A-Z – serie

The cathedral city of Lincoln offers a wealth of history dating from the first-century BC settlement of ‘Lindon’. In successive centuries, the Romans, Vikings and Danes all made their mark here. The city has many faces, from Steep Hill leading to the Uphill Cathedral Quarter with its beautiful cathedral dating from 1072, to the historic castle with its medieval Wall Walk and its precious Magna Carta, one of only four of the 1215 issue in existence.In A–Z of Lincoln, Wendy Turner takes the reader on an engaging alphabetical tour of the city’s rich and diverse heritage. Discover stories and secrets of its notable streets and buildings and tales of its famous sons and daughters. Explore places including the Stonebow and Guildhall and treasures and artefacts from sieges, battles and celebrations through the ages. The author also reveals Lincoln’s darker side, with the grim Victorian prison in the castle, its chilling tales, tombstones and remembrances of hapless inmates.Meanwhile, modern Lincoln invites us to a feast of stunning architecture, ghostly tales, the arts, wool and cloth and even its famous Lincolnshire sausages! Whatever your interest, Lincoln is the place to delve into a thousand years of people, places and history. Illustrated throughout, A–Z of Lincoln will be of interest to residents, visitors and all those with links to the city.

Poole is the second largest natural harbour in the world and the largest in Europe, resulting in a trading history which dates back to Roman times. In the Middle Ages, commodities for export, particularly wool, were funnelled into Poole and it became a place where merchants could dock, store their goods and display their wares. The port grew in importance during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and the boom years of trade with Newfoundland, but suffered from an economic slump throughout most of the nineteenth century and into the 1920s and ’30s. However, in the decades after the Second World War, many major national companies were attracted to the town, resulting in 10,000 more homes being built in Poole between 1946 and 1966. A major slum clearance scheme also took place during the same period, as over 1,000 condemned homes were demolished, many in the labyrinth of narrow backstreets and alleyways leading from the Eastern Quay into the Old Town. Poole is still a working port, particularly on the Hamworthy side, where Sunseeker yachts off the production line can be seen adjacent to industrial cargo ships moored nearby and the ferry terminal. On the Poole side, the Fishermen’s Dock nestles incongruously adjacent to a yachting marina. The Quay and Old Town has preserved many cobbled streets and alleyways containing historic buildings, some dating back to the fourteenth century, once a haunt of Newfoundland merchants, pirates, smugglers and press gangs.This fascinating A–Z tour of Poole, its interesting people, places and historic events, is fully illustrated with photography and will appeal to all those with an interest in this Dorset coastal town.

Having provided the setting for many royal and historic events, Windsor Castle attracts millions of visitors from around the world and continues to be a favourite royal residence. This imposing building dominates the surrounding area, but the town itself arrived long before the castle. In the seventh century a settlement was built further south, close to the River Thames, which provided transport to London. Not content with its position, in 1110 the town moved two miles north to wrap itself around the castle and settled where it is today under the name of New Windsor.Over the town bridge, Eton is said to have been a settlement since Saxon times, although Roman and Celtic remains have been found in the area. Originally, Eton prospered from fish farming on the river, but the college, founded in 1440, encouraged its growth.In A–Z of Windsor & Eton, author Yvonne Moxley embarks on an engaging alphabetical journey through the history of these neighbouring Berkshire towns. She visits the places, buildings and streets that are significant and intriguing, and discovers the stories behind them. Along the way, Yvonne introduces the reader to some famous sons and daughters and provides an enlightening insight into the heritage of both towns.Illustrated throughout, this book will be of interest to residents, visitors and all those with links to the area.

So, what is the significance of the seventeenth-century Sir Thomas Abney to Loughborough, and what is the connection between the young Princess Alexandrina, later to become Queen Victoria, and Loughborough? What is the history of the Bat House, and what is the mysterious Building N on the university campus? Which industry has its last remaining factory in Loughborough? What is the meaning of local words like ‘jitty’ and ‘Ingle Pingle’, and why is Bottleacre Lane so named?Being on the edge of the Charnwood Forest, Loughborough has woods and spinneys in abundance, but there is still plenty of space for allotments and meadows. Watercourses criss-cross the town like arteries, running from the heart of the Charnwood Forest, into the River Soar or the Grand Union Canal, and artificial bodies of water have been created on former industrial sites.In this alphabetical tour around the university market town of Loughborough, the second largest town in Leicestershire after the county town of Leicester, the author invites you to learn about the town’s history through its buildings, structures, streets and thoroughfares; through its firms and local people; and through its features like waterways, woods andfields.With tales of fairs, follies and families, this book dips into some of the most interesting and intriguing parts of Loughborough’s history. But do you agree with Daniel Defoe that Loughborough is a ‘market town ... but of no great note?’ The author sets out to gently persuade you that there is much more to Loughborough than at first might meet the eye.

The Lancashire town of Bolton has a rich heritage, much of which is derived from its former cotton industry. During the Industrial Revolution it grew rapidly, becoming one of the largest textile manufacturing centres in the world; however, by the 1980s the town’s pre-eminent industry had come to an end.In A–Z of Bolton local author David Burnham focuses on the town’s history and seeks to provide a link between its past and present. He highlights notable people, places and events across the centuries. Among famous characters, such as Nat Lofthouse, Peter Kay and Fred Dibnah, he features those who have been forgotten including Henry Ashworth, the Quaker model mill owner, martyred priest George Marsh and experimenter in mesmerism Dr Joseph Haddock. There is a mix of well-known and obscure history included. The author looks at the 1651 execution of James Stanley (7th Earl of Derby) and the 1946 Burnden Park disaster. Then there are more recent events, including the first street demonstration anywhere in the world against Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses. Illustrated throughout, this engaging and informative book will appeal to local residents and all those interested in the town’s heritage.

The largest city in the East Midlands, Nottingham has been an important centre in the area since the Middle Ages. The old Saxon borough was built around the area known today as the Lace Market and an adjoining settlement developed around the Norman castle, famously occupied by the Sheriff of Nottingham in the legendary Robin Hood stories. In later centuries Nottingham became a major manufacturer of lace and several other famous names in industry also made their home in Nottingham, including Boots the chemists, Raleigh cycles and Player’s the cigarette manufacturers. The city also has a strong cultural legacy, associated with writers such as D. H. Lawrence and Alan Sillitoe. With two universities, many new industries and commercial developments, a new tram system, and a UK sporting centre with the oldest professional football team in the world, Notts County, and Nottingham Forest, and the test cricket venue of Trent Bridge, Nottingham is a vibrant, modern British city proud of its heritage including the Goose Fair which is still held every year.This fascinating A–Z tour of Nottingham, its interesting people, places and historic events, is fully illustrated and will appeal to all those with an interest in this city in the East Midlands.

People have lived in the Frome area since prehistoric times and the present town dates back as far as the Saxon era. In the early days it was famous for the quality of its cloth, but the industry and trade declined in the eighteenth century. Over the centuries it has had its fair share of rioting and crime, as well as some notable personalities and eccentrics such as Thomas Bunn, an eighteenth-century philanthropist. It was also the birthplace of Benjamin Baker, builder of the Forth Bridge, and, more recently, Jenson Button, the racing driver. Today it has over 370 listed buildings – more than any other Somerset town – fourteen pubs and two thriving bookshops, as well as an increasing creative and artistic community.In this book, local authors Mick Davis and David Lassman take a journey through Frome to discover some significant and little-known aspects of its rich and varied past. From buildings and streets to people and events, A–Z of Frome highlights fascinating aspects of the town’s history. Here are stories of UFO sightings, a world-famous Roman coin hoard, local inns, the search for underground tunnels and much more.Illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to local residents, visitors and anyone interested in the town’s fascinating and illustrious history.

A–Z of Worthing delves into the stories behind the town’s most notable streets, places, parks and buildings, as well as the dark secrets of its inhabitants, lesser-known lanes and its numerous twittens. The book reveals the tales behind some of its more unusual place names, including why seven streets in the town are named after the crew of a Lancaster bomber. Sussex-born author, teacher and historian Kevin Newman uncovers the history behind many of Worthing’s distinctive features, visitors and citizens, exploring tales of the town’s less famous (and infamous) sons and daughters and the places they frequented, from the dance school that handled fascist mail to the former school of Pam St Clements who played TV’s Pat Butcher. The book switches from light-hearted engagement with the quirkier side of Worthing’s history to a more serious look at the darker side of the town’s past. Inside is something for everyone, be that visitor, Worthingite or simply those with a love of wonderful Worthing.

There is evidence of human settlement at Ilkley in prehistoric and Roman times but the town grew rapidly in the nineteenth century when it became well known as a fashionable spa town, accessible to visitors by the new railway system.The town’s Victorian legacy is still in evidence in many of its buildings, enhanced by its wide streets and floral displays. The town lies in Wharfedale in Yorkshire, adjacent to the moor, subject of the song: ‘On Ilkla Moor bah’t ‘at’. The scenic landscape and roads around Ilkley and the steep climb to the Cow and Calf Rocks have become well known internationally through the staging of the Tour de France passing through Ilkley and the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race. The town is also home to the oldest Literature Festival in the north of England.This fascinating A to Z tour focuses largely, but not exclusively, on Ilkley’s history during the twentieth century; its interesting people, places and events. It is fully illustrated and will appeal to all those with an interest in this Yorkshire spa town.

Explore the beautiful town of Dover in this fully illustrated A-Z guide to its history, people and places.

Bradford is a fascinating industrial city with an impressive history. In 1800 it was a small market town with one mill and a population of around 6,000. Fifty years later it was England’s fastest-growing city with 120 mills, a population of over 140,000 and, outside London, the wealthiest. It became Britain’s wool capital and many fine Victorian buildings stand today built from that wealth.In this book Martin Greenwood takes readers on an engaging and insightful journey through the city’s history. He provides a unique link to the people and places of Bradford. The city’s phenomenal growth was built on cheap labour, making it one of poorest and unhealthiest places in England. This led to radicalism and political unrest and encouraged major social reforms. Gradually Bradford improved its public services, often pioneering the way. The city has a rich culture. It has always been non-conformist in outlook. It has been the home to icons of the arts across the generations, and has a diverse and multi-cultural population.Surrounded by beautiful hills and moors to the north and west, Haworth, Ilkley, Airedale and Wharfedale, are all within the city’s boundaries.Illustrated throughout, ‘A-Z of Bradford’ will be of immense interest to residents and visitors alike.

Every year the Isle of Wight welcomes thousands of visitors from all over the world who come to explore its fascinating places, people and history. Discover the island’s distant and medieval past, and the ongoing restoration and preservation of its many precious artefacts. An abundance of wildlife awaits, from the big cats of Wildheart Animal Sanctuary to llamas and alpacas, some famous donkeys at Carisbrooke Castle and even pigs and piglets at beautiful Quarr Abbey. After ‘Hovering’ from Ryde to Portsmouth, you could take a trip on the island’s famed Steam Railway, or a peaceful stroll through Ventnor’s exotic Botanic Garden. The island’s only thatched church awaits you at Freshwater and likewise the unique church of the Lily Cross at picturesque Godshill.The island’s treasures, both ancient and modern, are yours to discover on this, the ‘enchanted isle’.

Bounded by the River Dee and Wales on one side and the River Mersey and Liverpool on the other, the Wirral Peninsula has its own special history. The major towns on the Mersey – Birkenhead and Wallasey – have a strong industrial heritage. New Brighton on the Irish Sea coast was developed as a resort whereas the south and west of the Wirral is largely rural with small towns and villages. Ancient and recent history are intermingled on the Wirral, with areas of natural landscape and parklands, medieval villages and ancient buildings built of the local sandstone close to the industrial development and docks on the Mersey in the north-east and Port Sunlight to the south.A–Z of The Wirral delves into the history of the peninsula. It highlights well-known landmarks and famous residents, and digs beneath the surface to uncover some of the lesser-known facts about the Wirral and its hidden places of interest. Significant moments in its history are covered, as well as its notable buildings and other features, including famous names associated with the area from early times to the present day. This fascinating A–Z tour of the Wirral’s history is fully illustrated and will appeal to all those with an interest in this part of the North West.

Bexhill may have one of the highest percentages of retired people in the country, but this fascinating town does not deserve its reputation as God’s waiting room. The town was developed by the 7th Earl of Sackville as a seaside resort in the late nineteenth century and gained a reputation for health and longevity, as well as becoming home to around 300 independent schools before the outbreak of the Second World War. It has always been a pioneering place: the birthplace of British motor racing, the first resort to allow mixed bathing, the town where colour television was invented, and the venue for Bob Marley’s first gig in the UK. A wonderful array of fascinating characters, and a fair few true eccentrics, have called Bexhill home, including pioneering motorcycling rector Canon Basil Davies, and a hoax inventor of a death ray. The town has been immortalised in a Goon Show sketch by Spike Milligan, who trained with the army there in the Second World War, and celebrated by native Eddie Izzard, who put a replica of the coach from The Italian Job on the roof of the town’s art gallery.A–Z of Bexhill-on-Sea reveals the history behind Bexhill, its streets and buildings and the people connected with the town. Alongside the famous historical connections are unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well-known. Readers will discover tales of smuggling, the town’s link to Agatha Christie and its connection with the US state of Delaware among many other fascinating facts in this A–Z tour of Bexhill’s history. Fully illustrated, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic East Sussex seaside town.

Evesham grew up within a bend of the River Avon around its famous abbey, one of the largest in the country, and although the abbey was destroyed in the sixteenth century, the town remained one of the most important settlements in Worcestershire. It was also the site of the battle in 1265 in which the rebel Simon de Montfort was killed by the royal army. Today it is renowned as a centre for market gardening.A–Z of Evesham reveals the history behind Evesham, its streets and buildings, businesses and the people connected with the town. Alongside the famous historic associations are unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well-known. Fully illustrated, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic Worcestershire town.

Peterborough grew up around its cathedral, originally founded as an Anglo-Saxon monastery, but it was only in the nineteenth century that this city on the edge of the Fens started to grow to its present size as one of the largest cities in the east of England. The arrival of the railways and development of new industries in the early nineteenth century brought large numbers of people to Peterborough, and the expansion continued with its designation as a New Town in the 1960s, which led to a large programme of house building and redevelopment of the city centre.A–Z of Peterborough reveals the history behind the city’s streets and buildings, industries, and the people connected with it. Alongside the famous historical connections are unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well known. Readers will discover tales of the importance of brickmaking, the tragic accident of a Victorian lady balloonist and parachutist, a pioneering eighteenth-century botanist and riots during the First World War among many other fascinating facts in this tour of Peterborough’s history. It is fully illustrated throughout and will appeal to all those with an interest in this city in the east of England.

Wigan has been an important town throughout history. It was granted market charters in 1246 and was the centre of the Banastre Rebellion in the next century. In the English Civil War it was the site of the Battle of Wigan Lane in 1651. Wigan expanded during the Industrial Revolution through its coal mining, engineering and textile industries and with the opening of the Leeds–Liverpool Canal and the arrival of the railway. The social conditions which resulted from this rapid change were written about by George Orwell in The Road to Wigan Pier. The town is also noted for its entertainers and actors George Formby, Ian McKellen and Roy Kinnear. As well as its Rugby League Club, the Wigan Warriors, there is Wigan Athletic Football Club which won the FA Cup in 2012.A–Z of Wigan reveals the history behind Wigan, its streets and buildings, businesses and the people connected with the town. Alongside the famous historical connections are unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well-known. Readers will discover tales of an opera singer who captivated Hitler and spied for Britain, all-night dancing at the home of Northern Soul and a fatal Zeppelin raid among many other fascinating facts in this A–Z tour of Wigan’s past. Fully illustrated, it will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic town.

The county town of Warwick is famous for its magnificent castle rising above the River Avon but there is much more to this historic town. Although many medieval houses were destroyed by the Great Fire of 1694, buildings from an earlier age can still be found, including its oldest hostelry, The Roebuck, and Lord Leycester Hospital. Local historic characters include Warwick the Kingmaker, world champion boxer Randolph Turpin and socialite and campaigner Daisy, Countess of Warwick, as well as the ichthyosaur in the Market Hall Museum, and the town’s many events include a Victorian evening and annual folk festival.A–Z of Warwick reveals the history behind the town, its streets and buildings, businesses and the people connected with it. Alongside the famous historical connections are unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well known. Fully illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic Warwickshire town.

The market town of Beccles lies on the River Waveney, close to the Norfolk Broads, and floods have been part of its history. Once a river port, it is still a boating centre. Its Saxon and Norse origins can be seen in many of the street names, as can its wealth in medieval and pre-Industrial Revolution times with its numerous historic buildings. More recent industries included printing, tanning and a corset factory, and the Nobel Prize-winning chemist Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin was educated in Beccles.A–Z of Beccles reveals the history behind the town, its streets and buildings, businesses and the people connected with it. Alongside the famous historical connections are unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well known. Fully illustrated with photography, it will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic Suffolk town.

Chiswick grew from a village on a bend of the River Thames to a fashionable retreat from London in the eighteenth century, then a suburb of London in the nineteenth century. The Palladian villa Chiswick House, with its landscaped gardens, was created by Lord Burlington in 1720 and artists and writers were drawn to the area, which also later became home to the Royal Horticultural Society and the first Garden Suburb at Bedford Park. Industries later associated with Chiswick included Thorneycroft marine builders and Fuller’s famous brewery. During the Second World War the first V-2 rocket to hit London fell on Staveley Road in Chiswick.In A–Z of Chiswick author Andy Bull reveals the history behind Chiswick, its streets and buildings, industries and the people connected with the area. Alongside the famous historical connections included are some unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well-known. Readers will discover tales of glamorous residents of Chiswick House and rare plants grown in its glasshouses, the early days of the Arts and Crafts movement, and writers, artists and actors among many other fascinating facts in this A–Z tour of Chiswick’s history. Fully illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic area of west London.

Kew and Brentford are not so much separated by the River Thames as connected through it. The ford here was the first point on the tidal stretch of the great river that could easily be crossed on foot – meaning many travellers have passed through down the centuries, perhaps the most famous being Julius Caesar. Kew has strong royal links and in 1759 Princess Augusta founded Kew Gardens, now known officially as the Royal Botanical Gardens. Today Kew is also famous for the National Archives. Kew and Brentford also have a rich industrial history, from pharmaceutical giants Beechams (and today GlaxoSmithKline) to aircraft manufacturers Sopwith and Handley Page and motor vehicle manufacturers Dodge and Chrysler. In A–Z of Kew and Brentford author Andy Bull reveals the history behind these towns, their streets and buildings, industries and the people connected with them. Alongside the famous historical connections are included some unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well-known. Readers will discover tales of painters drawn to this area, the manufacture of Brompton folding bicycles in a railway arch and a notorious Victorian murderer among many other fascinating facts in this A–Z tour of Kew and Brentford’s history. Fully illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in these historic West London towns.

Boasting the highest number of listed buildings in any British high street, the historic market town of Dorchester is an explorer’s delight. Archaeologists have found more Roman mosaics here than any other Roman town in Britain, and Dorchester also sports one of the best-preserved Iron Age hill forts in Europe, a fully exposed Roman town house, and a converted Roman amphitheatre. Readers can learn about the town’s historical sights, its underground tunnels and stories of the famous and the very infamous. Why not visit the Lodging House of the blood-thirsty Judge Jeffreys who held his Bloody Assizes here, or Shire Hall where the Tolpuddle Martyrs were found guilty of making a secret oath in their fight against pitiful wages? Literary figures have also found inspiration from living in or visiting Dorchester, not least Thomas Hardy. The town is also home to a variety of museums ranging from dinosaurs to teddy bears to the unmissable Dorset Museum. For a less busy atmosphere the town has colourful gardens and peaceful river walks.A–Z of Dorchester reveals the history behind Dorchester, its streets and buildings, museums and the people connected with the town. Alongside the famous historical connections are unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well-known. Fully illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic Dorset town.

The East Yorkshire town of Bridlington has over 1,000 years of history. Starting off as two smaller settlements, built around the medieval priory and the harbour, it was developed as a fashionable resort in the nineteenth century and had merged into one town by the early 1900s. Bridlington has seen its fair share of tragedies, triumphs, special events and royal visitors as well as being home to some unique stories and characters, from the award of the very first George Cross, the work of Lawrence of Arabia between the wars and bombing raids of the Second World War, to the Great Gale of 1871, the burning of the Royal Victoria Rooms in 1933, a visit by Queen Henrietta Maria and a lifeboat that goes back over 200 years.In A–Z of Bridlington, author Richard M. Jones reveals the history behind Bridlington, its streets and buildings, industries and the people connected with the town. Alongside the famous historical connections, he includes some unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well-known. Fully illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this coastal Yorkshire town.

For centuries, Whitechapel has been at the centre of multicultural Britain. It has offered sanctuary to successive waves of immigrants fleeing religious intolerance, pogroms and poverty: Huguenots from France, Irish, Jews from Eastern Europe and Bangladeshis, each overlaying their own vibrant culture on the area. Whitechapel has been associated with notorious crimes in the past, not least Jack the Ripper, nineteenth-century body snatchers, the Kray twins and other gangsters. Social reformers such as George Peabody and William Booth, who founded the Salvation Army in Whitechapel, have left their legacy on the area.In A–Z of Whitechapel author Andy Bull reveals the history behind the area’s streets, buildings, industries and the people connected with this part of East London. Alongside the famous historical connections, he includes some unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well known. Readers will discover tales of Elizabethan theatres and Victorian freak shows, artists and writers, Whitechapel’s connection with Joseph Stalin and the area’s brewing and bell-founding heritage, among many other fascinating facts in this A–Z tour of Whitechapel’s history. Fully illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic East London district.

Cork is often described as Ireland’s southern capital. The city’s history goes back to a monastic then Viking settlement in the early medieval period to become Ireland’s second largest city. During the War of Independence in the early twentieth century the city was often at the forefront of fighting, the city centre being burnt down by British forces, and was again the focus of fighting during the ensuing Irish Civil War. The city has always been open to the world, as an Atlantic port, and today the city is a vibrant cultural, industrial and economic centre for south-west Ireland, where the past is in evidence while the city looks forward. Corkonians draw on rich heritage through the city’s history, from sports, maritime traditions, commerce and education to festivals, literature, art, music and the rich Cork accent. A–Z of Cork reveals the history behind Cork, its streets and buildings, businesses and the people connected with the city. Alongside the famous historical connections are unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well-known. Fully illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic city.

The market town of Romsey lies on the River Test in Hampshire, on the border of the New Forest. The medieval settlement grew around its wealthy abbey, and the abbey church is still one of the glories of the town today. Woollen and tanning industries also brought prosperity to the area, and the town later became a brewing centre. The large country house of Broadlands was built on the abbey’s land after the Dissolution of the Monasteries and became home to Prime Minister Palmerston in the nineteenth century and later Lord Mountbatten. Today IBM is based nearby. In A–Z of Romsey, author Martin Brisland reveals the history behind the town, its streets and buildings, industries and the people connected with the place. Alongside the famous historical connections, he includes some unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well-known. Readers will discover tales of science and innovation, lifeboats and brewing, honeymooning royalty, presidents and politicians among many other fascinating facts in this A–Z tour of Romsey’s history. Fully illustrated, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic Hampshire town.

Every year thousands of people visit Hitchin to explore its cobbled streets and its many attractions. A walk around the town reveals its two ancient priories, its historic architecture from medieval times through to the Georgian and Victorian period, and warm community culture, with St Mary’s, the largest parish church in Hertfordshire, at its heart. Thirteen or so blue plaques tell of the town’s famous residents through the centuries. In this book you will meet groundbreaking Victorian pharmacist William Ransom and explore the town’s unique Physic Garden, pioneering surgeon Joseph Lister, the legendary Leonard Cheshire VC and Sue Ryder, and The Prom’s own Sir Henry Wood. George Chapman, Hitchin’s own ‘Shakespeare’, appears with his link to John Keats, and Chaucer tells of plague in his Canterbury Tales. You can sing along with Bob Marley and discover a ghostly fish, Buffalo Bill’s visit to Hitchin and even Clarissa the Carp!Hitchin invites you to its many celebrations, some held during the town’s festival when performances from Shakespeare to comedy and concerts are on offer. There are also arts, crafts, walks and talks and wildlife days, choirs, bands and music sessions, together with picnics and fireworks – not forgetting North Herts Pride Market and ghostly evening goings-on! Why not take home a fragrant souvenir from Hitchin’s world-famous Lavender Fields?

Medieval Rotherham was a prosperous market town in the West Riding of Yorkshire with a large minster and a theological college. In later centuries its traditional industries of flour making and glassmaking were supplemented by coal mining and iron and steel manufacturing, its continuing wealth and importance shown by the construction of Wentworth Woodhouse mansion and Boston Castle. In recent decades the decline of these industries has seen Rotherham attract new industries, although the town was badly affected by flooding in 2007.In A–Z of Rotherham local author James Barker reveals the history behind the town, its streets and buildings, industries and the people connected with it. Alongside the famous historical associations, he includes some unusual characters, tucked-away places and lesser-known events. Readers will discover tales of famous residents such as the Chuckle Brothers and Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers, its twinned towns such as Saint-Quentin in France, the Roman fort at Templeborough, and the granting of the freedom of the borough to the Yorkshire Regiment, among many other fascinating facts in this A–Z tour. It is fully illustrated with photography and will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic Yorkshire town.

Weymouth Harbour was historically a major port, flanked by the two towns of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. These settlements form modern-day Weymouth, with a wealth of historical associations from the Middle Ages to the present. The Isle of Portland lies to the south, joined to Weymouth by the geological miracle of Chesil Beach, with Portland Harbour forming one of the largest man-made harbours in the world, and the local quarried stone has been sought after for buildings throughout the world for centuries. The area is a popular tourist destination today but Weymouth was first developed as a resort by King George III; its military associations include a Royal Navy base and being the embarkation point for thousands of Allied troops during the D-Day invasion in the Second World War.In A–Z of Weymouth and Portland author Michael Burgess reveals the history behind the Weymouth and Portland area, its buildings and landscape, industries and the people connected with it. Alongside the famous historical connections, he includes some unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are lesser known. Readers will discover a Civil War cannonball still embedded in the wall above a public toilet, the quayside where the Black Death is believed to have entered England and a memorial to Australian and New Zealand soldiers returning from Gallipoli. Fully illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this fascinating corner of Dorset.