The market town of Petersfield lies on the edge of the beautiful South Downs, and it has much to thank its idyllic location for. From medieval origins it grew prosperous based on the rural economy of sheep farming, hop growing and cottage industries. It was also an important stage stop on the route from London to Portsmouth. But otherwise it remained peaceful and was barely touched by the violence and upheaval of the Civil War. Like many small towns, it was transformed by the railway, which arrived in 1859 and brought trade, industry and a surge in both people and buildings. Building...

Berkhamsted is a market town in the Dacorum Hundred. The Norman castle, which still belongs to the Duchy of Cornwall today, and Berkhamsted Town Hall, opened in 1860, together epitomize the character of the town. The castle, although a ruin for several hundreds of years, attracts thousands of visitors annually as a place of recreation and historical interest, and reminds us of the town's importance in years gone by. The Town Hall, with its thriving market, dating back to Saxon times, and its meeting rooms, is the hub of Berkhamsted's flourishing community. It was saved from demolition by a...

Lymington has long been in need of an illustrated history worthy of its past. From a Saxon settlement onwards as an internationally famous yachting centre, Jude James and Roland Stott present a beautiful and unique historical journey. This comparative volume looks at the contrasts between the industrial past of Lymington as a salt town, its ship building and local fishing industry, and the changes up to the present day. The important role of the Solent is examined, and also surrounding areas. Lymington Through Time not only provides a guide to the industrial past but also a record of the...

At first sight, nothing seems to distinguish the North Staffordshire villages of Knutton, Silverdale and Chesterton. They all have the appearance of residential, dormitory areas of that town. However, within the pages of this book, a rich store of photographs and information detailing the past point to a fascinating history. These three villages in fact played a major part in the development of North Staffordshire's industrial strength in the nineteenth century. The area, once rich in the essential ingredients of industrial change - coal and iron - has developed in many ways over recent...

Felixstowe owes its existence to the 19th-century fashion for seaside holidays when the gentry and businessmen chose to build their summer residences in the parishes of Walton and Felixstowe. In earlier centuries Walton had been the more significant settlement, with a manor and a castle. Even the later fort guarding the Suffolk side of Harwich harbour was often considered to be part of Essex. When the Dutch landed on the Common in 1667 and were defeated by Land guard Fort's garrison, all England heard of the place and King Charles II himself paid them a visit. Join Mike Rouse on this...

The name Wetherby derives from the Saxon word for a sheep farm, or the Norse for a bend in the river. Archaeological finds show the Wetherby area has been populated since the early Bronze Age, growing around an important river crossing on the 'Great North Road' between London and Edinburgh, for which the existing stone bridge was built in 1233. Mary Queen of Scots crossed it on her way south from Bolton Castle, as did many armies through the centuries. Two skirmishes were fought for possession of the town during the Civil War and Oliver Cromwell passed through the area on the morning of the...

Construction on the Callander & Oban Railway began in 1866, but because of the mountain terrain through which the line passed, especially at Glen Ogle and at the Pass of Brander at Loch Awe, the line did not open until 1880. Designed to link Callander, near Stirling, soon to be absorbed into the Scottish Central Railway and then the Caledonian, with the west coast port of Oban, the line was never profitable although Oban developed as a fashionable resort after the arrival of the railway. Although the section of line between Crianlarich and Oban remains open as part of the West Highland Line,...

Tourism was born in Market Harborough in 1841 when Thomas Cook, a local cabinetmaker, set off towards Leicester and had his dream of worldwide working-class travel. The town was born to serve travellers. Centuries before, the town had been built to provide a market place for trades-people near to the 'new' highway connecting Northampton and Leicester. Eight hundred years later, the market is still busy, though now indoors, and the original Square is still bustling with shoppers. As a boy on the playing fields of the local school, former England team captain Martin Johnson discovered his...

Peckham & Nunhead Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of London. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Peckham and Nunhead, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people in these communities throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set, and through the author's factual captions for every picture and carefully-selected choice of images, the reader can achieve a reliable view of...

Padstow Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of the country. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Padstow, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people of this Cornish town throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set, and through the author's factual captions for every picture, and carefully-selected choice of images, the reader can achieve a reliable view of this town's...