I Never Knew That About Royal Britain

With the royal wedding around the corner, there no better time than the present to get acquainted with Royal Britain Bestselling author Christopher Winn explores Britain's royal past, unearthing a rich legacy of castles and palaces, cathedrals and country retreats, battlefields and monuments where kings and queens lived and died. In this exploration of royal British history, discover whose heart is buried near the Tower of London; which palace was built on top of a mulberry garden; the world's oldest and largest occupied castle and the first building in Britain to have latrines. From the Palace of Scone to the Palace of Westminster, from Pembroke Castle, the birthplace of Henry VII, to Pontefract Castle, where Richard II starved to death, and from banqueting halls to beheading sites, this gem of a book is guaranteed to inform and amuse in equal measure.

With the royal wedding around the corner, there no better time than the present to get acquainted with Royal Britain Bestselling author Christopher Winn explores Britain's royal past, unearthing a rich legacy of castles and palaces, cathedrals and country retreats, battlefields and monuments where kings and queens lived and died. In this exploration of royal British history, discover whose heart is buried near the Tower of London; which palace was built on top of a mulberry garden; the world's oldest and largest occupied castle and the first building in Britain to have latrines. From the Palace of Scone to the Palace of Westminster, from Pembroke Castle, the birthplace of Henry VII, to Pontefract Castle, where Richard II starved to death, and from banqueting halls to beheading sites, this gem of a book is guaranteed to inform and amuse in equal measure.

We all love to be beside the seaside! Be it the crunch of the sand beneath your feet, or the promise of an unexplored rock pool that draws you to the sea, prepare to be whisked away by bestselling author Christopher Winn as you delve into the charming tales of England's coastline. Divided into eighteen chapters – one for each of the coastal counties in the UK – this book will entertain and illuminate, by casting new light on the many points of intrigue to be explored along 3000 miles of spectacularly diverse and historically rich English coast. Illustrated with beautiful black-and-white line drawings, by Mai Osawa, this book makes the perfect companion for any seaside outing. You’ll find yourself exclaiming again and again – I never knew that!

This charming book takes you through the counties of England, exploring Saxon churches, reflective of simple faith; Norman churches with rugged arches and powerful pillars, stamping their authority, gothic churches with their soaring arches; Decorated and Perpendicular churches made glorious with Early English style and craftsmanship; Victorian churches, resplendent with imperial pomp; eccentric Arts and Crafts churches. Every one of them has a remarkable tale to tell, that will move you to exclaim, again and again: ‘I never knew that!’.

Did you know that.. From Stonebridge Park on the Bakerloo Line you can walk to the largest Hindu temple in Europe? From Ealing Broadway on the Central Line you can walk to the oldest film studios in the world? From Stratford on the Central Line you can walk to, and abseil down, Britain's tallest sculpture? London is a city of surprises and variety, over 600 square miles packed full of character. And to really know London you must look beyond the obvious; there are broad vistas and quiet corners, iconic sights and grand boulevards, quaint villages, verdant parks, cobbled alleyways, museums, monuments, markets, theatres, and ancient churches. This book unearths and explores a stupendous range of interesting places, some well known, some less well known, some almost unknown, all of within an easy walk of a Tube station. If you want a day out and you want to do something different then London is your town, the Tube is your means and London by Tube is your guide.

Bestselling author and quiz master Christopher Winn is here to test your general knowledge of Britain with over 1000 quiz questions to perplex and puzzle about our glorious islands. Covering a myriad of subjects including history, cathedrals, sports, records, modern Britain, royalty, people, places, deeds, discoveries and disasters, there is something to test everyone from Britain's brainiest boffins to the quiz beginner. Featuring a range of questions from multiple choice teasers and odd ones out to picture quizzes illustrated with charming line drawings to test your knowledge of the famous faces and facades of Britain. Alongside these sit cryptic and puzzle quizzes plus special features spotlighting different regions so you can see just how well you know your local area. Perfect for all ages, this quiz book will provide hours of entertainment and education for the whole family and have you proclaiming: 'I bet you never knew that!'

Discover hundreds of fascinating facts about London in this enthralling miscellany Travelling through the villages and districts that make up the world's most dynamic metropolis, Christopher Winn takes us on a captivating journey around London to unearth the hidden gems of legends, firsts, inventions, adventures and birthplaces that shape the city's compelling and at times turbulent past. See the Chelsea river views that inspired Turner and find out where London's first nude statue is. Explore London's finest country house in Charlton and unearth the secrets of the Mother of Parliaments. Discover which church steeple gave us the design of the traditional wedding cake, where the sandwich was invented and where in Bond Street you can see London's oldest artifact. Visit the house where Handel and Jimi Hendrix both lived. Climb the famous 311 steps of the Monument and fly the world's biggest Ferris wheel. Brimming with stories and snippets providing spellbinding insight into what has shaped the city, I Never Knew That About London is a beautifully illustrated gem of a book that informs and amuses in equal measure. "Will not fail to enhance months, even years, of gentle urban exploration...Any number of morning or weekend outings can be constructed from these rich pages... the selections and observations remain unfailingly interesting." --The Guardian (UK) I Never Knew That: Tucked away below Clive Steps at the end of King Charles Street can be found the small underground rooms where Winston Churchill and the War Cabinet met during the air raids of the Second World War. The first-ever Valentine Card was written from the Tower, where in 1415 the recently imprisoned Duke of Orleans composed a love poem to his wife. The measurement of one foot comes from the length of the foot of St. Algar's statue, carved on the base of one of the columns near the entrance of St. Paul's Cathedral. The design for the traditional wedding cake is drawn from the steeple of St. Bride's church in Fleet Street.

Bestselling author Christopher Winn takes us on a fascinating journey around Ireland, discovering the traditions, triumphs and disasters, foibles, quirks and customs that make up the Irish people. From their peccadilloes to their passions he uncovers entertaining stories and astonishing facts that will amuse and inform in equal measure. Travel from coast to coast across Ireland and learn how every county contributes to the distinct Irish personality in its own unique and different ways. From County Leitrim, the most sparsely populated county in the Republic of Ireland to County Louth, Ireland's smallest geographic county, discover the site of the first play performed in the Irish language, sail the longest navigable inland waterway in Europe and watch the horse racing at Ireland's first all-weather racecourse. Listen to the memories and tales of ordinary folk from every walk of life and find out from them what it means to be Irish. I Never Knew That About the Irish is an irresistible book, beguilingly illustrated with pen and ink drawings. It gives a captivating insight into the heritage, memories and monuments that have shaped each county in Ireland.