In ancient times Clapham was a secluded Surrey village, clustered round a manor house and church. By the seventeenth century, the wealthy of London were building houses here as rural retreats and, by 1800, their mansions in extensive grounds surrounded Clapham Common, which was becoming a place of recreation. The development of the railways in the nineteenth century meant that families who could afford large houses moved further out to the countryside, selling off their ground to developers who built the terraced houses which cover the area today. Around forty years ago, after a period of...

With the coming of the naval arms race with Germany, in 1903 the Admiralty decided to establish a naval base and dockyard at Rosyth, taking advantage of deep tidal water there. Construction work started in 1909 and the dockyard was finished in 1916, when the pre-Dreadnought HMS Zealandia entered dry dock there. The yard closed in 1925, reopening in 1938 when relations with Germany began to deteriorate again and serving throughout the Second World War. During the Cold War, Rosyth was used to refit conventional and Polaris nuclear-armed submarines as well as other warships. In 1997 Rosyth was...

Broughty Ferry has gone through many changes since its origins as a small fishing village nestled in the shadow of a fifteenth-century castle. The industrial age saw wealthy jute barons arrive and build their grand residences there, while the coming of the train saw the town become a popular destination for holidaymakers. The twentieth century and beyond has seen Broughty Ferry evolve into a popular and affluent suburb. This compilation of images follows Broughty Ferry through all of these changes and shows how, despite officially becoming part of Dundee in 1913, 'the Ferry' has always...

It was in 1841 that the London & Brighton Railway constructed the line from Norwood (linking with the London & Croydon Railway) to the coast. The lines built between 1841 and 1868 formed a comprehensive countywide network, extending from Three Bridges to Midhurst and Chichester in the west and (via the South Eastern Railway) from Tunbridge Wells to Bexhill, thence to Rye, in the east. The county's coastal stations yield their own interesting story. Apart from the stations on main routes, those on branch lines and wayside halts are also included. In this book, Douglas d'Enno explores the...

Neuk is the Scots word for nook or corner, and the delightful East Neuk, with its string of picturesque fishing and farming villages, is one of the most attractive parts of the country to investigate. Few regions present a greater number of attractions than the East Neuk with its sandy beaches, wild and precipitous cliffs, remarkable caves, celebrated golf links, notable churches, historic castles and historical associations. These villages, running from from Crail to Largo, are quite distinct from those of any other part of Scotland and have stood almost unchanged for centuries and thus...

Barrow-in-Furness is a small post-industrial town at the end of a long peninsula in the north of England. Its isolated location has produced a stalwart and close population. It started life as a small hamlet and grew to become an industrial leader, first in iron and steel and later in ship-building and engineering, drawing a workforce from all over the country. The ship-building industry continues to be a major employer but today there is less diversity than in Barrow's heyday. Although the town is known for its industry, it sits in one of the most beautiful areas of Cumbria. It boasts a rich...

At the northern end of the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Kidsgrove and Butt Lane were quiet and rural areas of scattered settlements that became an industrial centre of great importance in the economy of North Staffordshire. Today, the areas are largely residential, with housing belonging mainly from the post-war era onwards. Coal mines and ironworks changed the landscape and population and housing increased; development by the Trent and Mersey Canal and the arrival of the railway allowed the area to flourish. Nowadays, most of the heavy industry has declined and many once-familiar sights...

The Manchester Ship Canal was a huge engineering achievement. It included seven swing bridges and the aqueduct at Barton, and helped turn the cotton-producing capital of Great Britain into an inland seaport. This was a feat many at the time believed could not be achieved. One of the wonders of the modern industrial world, the Manchester Ship Canal, with its huge locks and ocean-going vessels, was a magnetic draw for enthusiastic Victorians who marvelled at its construction. This book looks at the changes and development of the Manchester Ship Canal through time, from its origins as a thriving...

This fascinating selection of photographs shows how Beccles has changed and developed over the last century.

This fascinating selection of photographs shows how Shaftesbury has changed and developed over the last century.