First published in 1976 Architecture and the Environment is based on the authors very successful Architecture of Children. The original book has been completely revised and new illustrations have been specially drawn. This book gives a comprehensive account of the role of architecture in the environment of a constantly developing world. It traces the history of building from its most primitive origins to the complex architecture of the current times. The book takes as a s...

PACKED WITH ASTONISHING FACTS AND WONDERFUL STORIES ON WHAT MAKES THE ENGLISH TICKQ. Why are English train seats so narrow?A. It's all the Romans' fault. The first Victorian trains were built to the same width as horse-drawn wagons; and they were designed to fit the ruts left in the roads by Roman chariots.This intriguing and witty book explains how our national characteristics - our sense of humour, hobbies and favourite foods - a...

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 ...

Russell Page was one of the most famous landscape gardeners in Europe. This is his classic text describing his training and the making of his many and celebrated gardens. Written in clear, elegant prose, illustrated with a substantial photographic section, this edition boasts pictures by Marina Schinz of Russell Page's gardens in a more mature form and hitherto unpublished photographs from the author's files with a foreword and captions by Fred Whitsey, gardening correspondent to the D...

Living in History reveals the architectural diversity of English period houses through the eyes and beautiful hand drawn portraits of Artist Eli Ofir. Each detailed portrait is accompanied by in-depth historical research from House Historians Jane Davidson and Rosalind Chislett, as well as stories and memories from the people actually living in the houses today. This book is a unique and breathtaking study of the evolution of English house styles from Medieval and Tudor times up to the 193...

The Victorian house comes in all shapes, sizes and materials. The legacy of this hugely influential era can be found in every region of England, from the majestic rows of gleaming white terraces in West London to the grid of red-brick houses in northern mill towns. Using his own drawings, diagrams and photographs, the author, Trevor Yorke, explains, in an easy to understand manner, all aspects of the Victorian house and provides a definitive guide for those who are renovating, tracing the ...

The period from 1900 to 1914—the Edwardian Age—is often thought of as a golden time of country house parties and endless summers. In fact, it was a time of great social change. Wealthy industrialists were building houses for their workers at Port Sunlight (Lever), Bournville (Cadbury) and New Earswick (Rowntree). The garden suburb was also being developed and seen as a way of clearing slum housing from big cities such as London and Liverpool. The Edwardians built a wide range of houses, fr...

Most of England’s country houses are packed with masterpieces of art and antiques. They also have vast landscaped gardens, often with lakes and fountains. Recent television series and films (such as Downton Abbey and Gosford Park) have spurred on the public’s interest in these grand and glamorous houses which reflect all the splendour of England’s glory years. Using original colour drawings, diagrams and photographs, Trevor Yorke takes the reader on a careful tour of the country house and ...

A Georgian or Regency house conjures up a distinct and much admired image. Elegance, refinement and beautiful proportions have made this period an inspiration for later architects and a popular choice for today's house buyer. Whether it is the grand, symmetrical facades embellished with classical motifs or elegant terrace arranged around spacious communal gardens, this easy to understand guide looks behind the distinctive publice face of houses dating from 1714 to 1830. It expaliens how an...

The 1960s witnessed a sustained period of economic growth, consumer spending and stable employment. This hitherto unknown prosperity enabled a market growth in levels of owner occupation and a subsequent boom in the sale of household furnishings and luxury goods. The 1960s Home looks at the styles and fashions in domestic housing and interiors between 1960 and 1970. Although this period has received increasing attention in recent years, much of it has been concentrated on progressive and e...

As seen on BBC: An illustrated visit to four iconic gardens, each a product of its age, with stories of the creators and events that shaped them.The stories of these gardens' creation include obsession, escape, social ambition, political intrigue, heartbreak, bankruptcy, and disaster. In unravelling these remarkable stories we reach back over the centuries to see these great gardens through fresh eyes.From the magnificent landscape garden at Stowe created by ...

Discover the hidden corners and forgotten crevices of Britain's landscapes, from lost rural treasures to unseen urban gems.Landscapes reflect and shape our behaviour. They make us who we are and bear witness to the shifting patterns of human life over the generations.Bringing to bear a lifetime's digging, archaeologist Francis Pryor delves into Britain's hidden urban and rural landscapes, from Whitby Abbey to the navvy camp at Risehill in Cumbria, from Tint...