Ross-on-Wye sits high on a sandstone cliff overlooking a horseshoe bend in the beautiful River Wye. The birthplace of tourism, it boasts a rich tapestry of heritage and a unique landscape. Ross-on-Wye Through Time highlights the rich gems Ross has to offer. St Mary's church is its best-known landmark and can be seen from all approaches, housing notable tombs of past stalwarts of the town. John Kyrle was just one of these figures and his name was given to the local high school and an inn. In more recent years, names associated with the town have included Dennis Potter and Richard Hammond....

In 1800, Bude would have been lucky to have a population of 100, but people flocked to the town for work when the canal opened. When the canal closed, Bude would have crumbled, but for the developing tourist trade. The canal totally changed the topography of Bude. Victorian engineers built the breakwater and altered the course of the river to scour out a makeshift harbour. Today the breakwater is used for fishing and by tourists for fabulous views to Summerleaze Beach and beyond. Bude has had its share of disasters. The River Neet flooded the Strand and The Crescent in 1903, the 1950s and...

East Lothian, previously known as Haddingtonshire, has both benefitted and suffered from its strategic location between Scotland's capital city and England's northernmost county. Prior to 1707, the region bore the brunt of battles between the two countries, not only on land but along 32 miles of coastline. The rich, fertile soils, on the other hand, have produced wealth through agriculture and the patchwork of large, neat fields are synonymous with the landscape of East Lothian today. The proximity to Edinburgh makes it a prime location from which to commute. Attractive pantiled properties...

Oakham, the county town of Rutland, has a fascinating history. Oakham Castle's Norman hall was built by Walkin de Ferrers around 1190, and also houses the famous horseshoes, which were collected from members of royalty and peers of the realm who passed through the town. The impressive tower of All Saints church dominates the skyline from miles around. Rutland County Museum on Catmose Street was constructed in 1794 to be the home of Rutland Fencible Cavalry. Walking around the lanes and minor roads that crisscross Rutland today is still a trip back in time. This unique selection of old and new...

Bournemouth Through Time is a wonderful collection of old and new photographs of Bournemouth. The older images are printed alongside a contemporary full colour photograph, which illustrates the same scene. The contrasting illustrations show how the area has changed and developed during the last 100 years. The photographs illustrate shops, schools, garages, churches, houses and street scenes.As you browse through the photographs, you will notice the increase in the number of vehicles on the roads and the number of residents, how shops and other businesses have evolved and the changes and...

Stroud is the capital of the south-western Cotswolds, located at the divergence of the five Golden Valleys, named after the monetary wealth created in the processing of wool from the plentiful supply of water power. Five populated valleys converge at Stroud, ten miles south-west of Cheltenham, creating a bustle of hills. The bustle is not a new phenomenon. During the heyday of the wool trade the River Frome powered 150 mills, creating thirsty workers in need of refreshment. In this the fifth of his series of Pubs Through Time, Geoff Sandles takes us on an affectionate visual journey through...

Few towns conjure up such stirring impressions as Blackpool. Cheerfully unpretentious and brash with all the trimmings one would expect of a traditional seaside resort, Blackpool remains the iconic resort town, but there is more to its richly coloured history than you might think. This absorbing collection of images reveals the changing face of the town during the past century.These images help highlight Blackpool's remarkable transformation from a fledgling resort. Aspects of everyday life are featured here, including social occasions, the pleasure steamers that once plied their trade from...

This lavishly illustrated book covers Barnard Castle, Middleton-in-Teesdale and a selection of Teesdale villages including Piercebridge, Gainford, Staindrop, Greta Bridge, Cotherstone, Romaldkirk and Mickleton. In Barnard Castle the story begins with the castle building and the crucial bridging of the Tees with County Bridge. In Middleton we focus on the agricultural and lead mining industries and in the villages we visit picturesque greens, schools, inns and churches.Many books have been published showing the area in old photographs, but none show these in a 'through time' context as this...

Two ancient areas, very different but inextricably linked by the past. Bermondsey, a name established in Saxon times had its rural abbey, farm and tanning pits. Rotherhithe, translating as a bovine landing stage, had its shipbuilding, rope works and eighteenth century maritime connections. Both places have magical tales to tell, some of which are briefly narrated in this book. There are beautiful churches, old forgotten monuments, cockney days out and tragic accounts of war.It was to Bermondsey that people flocked to find a cure for the plague, believing that vapours from the tan pits would...

Brycgstowe, 'the place at the bridge', as the Saxon founders of Bristol once called it, is a city of destiny. Once the second port in the country and one of the wealthiest cities in Britain, it has enjoyed centuries of prosperity based on manufacturing, seafaring and trade. Geographically split between the counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset and approached by sea through the dramatic Avon Gorge, the city received a Royal Charter in 1155.It was an industrial city described in the Georgian period as 'by mud cemented and by smoke obscured'. The Bristol of the past is illustrated here in...