Walk in the footsteps of William the Conqueror with Blue Peter Award winning author David Long, who expertly unearths the captivating history, culture and legacy of the Norman era.In 1066, William the Conqueror led a formidable army across the English Channel, changing the course of British history. Descended from fierce Viking raiders, the Normans became ruthless rulers who built monumental castles, established a new social order and merged their customs with thos...

The West End of London is world famous for its grand squares and striking architecture. But beyond the famous façades lies a labyrinth of secret histories. Walking the West End takes you deep into eight distinctive neighbourhoods, steering you down forgotten side streets that even locals often miss.From precious Roman and medieval remains to the gilded streets of Mayfair, Soho and Belgravia, this book reveals the people who lived there and the forces that shaped mo...

*The Little Book of London *is a funny, fast-paced, fact-packed compendium full of the sort of frivolous, fantastic or simply strange information which no-one will want to be without. London's looniest laws, its most eccentric inhabitants, the realities of being royal and literally hundreds of wacky facts about the world's greatest city combine to make it required reading for visitors and locals alike.

Did you know?In 1884 the Circle Line opened and was described in The Times as 'a form of mild torture which no person would undergo if he could conveniently help it.'According to one psychologist, Tube commuters can experience greater levels of stress than a police officer facing a rioting mob or even a fighter pilot going into a dogfight.Underground trains have only twice been used to transport deceased people in coffins: William Gladston...

The bustling metropolis of London is home to scores of unusual and unique places and spaces. In this feast of peculiarities, author David Long guides you off the beaten path and allows you under the skin of the hidden city that is modern-day London, revealing a new side to the capital you thought you knew.

The streetscape of London's historic square mile has been evolving for centuries, but the City's busy commercial heart still boasts an extensive network of narrow passages and alleyways, secret squares and half-hidden courtyards.Using his wealth of local knowledge, historian David Long guides you through these ancient rights of passage – many dating back to medieval times or earlier – their evocative names recalling old taverns, notable individuals and City traditi...

From land-speed record-breakers to unforgettable rivalries, buckle up for an exhilarating ride through the evolution of motorsport with Blue Peter Award winning author David Long.When automobiles arrived in Britain in the 1890s, Queen Victoria was among the many who thought they were noisy, smelly machines. By 1906, the first Grand Prix was speeding through the French countryside, igniting a global passion for motorsport.From daring land-speed record attemp...

Delve into London's architectural curiositites and discover the unexpected gems waiting around every corner.London is full of extraordinary, enigmatic and, above all, unexpected buildings: a pirate castle in Camden, an art gallery made of shipping containers, underground ghost stations, and much more. Here David Long reveals the very best of the capital's extraordinary buildings, some of which are passed by every day, hidden in plain sight.

Millions live there, millions more visit each year – but how many really know London?Find out:How New York's famous Central Park came to be modelled on a seventeenth-century London squareWhen Primrose Hill almost gained a pyramid even larger than the Great Pyramid of CheopsWhy about 640 people came to be drowned in the Thames in a single nightWhat the royal family might do to escape London if the balloon ever goes up...

The summer of 2022 saw the celebration of the seventieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, the first time in British history that a monarch has reached this remarkable milestone.As the event was the first of its kind to be televised, images from the ceremony inside Westminster Abbey are instantly recognisable. Far less familiar are the scenes in the streets outside, where huge crowds assembled to see a procession of state coaches and historic regiment...

UNCOVER LONDON'S PAST, BROUGHT TO LIFE THROUGH ITS LOST AND FORGOTTEN TREASURES, LANDMARKS, CUSTOMS AND STORIESLondon is a city steeped in history; a place where the past lingers in every shadow. More than 2,000 years in the making and covering 600 square miles, like any modern capital it reinvents itself on an almost perpetual basis, yet it's almost impossible to walk its streets without finding a survivor from one of its previous incarnations. Be...

The PDSA award, named for the charity's founder, animal welfare pioneer Maria Elisabeth Dickin CBE, was created to recognise the increasingly important role being played by regimental and other service mascots, soon expanding to include service animals whose specialised training saw them working alongside men and women on the home and battle fronts, out at sea and eventually even deep into enemy-held territory. The medal quickly became known around the world as the Animals...