BRITAIN’S HISTORY FROM THE AIR
Looking down the cameraman’s lens, this book provides a view of the historic buildings and landscapes which represent Britain’s royal heritage. Jason Hawkes, the photographer, has spent the last year flying by helicopter over the country, searching for places with historic royal associations and recording them in evocative compositions. The royal palaces – Windsor Castle, Balmoral, Buckingham Palace and others – are seen from a view the public don’t normally see. The great churches and cathedrals – St Paul’s, Westminster Abbey and the rest – are included, in addition to hundreds of other stately homes, public buildings, towns and rural landscapes which have played some part in Britain’s royal history.
BRITAIN’S COASTLINE FROM THE AIR
Britain’s coastline is extraordinarily rich in its diversity, with its many inlets, bays, coves, promontories, archipelagos and islands. Every mood of the British coastline has been faithfully recorded, from the jagged teeth of the Needles on the Isle of Wight and the strange red archway of Durdle Door in Dorset to the flat stretches of Marshland that border the East Anglian coast. The book divides Britain’s coastline into her shipping areas and illustrates the secret coves and bays of these coasts as well as the more well-known sights. The text describes in full detail the places that are illustrated and chronicles their tales of age-old bravery, shipwrecks, sea rescues, smugglers, legends, sea battles and monsters as well as such modern-day items as power stations, ship-building, the loss of many of Britain’s piers and the brave work carried out by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
LITERARY BRITAIN AND IRELAND
“Literary Britain and Ireland” features more than 100 locations associated with the world’s leading authors. From the tower at Sissinghurst where Vita Sackville-West wrote her books and the gardens that inspired Beatrix Potter’s children’s stories in the Lake District, to the Suffolk coastline that provides the setting for many of P.D. James’ novels and the fictional platform at Kings Cross where J.K. Rowling put Harry Potter on a train to Hogwarts, this book is an essential guide to Britain and Ireland’s most fascinating, beautiful and inspiring houses, gardens, cafes, railway stations and so much more. Beautifully illustrated, each entry includes: a short essay putting the location or city in its literary and historical context; key authors and locations associated with the place under discussion; and, useful contact details and travel link.
ROYAL BRITAIN
The stunning historic palaces, castles and houses of the British monarchy have captured the interest and imaginations of the millions who flock to visit them each year. The magnificent and occasionally eccentric architecture, often-sumptuous gardens and lavish interiors of these buildings have made them extremely popular tourist destinations. “Royal Britain: Historic Palaces, Castles and Houses” takes the reader on a tour of more than 30 key historic locations in England, Scotland and Wales – among them some of the most recognised royal buildings, such as Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Hampton Court, the most infamous, such as the notorious Tower of London, prison to many a royal monarch in the past, and also locations that are slightly more off the beaten track, such as Harlech Castle in North Wales. Each entry includes: key information about the historic building under discussion; an engaging essay putting the location in political, social and cultural context; boxes highlighting features of special interest to visitors; vital contact information, including useful websites and travel links; and, beautiful photographs of the exteriors and interiors of these key royal buildings.
ROYAL BRITAIN FROM THE AIR
The landscape of Britain is one of the most diverse in the world. Within these tiny islands there is everything from wild mountains, coasts and moorlands to gentle farmland, forests and meandering rivers. Imprinted over this diversity is a rich history, visible as much in the buildings as in the shape of the landscape itself. From prehistoric monuments like Stonehenge and Avebury to the vast modern motorways which sweep across the land, Britain is marked indelibly by the works of man
“Royal London” celebrates the defining influence of British Kings and Queens on the cultural, social and architectural landscape of London over the last two millennia, featuring grand, world-famous sites of royal importance, such as Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London, alongside lesser-known areas or monuments. Blending charted history with little-known stories and anecdotes, “Royal London” offers a deeper insight into the colourful regal characters and the legacies they left behind, lending renewed interest to obvious places of royal significance and awakening interest in forgotten monuments to the monarchy. Divided by area and with a locator map of London at the front of the book, “Royal London” reveals the fascinating history and stories behind over 130 buildings, parks, gardens, statues and other objects in London that are associated with royalty, fully illustrated with specially commissioned photography. This fully-updated edition in a handy new format is a timely addition to the New Holland London range, launching before the Queen’s jubilee in 2012, and containing new features on William and Kate’s wedding as well as brand new profiles on each of the royals.