Andrew Graham Stables – författare

Secret Penrith goes behind the façades of the familiar to discover the lesser-known aspects of the town’s fascinating past. Penrith has many secrets, and as you walk along the streets, you are walking through history. There are clear reminders of the town’s past everywhere, waiting for you to stop, look and listen to their intriguing stories. Join author Andrew Graham Stables on a journey through this beautiful town and its history. You may think you know Penrith, but take another look around and you will find more than you could possibly imagine.

Secret Kendal offers a unique insight into the ‘Gateway to the Lakes’ through a series of little-known and forgotten stories, facts and anecdotes from its past. Local author Andrew Graham Stables takes the reader on a fascinating journey from pre-Roman times to the present day. He tells how a mistake in the preparation of peppermint creams led to the town’s most famous export, as well as introducing the reader to nefarious characters and telling tales of dark deeds from its long and often grisly history. Secret Kendal delves beneath the surface of this ancient market town, revealing a lesser-known and unsavoury past that even most local people don’t know.

Teesdale is the second largest designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales, and has a population of over 25,000. There is also a vast amount history contained within its picturesque valleys, which have attracted many writers and artists: Sir Walter Scott hid in a secret cave by the River Greta to pen some of his verses, and Charles Dickens took inspiration for his books following a visit. For centuries a fertile land under attack by the Scots, yet a king of Scotland was born here in an English castle. Richard III left a permanent legacy, but did he also ensconce the murderer of the princes in this northern dale? Sir Winston Churchill inspected the troops as secret preparations were undertaken for D-Day and only fragments remain of the Queen Mother’s childhood castle. Add to this one of the finest museums in the North built in the style of a French chateau, the largest waterfall in England and villages lost under reservoirs and you will be amazed at the secrets Teesdale will reveal.

The city of Carlisle, a border town, was very much at the heart of the conflict between Scotland and England for many hundreds of years, and it has been the gateway for invading forces both north and south. It has seen its fair share of atrocities, violence and destruction, and is well-known for its reiving past. It began as an important outpost of the Roman Empire and the most significant fort at the west end of Hadrian’s Wall.In Secret Carlisle, Andrew Graham Stables uncovers the hidden heritage of the only city in Cumbria. The book delves into Carlisle’s history, revealing its intriguing secrets, and also looks at the people who have helped shape the identity of this distinctive city. Illustrated throughout, this book will be of immense interest to residents and visitors alike.

Durham is a remarkable city, a priceless historical gem and, deservedly, a World Heritage Site. Over 1,000 years Durham’s great beauty and history has inspired many architectural descriptions and guides. In this new book, author and historian Andrew Graham Stables takes the reader on a fascinating A–Z tour of the city’s history, through the cathedral’s darkened cloisters, the city’s narrow medieval streets and fascinating jumble of buildings and the river’s winding pathways, along the way relating many a tale of the most interesting people and places. Fully illustrated with photographs from the past and present, A–Z of the City of Durham will appeal to residents and visitors alike.

The Cumbrian city of Carlisle has a rich and colourful history. Being so close to the Scottish border, Carlisle became a military stronghold and its surviving eleventh-century castle bears testament to this. During the Industrial Revolution it grew into a major centre of textile manufacture and an important railway hub and has long been key to North Cumbria’s industry. The ‘Great Border City’ remains the main cultural and commercial centre for this part of the country and there are clear reminders of its past everywhere.Author and historian Andrew Graham Stables takes the reader on a fascinating A–Z tour of the city’s history, exploring its lesser-known nooks and crannies, and along the way relating many a tale of the most interesting people and places. Fully illustrated with photographs from the past and present, the A–Z of Carlisle will appeal to residents and visitors alike.

Barnard Castle and Teesdale in the Durham Dales is the second largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales. Barnard Castle, the region’s main town, takes its name from the castle that was built there in the twelfth century. Many notable people have visited the town over the centuries including Sir Walter Scott and Charles Dickens, who both found literary inspiration there. Today, Barnard Castle is a popular destination for those who are drawn by its history, the Bowes Museum – with its significant collection of fine and decorative arts – and the surrounding countryside.In A-Z of Barnard Castle & Teesdale authors Andrew Graham Stables and Gary David Marshall take the reader on an engaging alphabetical tour of the area’s history and discover many hidden gems along the way. The book explores some of the most influential people, unusual places and social histories to provide an exciting new view of a town that was important to many kings, as well as kingmakers including Richard III. The authors also disclose old maps and stories from Upper Teesdale.Discover how a boy born to the premier Anglo-Norman family of the town became King of Scotland but was later forced to abdicate and imprisoned in the Tower of London. Rarely seen artefacts, from a now demolished church thought to be Saxon in origin, will be explored and may define the origins of the town built along an old Roman road. With access to a wealth of old photographs and the archives of the impressive Bowes Museum, the authors also reveal, for the first time, a sketch of the town from the early 1700s by one of the renowned Buck brothers.