Excavations in advance of housing development at Longforth Farm, Wellington revealed limited evidence for late prehistoric settlement, but the principal discovery was the remains of a previously unknown high status medieval building complex. This is thought to have been a manor house and though heavily robbed, key elements identified include a hall, solar with garderobe and service wing. A forecourt lay to the north and a service yard with at least one ancillary building and a possible det...

This pocket-sized guide to identifying and interpreting metal and ceramic marks has been improved with the addition of the most recent hallmarks, along with details of the new hallmarking system.Do you attend car boot sales or browse in antique shops in search of bargains? Have you ever wished you knew more about grandma’s silver spoon? Do you envy the experts’ ability to identify and date old hand-me-downs? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, Collins Gem Antique Marks ...

‘Trees are wildlife just as deer or primroses are wildlife. Each species has its own agenda and its own interactions with human activities …’Written by one of Britain’s best-known naturalists, Woodlands offers a fascinating new insight into the trees of the British landscape that have filled us with awe and inspiration throughout the centuries.Looking at such diverse evidence as the woods used in buildings and ships, and how woodland has been portrayed in pictures and photo...

From its earliest origins to the present day, this award-winning, beautifully written book describes the endlessly changing character of Britain's countryside.'A classic' Richard MabeyExploring the natural and man-made features of the land - fields, highways, hedgerows, fens, marshes, rivers, heaths, coasts, woods and wood pastures - he shows conclusively and unforgettably how they have developed over the centuries. In doing so, he covers a...

From one of our greatest science writers, this biography of a beech-and-bluebell wood through diverse moods and changing seasons combines stunning natural history with the ancient history of the countryside to tell the full story of the British landscape.‘The woods are the great beauty of this country… A fine forest-like beech wood far more beautiful than anything else which we have seen in its vicinity’ is how John Stuart Mill described a small patch of beech-and bluebell woodland...

Did the Romans have rakes? Did the monks get muddy? Did the potato seem really, really weird when it arrived on our shores?This lively 'potted' history of gardening in Britain takes us on a garden tour from the thorn hedges around prehistoric settlements to the rage for decking and ornamental grasses today. It tracks down the ordinary folk who worked the earth - the apprentice boys and weeding women, the florists and nursery gardeners - as well as aristocrats and grand designers an...

The Tudor period was dominated by King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. The houses still standing from that time are typified by black and white timber framed buildings and rambling rows of quaint cottages around a village green. This book explains the rich range of domestic houses built during the era. There are five separate sections, which deal with social change; structure and materials; styles and dating details; interiors; and gardens and landscapes. There is also a quick reference ...

For the times when you’re driving past a lumpy, bumpy field and you wonder what made the lumps and bumps; for when you’re walking between two lines of grand trees, wondering when and why they were planted; for when you see a brown heritage sign pointing to a ‘tumulus’ but you don’t know what to look for… Entertaining and factually rigorous, Hidden Histories will help you decipher the story of our landscape through the features you can see around you. This Spotter’s Guide arms the amateur e...

When the Celts first arrived in Ireland around 200 B.C., the island had already been inhabited for over 7000 years. Drawing on a wealth of archaeological evidence and the author's own mastery of the subject, Ancient Ireland returns to those pre-Celtic roots in a bid to discover the secrets of the island's first inhabitants: Who were they? And how did they live? Few accounts of the period are as exhaustively researched; fewer still are as alive with historical insight and compelling detail....

This handy guide to identifying and interpreting gold, silver, platinum and ceramic marks includes all hallmarks from 1544. Details of the new hallmarking system, international marks and guides to the great makers are all included.Do you attend car boot sales or browse in antique shops in search of bargains? Have you ever wished you knew more about grandma’s silver spoons? Do you envy the experts’ ability to identify and date old hand-me-downs? If the answer to any of these questio...

For over 25 years The Handbook of British Archaeology has been the foremost guide to archaeological methods, artefacts and monuments, providing clear explanations of all specialist terms used by archaeologists.This completely revised and updated edition is packed with the latest information and now includes the most recent developments in archaeological science. Meticulously researched, every section has been extensively updated by a team of experts.There are chapt...

Timber framed buildings, whether they are medieval halls, barns, grand houses, or picturesque cottages, form one of the most delightful features of our historic towns and countryside. They catch our imagination as we admire the skill and craft of the carpenters who created them, with a strength and quality that has seen many of them survive for over six centuries. Using his own photographs, drawings and detailed diagrams, Trevor Yorke helps us to understand what such buildings may have ori...