Countryside Books: 48 books

When George Measom wrote his bestselling Illustrated Guide to the Great Western Railway in 1852, Brunel’s railway line between London and Bristol had been fully opened just eleven years. The Great Exhibition of the previous year had attracted six million visitors, many of whom had travelled to it...

Timber framed buildings, whether they are medieval halls, barns, grand houses, or picturesque cottages, form one of the most delightful features of our historic towns and countryside. They catch our imagination as we admire the skill and craft of the carpenters who created them, with a strength and...

The Victorian house comes in all shapes, sizes and materials. The legacy of this hugely influential era can be found in every region of England, from the majestic rows of gleaming white terraces in West London to the grid of red-brick houses in northern mill towns. Using his own drawings, diagrams...

The local church is a familiar landmark in every village, town and city. The story of its past is the story of the people, down the centuries, who considered the church to be the centre of their community. But how many people actually understand the reason it was built in a particular place, how it...

The Arts & Crafts movement began as an instinctive reaction to the new Industrial Age. Seeking a return to simple craftsmanship, with traditional materials, its influence spread both to Europe and North America, where the term 'craftsman' denoted a traditional style of architecture and interior...

These chilling sightings from the bestselling book Supernatural England certainly give support to the claim that England is the most haunted place on earth. No one can say for certain that there is no such thing as a ghost, and this eerie collection of the unexplained will give even the most hardened...

The Art Deco exhibition in Paris in 1925 ushered in a new style of architecture based on the latest designs from Europe and American—flat roofs, plain facades, reinforced concrete and white paint inside and out. Streamlining was the watchword and houses, from bungalows to detached family homes,...

The nineteenth century was an era of scientific advance like no other in history. And no nation gained more from its forward momentum than Britain and her Empire. Railways were built, bridges constructed, rivers tamed and electricity harnessed, to the great benefit of all But progress was only achieved...

In our own time, the world of work has changed enormously and some of the once familiar names and terms have fallen into disuse only to be understood with the help of a dictionary. For instance, who now know what buddle boys, claquers, dobbers, hokey pokey men, rogue spotters and sperviters are?Colin...

The horrors of World War I scarred an entire generation at the beginning of the twentieth century. Now, one hundred years later, we are asked to reflect upon it and remember what a disastrous episode of history it was.This book offers a brief, straightforward, illustrated history of World War I. In...

This easy to follow book is an invaluable source of advice and guidance for those wishing to restore the original features of an Edwardian house, or who simply admire the elegance of these period properties. It explains the characteristic architectural styles, shows how Edwardian houses originally...

Here is a compact and useful guide, filled with detailed and original drawings, to help put a date to the variety of period buildings we see around us. It covers an immense range of structures and styles from 1500 to 1950. In addition, there is a glossary of architectural terms and a historical time...

The Art Deco period of the 1920s and 1930s swept away the sobriety of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, bringing in homes that were bright, colourful and exciting. Drawing inspiration from ancient Egyptian forms and modern architecture, Art Deco is arguably the most distinctive style of the 20th century...

The period from 1900 to 1914—the Edwardian Age—is often thought of as a golden time of country house parties and endless summers. In fact, it was a time of great social change. Wealthy industrialists were building houses for their workers at Port Sunlight (Lever), Bournville (Cadbury) and New...