of architecture – but he was also an accomplished polymath, who only came to architecture quite late in life. Most famous as the m
Brunel called his Great Western Railway the "finest work in England" and it certainly contained many special and groundbreaking new features, but none was as unorthodox as the decision to abandon the
From the Houses of Parliament to the Midland Hotel at St Pancras and Strawberry Hill House, Gothic Revival buildings are some of the most distinctive structures found in Britain. Far from just copying
Designed both to protect the their inhabitants of the towns they towered over and cow them into submission, castles dominated the landscape of Medieval England and Wales. Though some were built before
From cooks and clerks to weapons analysts and air mechanics, generations of women have served in the Wrens (Women's Royal Naval Service or WRNS). The Royal Navy was the first of the UK armed services
In the Middle Ages, it was thought that praying at the right shrine could save you from just about anything, from madness and famine to false imprisonment and even shipwreck. Kingdoms, cities, and eve
In the 1950s and 1960s, British sports car ruled the road, and their charge was led by Triumphs. From the TR2, its first modern sports car, Triumph went on to produce a host of classic sports design
