Hidden Histories A Spotter S Guide To The British Landscape

For the times when you’re driving past a lumpy, bumpy field and you wonder what made the lumps and bumps; for when you’re walking between two lines of grand trees, wondering when and why they were planted; for when you see a brown heritage sign pointing to a ‘tumulus’ but you don’t know what to look for… Entertaining and factually rigorous, Hidden Histories will help you decipher the story of our landscape through the features you can see around you. This Spotter’s Guide arms the amateur explorer with the crucial information needed to ‘read’ the landscape and spot the human activities that have shaped our green and pleasant land. Photographs and diagrams point out specific details and typical examples to help the curious Spotter ‘get their eye in’ and understand what they’re looking at, or looking for. Specially commissioned illustrations bring to life the processes that shaped the landscape - from medieval ploughing to Roman road building - and stand-alone capsules explore interesting aspects of history such as the Highland Clearances or the coming of Christianity. This unique guide uncovers the hidden stories behind the country's landscape, making it the perfect companion for an exploration of our green and pleasant land.

In Secret Britain, join anthropologist and broadcaster Mary-Ann Ochota for a tour of more than 70 of Britain's most intriguing archaeological sites and artefacts.

A beautifully illustrated introduction to the mindful pleasure of pebble spotting Hidden in plain sight along every shoreline, these amazing consequences of wind, sea, and time all tell stories of our landscapes. In this spirited guide to pebbles, richly illustrated throughout, passionate geologist and pebble spotter Clive J. Mitchell gives practical advice on how to identify 40 pebbles and where to find them, making a trip to the beach or riverbank all the more interesting. The pebbles he introduces range from the humble flint to feldspar veins, serpentinite, granite ovoids, and the holy grail of pebble hunting, the rare rhomb porphyry. The book includes a space for the reader to ruminate on their own findings, taking note of the treasures that they pick up along the way. This is the perfect introduction to everything there is to know about the mindful pleasure of pebble spotting--and there is much treasure to find.

"Everyone should have two copies - one for the car and one for the house to plan journeys. . . a reminder to think more about the places you pass and less about your route, because every British journey is through rich history." (Edward Stourton) From much-loved historian Neil Oliver, comes this beautifully written, kaleidoscopic history of a place with a story like no other. The British Isles, this archipelago of islands, is to Neil Oliver the best place in the world. From north to south, east to west it cradles astonishing beauty. The human story here is a million years old, and counting. But the tolerant, easygoing peace we enjoy has been hard won. We have made and known the best and worst of times. We have been hero and villain and all else in between, and we have learned some lessons. The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places is Neil’s very personal account of what makes these islands so special, told through the places that have witnessed the unfolding of our history. Beginning with footprints made in the sand by humankind’s earliest ancestors, he takes us via Romans and Vikings, the flowering of religion, through civil war, industrial revolution and two world wars. From windswept headlands to battlefields, ancient trees to magnificent cathedrals, each of his destinations is a place where, somehow, the spirit of the past seems to linger.

A fascinating, inspiring gift book that helps you make the most of nature, with something to spot for every day of the year. This book proves that nature isn't something you visit from time to time; it's everywhere – even in the densest concrete jungle. You can find nearly all of the natural wonders in this book within a mile of your front door. There are 365 to look for – one for every day of year, organised by month. From mushrooms to meteors, from moths to mosses, it’s incredible what you can find when you look. With witty and lyrical text and beautiful illustrations, this is a gift book that will transform how you see the world and build a greater connection to the natural world for the rest of your life.

Nicholas Crane's new book brilliantly describes the evolution of Britain's countryside and cities. It is part journey, part history, and it concludes with awkward questions about the future of Britain's landscapes. Nick Crane's story begins with the melting tongues of glaciers and the emergence of a gigantic game-park tentatively being explored by a vanguard of Mesolithic adventurers who have taken the long, northward hike across the land bridge from the continent. The Iron Age develops into a pre-Roman 'Golden Era' and Crane looks at what the Romans did (and didn't) contribute to the British landscape. Major landscape 'events' (Black Death, enclosures, urbanisation, recreation, etc.) are fully described and explored, and he weaves in the role played by geology in shaping our cities, industry and recreation, the effect of climate (and the Gulf Stream), and of global economics (the Lancashire valleys were formed by overseas markets). The co-presenter of BBC's COAST also covers the extraordinary benefits bestowed by a 6,000-mile coastline. The 12,000-year story of the British landscape culminates in the twenty-first century, which is set to be one of the most extreme centuries of change since the Ice Age.

DIV How many socks make a pair? The answer is not always two. And behind this question lies a world of maths that can be surprising, amusing and even beautiful. Using playing cards, a newspaper, the back of an envelope, a Sudoku, some pennies and of course a pair of socks, Rob Eastaway shows how maths can demonstrate its secret beauties in even the most mundane of everyday objects. If you already like maths youÕll discover plenty of new surprises. And if youÕve never picked up a maths book in your life, this one will change your view of the subject forever. /div

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE COUNTRYSIDE tells the many-layered story of the British landscape. Oliver Rackham shows, with passion and humour, how to read our surroundings; the past - even the medieval past - lives around us. Adapted from his classic work THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRYSIDE this illustrated edition combines Dr Rackham's wisdom and eloquence with the finest landscape photography, vividly exposing the splendour and secrets of our countryside. At the heart of the book are eight of the author's walks within areas of natural beauty; Dr Rackham proves an engaging and informative guide to some of Britain's best loved places, as well as offering practical advice on landscape detection techniques. With over 100 colour illustrations THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE COUNTRYSIDE contains a wealth of knowledge invaluable to our appreciation of our greatest asset - our natural heritage.