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Mention Wimbledon and most people immediately think of the world-famous tennis tournament, which is the oldest tennis championships in the world having taken place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since 1877. However, the history of the area far surpasses that of the prestigious championships. Wimbledon has been inhabited since the Iron Age. The original medieval village – now known as Wimbledon Village – developed with a stable rural population co-existing alongside nobility and wealthy merchants from the city. The arrival of the London & South West Railway in 1838 saw the focus of subsequent developments shift away from the original village towards the town. The neighbouring district of Southfields was largely an area of fields between the villages of Wimbledon and Putney, until the coming of the railway in the late nineteenth century, connecting Wimbledon to Putney Bridge. It has since grown into an area of Victorian and Edwardian houses.In this book, author Ruth Mansergh uncovers aspects of Wimbledon and Southfields’ past that are lesser known in the present day. The author discovers tales of highwaymen on Wimbledon Common and the visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1891, who was honoured with a grand military display here. Other chapters explore interesting buildings, industry (from basketmaking to toys and sauce manufacturing), notable people, wartime and the development of Wimbledon town. Secret Wimbledon & Southfields presents a fascinating chronicle of the intriguing and hidden heritage of the area.

The Lancashire town of Wigan has prehistoric roots and developed in importance through Roman and medieval times. It played a leading role in the English Civil War, being occupied by the Parliamentarians. It grew dramatically during the Industrial Revolution, with its coal mines and cotton industry, and later came to prominence thanks to George Orwell’s book The Road to Wigan Pier, which documented the poverty of the working classes in the 1930s.In this book, author Sue Gerrard explores the town’s history and seeks out some lesser-known stories and surprising aspects of its heritage along the way. Wigan is a sporting centre as it has both a rugby league team, the Wigan Warriors, and Wigan Athletic Football Club, who won the FA Cup in 2013. Over the decades it has been home to actors Sir Ian McKellen and Roy Kinnear, and comedians George Formby, Frank Randle and Ted Ray.Secret Wigan includes historical sites such as the thirteenth-century Mab’s Cross right through to the town’s place in the modern world. From mills to Mint Balls, coal to cavaliers and notable buildings to Northern Soul, this fascinating book will interest residents, visitors and all those with links to the town.

Through much of its history the Cheshire town of Northwich was little more than 6 statutory acres. This modest settlement was surrounded by other small townships, which it gradually absorbed over time. The bonds between central Northwich and its surrounding villages and settlements have been very strong for centuries. The long industrial history of parts of Northwich – famous for its salt, soda ash and shipbuilding – contrast with the semi-rural character of areas such as Davenham and Hartford.In Secret Northwich & Around, local authors Adrian and Dawn L. Bridge delve beneath the surface of the area’s fascinating history and focus upon aspects of its past that are lesser known, but of considerable significance. Among the subjects highlighted is the massive impact that slave trade money had on the local economy. Other chapters look at local industries, people, power and controversy and Victorian politics. The authors also explore hidden aspects of the locality’s past, which include topics ranging from law and order to public health, poverty and wartime.Illustrated throughout, with colour and archive images, this book will be of interest to local residents, visitors and all those with connections to the area.

The Berkshire town of Wokingham has over 1,000 years of history, and this history is interwoven with the bigger story of England. Underneath the vestiges of the modern town, it is still possible to uncover Wokingham’s secret past, which includes bull-baiting and highwaymen, breweries and medieval fairs. This book looks at the history of the town from its founding through to the current day, covering, among other things, Wokingham Town Hall and its unique form of governance, provisions for the poor and old in the Lucas Hospital almshouses and the Old Workhouse, poaching in nearby Windsor Forest, and Wokingham’s first cinema, The Electric Theatre. Wokingham’s medieval Rose Street and surviving ancient houses are explored, as well as the town’s oldest pub and its brewing history. The transformation of the town with the arrival of the railways is also examined.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Wokingham will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this historic town in Berkshire.

The town of Dartmouth, lying on the River Dart estuary on Devon’s south coast, has long had close associations with the sea. It was an important port for south-west England during the Middle Ages and became the home of the English navy. Dartmouth ships played a vital role in the battles against the Spanish Armada in 1588 and since the nineteenth century Dartmouth has been the home of the Royal Naval College. The historic town that grew up around the harbour with its narrow streets and ancient buildings such as the Butterwalk holds many dark and interesting secrets unknown to many who live in or visit the town. In this book author Christine Donnelly explores the stories behind the façade of the town, with characters such as John Hawley, the mayor who was also a pirate; William Veale, the Dartmouth Robinson Crusoe; Thomas Newcomen, the pioneering developer of the steam engine; and Agatha Christie, who lived at Kingswear, across the river. There are tales of witchcraft, tunnels by the harbour, the Scold Stone in the river and a mummified mouse preserved in a pub.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Dartmouth will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Devon.

Situated on the south-east coast of Kent, the picturesque twin towns of Deal and Walmer attract many visitors due to their location and extensive history that spans the centuries. Both have a rich military and maritime heritage, notably with their links to the historic Cinque Ports. Deal rose to become one of the busiest ports in England and possessed its own thriving Navy Yard to service warships at anchor in the famous Downs anchorage. The coastline’s strategic importance led to Henry VIII ordering the building of defensive fortresses in both towns, while notable figures such as Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington have strong connections to the area.In Secret Deal & Walmer local author Gregory Holyoake explores the history of both towns and delves beneath the surface to seek out some lesser-known stories and hidden aspects of their heritage. His engaging exploration uncovers intriguing facts, interesting buildings, surprising tales and the prominent people and colourful characters with links to this corner of Kent. Different chapters focus on subjects including churches and chapels, murder, mystery and mayhem, entertainment and sport, castles and – as you would expect – smuggling. Discover Deal’s links with the Royal Marines, its curious Timeball Tower, the Duke of Wellington’s residency at Walmer Castle and much more. Illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to residents, visitors and anyone interested in the history of these fascinating twin towns.

The Isle of Wight, lying off the south coast of England, has been a popular tourist destination for 200 years but has played an important role in the history of Britain for centuries. It was settled by Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, and following the Norman Conquest it became a kingdom in its own right for two centuries. After the Reformation the Worsley family became governors of the island, transforming Appuldurcombe Priory into the family home, but misfortune was to haunt them and the house over ensuing centuries. The island was transformed by royal patronage, George IV supporting the Royal Yacht Club and Victoria making Osborne her favoured retreat, and the island was home to many famous names in the Victorian world including Tennyson. The island has also been at the forefront of technology and defence with the world’s first radio station, established by Marconi, and the development of Britain’s Black Knight ballistic missile and Black Arrow space rocket. As well as all this, the island’s story includes the remarkable tale of how Bob Dylan was persuaded to play the Isle of Wight Festival instead of Woodstock and much more.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or vanished historical buildings and locations, Secret Isle of Wight will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this unique island across the Solent.

Cirencester is one of the most remarkable towns in Britain. From its Roman beginnings around AD 75, when it was classed second only in importance to London, to its current status as the ‘Capital of the Cotswolds’, it has always punched well above its weight. The ‘A-side’ of its history as a small market town which developed at the centre of the Cotswold wool trade is well documented, but what about its ‘ ip-side’? Much of the town’s fascinating history has either been overlooked or lies hidden below the surface. Well-known local author David Elder delves deep into Cirencester’s lost, forgotten and hidden histories, recounting some remarkable stories. Learn, for example, about some of Cirencester’s minor celebrities and local characters, including the Victorian female astronomer who became a national expert in sunspots and solar eclipses. He also unearths fascinating facts, celebrating, for example, the town’s accolade of having the UK’s oldest public outdoor swimming pool in continuous use, and explaining why it was important for passengers travelling on the railways around the mid-nineteenth century to understand that Cirencester time was 7 ½ minutes earlier than London time.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Cirencester will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Gloucestershire.

Situated in Tyne and Wear, the neighbouring communities of North Shields and Tynemouth are very different, but each has depended on the other for its existence over the years. Tynemouth is a small pretty seaside village overlooking the harbour of the River Tyne. Conversely, North Shields is a hard, industrial town, which was founded on the industries of mining, fishing and salt. The ruins of Tynemouth Priory and Castle dominate a rocky headland and today attract many visitors. The priory was built in around 1090 on the site of a much earlier chapel and although the prior had considerable influence, critically, he had no power over neighbouring Newcastle upon Tyne.In this book author David Scholey explores the rich history of the area and uncovers some surprises and secrets along the way. The book relates how the town and village came into existence and the battles with Newcastle over the existence of North Shields, once described as ‘a town where no towns ought to be’. Readers will also discover more about the local people – the sailors, inventors and entertainers – and how, against the odds, they still remain proud and defiant.Illustrated throughout, Secret North Shields & Tynemouth offers a fascinating insight into the heritage of this part of the North East, and will be of immense interest to residents, visitors and all those with connections to the area.

Secret Shepperton explores the history of the town from its early origins as an Iron Age settlement nestling on the banks of the River Thames. It’s the place where Caesar crossed the river in AD 54. Subsequent river finds reveal that this area regularly encountered invaders, such as the Saxons, who grazed sheep here and consequently called it Shepperton. It’s always been a place that attracts artists, such as Turner and Constable, and writers such as Charles Dickens and J. G. Ballard, who wrote the Unlimited Dream Factory in which his protagonist gains energy by phagocytizing the people of Shepperton. In H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds, the Martians destroy Shepperton and turn the Thames into a boiling inferno with their heat rays.In the twentieth century Shepperton was dubbed the playground of London and Richard D’Oyly Carte bought an island here to build a mini version of his Savoy Hotel. In 1931, Sir Richard Burbridge, Chairman of Harrods, sold his Shepperton mansion to Norman Loudon at a time when ‘the pictures’ were in their infancy but a new fad was catching on – films with sound. This was the forerunner of Shepperton Studio, still operating today and known throughout the world as the ‘Hollywood of England’.

A fascinating exploration of the lesser-known history and hidden heritage of the towns of Epsom and Ewell.

The Lancashire town of Burnley was once the cotton-weaving capital of the world. The Straight Mile that carries the Leeds and Liverpool Canal 60 feet above the town is regarded as one of the seven wonders of the British waterways system. The area adjacent to the canal, which is today known as The Weavers’ Triangle, hints at the town’s industrial past but, as this book reveals, there is much more history to discover when we delve beneath the surface.Author Margaret Brecknell takes readers on a fascinating exploration of the hidden heritage of Burnley and the neighbouring towns of Nelson and Colne. The countryside around Burnley is dominated by Pendle Hill, which has given its name to the surrounding area. The Pendle Witches, who were convicted and hanged for witchcraft in 1612, are known throughout the world, but what was the background to these extraordinary events? Less well known is the story of George Fox, whose vision on top of Pendle Hill in 1652 led to the foundation of the Quaker movement. From more recent times, discover the tragic story of Wallace Hartley, the bandleader on RMS Titanic whose memorial is in his home town of Colne; how Nelson came to be known as ‘Little Moscow’; and the two years in the 1940s when Burnley was Britain’s theatre capital.Illustrated throughout, Secret Burnley & Pendle will surprise and delight local people and anyone with connections to the area.

Although Bournemouth was only developed in the last 200 years, the town has a fascinating history. Behind the façade of this seaside resort is a story of singular events, little-known personalities and places that are often overlooked or forgotten. In Secret Bournemouth, author Andrew Jackson reveals the history of the town, from the creation of a resort by the Tregonwell family in an area of sand dunes and heath frequented by smugglers to the present-day large business and commercial centre on the south coast. Along the way we look at Bournemouth at war, its special place in aeronautical history, entertainments and other leisure attractions that have attracted many people over the years, its connections to the arts and literature and much more.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and hidden or vanished historical buildings and locations, Secret Bournemouth will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this resort on the south coast.

Discover the lesser-known and hidden heritage of Kew and Brentford. Will appeal to residents and all who are interested in the history of this part of London.

The Fens of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire (and a small part of Suffolk) are breathtakingly beautiful but misunderstood by some. This book will explore some of the secrets of the Fens that visitors and locals would be fascinated to learn. This unique landscape is rich in rare species, unusual traditions, ‘Fentastic’ festivals and hidden heritage. This book will help you unlock some of these secrets, including forgotten royalty, how people worked on the Fen lands, how the waterways were used and how flooding is managed today. Some of its many hidden treasures can be found in architecture, archaeology and stunning landscapes. Many of the facts in this book will prove that while the Fens may be flat, they are definitely not boring.Author Karen Merrison has unearthed singular events, little-known personalities and places in the history of the Fens to reveal the stories beneath the surface of the area. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Fens will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this area of eastern England.

Warrington is a twentieth-century New Town with a history stretching back to prehistoric times. Behind the present-day streetscape of a thriving Cheshire economic centre lie the ghosts of its Lancashire past. Secret Warrington reveals the often-forgotten fascinating stories of the famous, infamous and ordinary characters who have shaped its past and trodden the national or even international stage. Rediscover lost landmarks and the hidden history beneath the modern townscape. Explore Warrington’s urban myths and delve into forgotten scandals swept under the carpet of time.A companion to the A–Z of Warrington, this fascinating volume combines in-depth stories with quirky facts to capture your imagination and features many previously unpublished images and documents from the archives and collections of Warrington’s historic museum. Local historian Janice Hayes and Warrington’s Archives Officer Philip Jeffs provide the keys to help history detectives unlock the town’s secret past and become guardians of its future heritage. Well-illustrated throughout, this engaging and informative book will appeal to residents and all those with links to the town.

The city of Perth in central Scotland can trace its history back to the Romans. As the lowest crossing point for the River Tay, the settlement has been much fought over through the centuries, earning the city the title ‘Gateway to the Highlands’. Established as a royal burgh, Perth is often stated to have been the capital of Scotland. It has been frequently besieged over the years, including during the Wars of Independence with England and in clan wars. King James I was assassinated in the city in 1437 and it was later one of the birthplaces for the Scottish Reformation during the sixteenth century. The seventeenth century was turbulent for Perth, with witch trials, plague and an assassination attempt on King James VI when he was kidnapped in the Gowrie Conspiracy. Oliver Cromwell built the Citadel in the South Inch area and, during the eighteenth century, Perth was occupied by the Jacobite forces in the 1715 and 1745 uprisings. At the same time Perth was growing as an industrial town, with agriculture also important, as are the tourist and financial sectors today.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Perth will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this city in the heart of Scotland.

Eyam (pronounced Eem), given the Saxon name Eaham, meaning a well-watered hamlet, is a secluded Peak District village hemmed in by green slopes and majestic hills. Within ¼ mile, the busy world passes by along the A623, yet every year thousands of people head directly to this isolated rural community, tragically famous as the plague village that self-isolated. The year 1665 saw outbreaks of bubonic plague in London and many other cities, towns and villages across England. The incomprehensible terror of the plague, caused by the bite of a rat flea infected by the bacterium Pasteurella pestis, arrived in Eyam in September 1665 and in order to contain the disease, the villagers chose to lock themselves in isolation. This was an act of true altruism by grief-stricken people in a village where every home became a morgue and every resident a mourner.Some 350 years later, as we have encountered a pandemic of gigantic proportions with the Covid-19 crisis, the story of Eyam has inspired Simon Armitage, Poet Laureate, to devote half of his poem ‘Lockdown’ to the suffering of these people.Secret Eyam: Plague Village, illustrated throughout, expands upon these stories, taking a closer examination of this area’s important history.

A World Heritage Site since 1999, the New Forest is not that new and not really a forest. Only half is wooded with the rest being mainly gorse, heathland, mudflats and farms. It was created around 1079 for William the Conqueror as an exclusive royal hunting ground, especially for deer, and is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as ‘Nova Foresta’. Still 90 per cent of the forest is Crown land, although King James II was the last monarch to hunt there, in 1686. It has also retained its ancient governing system of Verderers, Agisters and 500 Commoners.In Secret New Forest, author Martin Brisland has unearthed fascinating facts, little-known personalities and places in the history of the New Forest and reveals the history below its surface. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret New Forest will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this area of southern England.

Southend-on-Sea was only developed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when it became a popular seaside resort, but behind its façade lie many little-known and fascinating stories. In Secret City of Southend, author Ian Yearsley reveals the history beneath the surface of Southend from its eight historic parishes to the present-day commercial centre. Amongst the topics covered are the old parish boundary markers that can be found today, what the various street names reveal about the times when they were built, the tramway and boulevard systems, the key role played by the town in the Second World War and the relics of wartime that still survive, the redevelopment of the town centre in the 1960s and 1970s, the blue plaques to famous locals – and much more.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret City of Southend will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Essex.

From its Saxon beginnings to the severe floods of 2007, Tewkesbury is one of Britain’s most remarkable towns. It is well known for its Norman abbey of cathedral-like proportions and the great battle which proved to be one of the most decisive in the Wars of the Roses, but its history contains much more that has often been overlooked. In this book local author David Elder delves deep into Tewkesbury’s lost, forgotten and hidden histories, recounting some remarkable stories. Learn, for example, about some of the town’s minor celebrities and local characters – from the seaman who carried Admiral Nelson’s wounded body to the cockpit of HMS Victory, to the miserly tanner who amassed a great fortune ‘for no higher purpose than the sordid desire of seeing it uselessly accumulate’. The author unearths fascinating facts, celebrating the town’s tradition of nonconformity which led to more than one riot, and provides fascinating insights into how the town’s inhabitants were once comically portrayed as having sharp features because it was assumed that they lived on the town’s famous hot, pungent mustard!With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Tewkesbury will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Gloucestershire.

Dorset’s county town of Dorchester is famous for its association with the writer Thomas Hardy but its history contains much more that has often been overlooked. Secret Dorchester & Around delves deep into the town’s lost, forgotten and hidden histories, recounting some remarkable stories. The area was an important Iron Age stronghold, the huge hill fort of Maiden Castle outside today’s town being taken over by the Romans in the first century AD. The Romans left an extensive legacy in Dorchester including an amphitheatre at Maumbury Rings which was later used as an execution site for eighty rebels from the Monmouth Rebellion condemned to death by Judge Jeffreys at the Bloody Assizes held in the town. Two centuries later, the Tolpuddle Martyrs were sentenced in Dorchester to penal servitude in Australia following their attempts to set up a trade union of agricultural workers in the nearby village of Tolpuddle.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Dorchester & Around will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Dorset.

Secret Islington and Clerkenwell delves into this historic area’s often unknown but colourful past. It takes the reader on a fascinating journey from the time when these villages were rural communities up to the thriving, vibrant neighbourhoods they are today. You will discover what made the area initially so attractive to farmers and dairy maids, why so many monastic communities settled here in the Middle Ages, and how a seventeenth-century waterway supplying water to Londoners was not only built in the district but is still providing water to the capital today.This book highlights the role that great revolutionary figures such as Wat Tyler, Lenin, Mazzini and Garibaldi have played in Clerkenwell, as well as the contribution made by its very many immigrants, especially the Huguenots, Italian and Irish. You will discover how in the late 1800s extreme poverty and squalid living in unsanitary rookeries led to great criminal activity and how benevolent philanthropists stepped in to provide the local population with improved facilities and social housing.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of these areas of London.

The town of Redcar and the resort of Saltburn-by-the-Sea, with the adjoining village of Marske-by-the-Sea, lie on an 8-mile stretch of the coast in north-east England. In this book author Colin Wilkinson reveals the stories behind how these once small villages along a remote coast grew into the present-day resorts. Centuries ago, the beaches were ideal for smugglers. The arrival of the railway in the nineteenth century brought an influx of visitors and at the same time new industries emerged following the discovery of iron ore in the local hills, bringing in more people looking for work. In the twentieth century war left its mark on the area. In the First World War lookout posts were set up on the beaches, an early warning station was built to listen for Zeppelins and at Marske an aerodrome was set up nearby to train pilots. Depression in the 1930s and post-war industrial decline brought hardship to the area, but the holiday industry boomed in the first half of the twentieth century and has seen a resurgence in recent years. Over the course of the last century Redcar has seen the birth of Redcar Racecourse, motor racing along the beach, famous visitors such as Emily Pankhurst and Keir Hardy and much more.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Redcar, Marske and Saltburn will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this corner of the coastline of the North East.

Folkestone’s history goes back to the Anglo-Saxons and earlier settlements, and behind the façade of the elegant Edwardian resort, the port and today’s thriving town and gateway to the Channel Tunnel lie many little-known and fascinating stories from its past. In Secret Folkestone, authors Terry Begent and Eamonn Rooney reveal the history beneath the surface of Folkestone from the foundation of the first nunnery in England by St Eanswythe in the seventh century to the present day. Among the topics covered are the story of the stone in ‘Folke-stone’, the town’s role in defending the nation from invasion through the ages, the clifftop source of Folkestone’s Victorian water supply, how a medieval monarch tamed the local piratical fishermen into a naval force, the riot to free smugglers from Folkestone Gaol in 1820, the First World War aerial bombardment that left nearly 100 dead, and much more.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Folkestone will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town on the Kent coast.

Staines-upon-Thames and its neighbour Laleham are 19 miles west of central London, linked by road and river. Because of the stranded or braided character of the river here, when the Romans came in AD 43, they found a series of primitive wooden bridges crossing the flood plains of the Thames, Colne and Wraysbury rivers. They called it Ad Pontes – literally ‘at the bridges’. It became an important inland port/trading town due to its strategic position where the essential road route from London to the West Country crossed The Thames.It retained its prominence through the centuries due to waterpower that drove mill machinery, grinding flour and mustard, fulling fabric, producing papier-maché, ale and linoleum which became a global success on an unheard-of scale for the time. As commerce replaced industry, Staines reinvented itself with a make-over on a gigantic scale, gaining the prestigious Town Centre Environment Award in 2003 for its ambitious shopping precincts, offices and homes.Few vestiges of the past were preserved but Staines has retained its secrets in twenty-six monumental site-specific representations on an art trail along the Roman backbone of the town. Part of the social fabric of everyday life, each artwork discloses a fascinating tale. Continue your journey beside the Thames to Laleham, a quiet riverside village with immense charm, and you walk in the footsteps of former Laleham resident Thomas Arnold, the Headmaster of Rugby immortalised in Tom Brown’s School Days. His school in Laleham, the present Muncaster House, is just one of twenty-five listed buildings here, where a wander along its picturesque lanes is a walk through its intriguing history.