The A-Z of Curious Somerset

The A-Z of Curious Somerset PDF Author: Geoffrey Body
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750952989
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 197

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Book Description
This book draws on the long and unique heritage of the county of Somerset, bringing to life seventy of the little known but fascinating and unusual aspects of a much-loved county. It tells, in a single volume, tales of body-snatchers and bewitchment; crime and conflict; lepers and lighthouses; songs and words; heroes and villains - this is book is of and for the curious. Its accounts of larger-than-life episodes from Somerset activity, locations and people take the reader on a near-unbelievable exploration of local human behaviour and idiosyncrasy. Richly illustrated, this book is great for dipping into, but can equally be enjoyed from cover to cover.

The A-Z of Curious Somerset

The A-Z of Curious Somerset PDF Author: Geoffrey Body
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750952989
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 197

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book draws on the long and unique heritage of the county of Somerset, bringing to life seventy of the little known but fascinating and unusual aspects of a much-loved county. It tells, in a single volume, tales of body-snatchers and bewitchment; crime and conflict; lepers and lighthouses; songs and words; heroes and villains - this is book is of and for the curious. Its accounts of larger-than-life episodes from Somerset activity, locations and people take the reader on a near-unbelievable exploration of local human behaviour and idiosyncrasy. Richly illustrated, this book is great for dipping into, but can equally be enjoyed from cover to cover.

The A-Z of Curious Somerset

The A-Z of Curious Somerset PDF Author: Geoffrey Body
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750952989
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 214

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book draws on the long and unique heritage of the county of Somerset, bringing to life seventy of the little known but fascinating and unusual aspects of a much-loved area. It tells of body-snatchers and bewitchment; crime and conflict; lepers and lighthouses; songs and words; heroes and villains – this is book is of and for the curious. Its accounts of larger-than-life episodes from Somerset activity, locations and people take the reader on a near-unbelievable exploration of local human behaviour and idiosyncrasy. Richly illustrated, this book is great for dipping into, but can equally be enjoyed from cover to cover.

The A-Z of Curious Shropshire

The A-Z of Curious Shropshire PDF Author: John Shipley
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750983175
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 232

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Book Description
John Shipley takes the reader on a grand tour of the curious and bizarre, the strange and the unusual from Shropshire's past. Here you will find out where an African Prince is interred; which pub is reputedly haunted by the ghost of John (Mad Jack) Mytton of Halston Hall; and which village lays claim to the oldest cottage in Europe. Along the way you will read about earthquakes and floods, giants and witches, highwaymen and bandits, scandalous residents and inventors. Richly illustrated, The A-Z of Curious Shropshire is great for dipping into, but can equally be enjoyed from cover to cover.

A-Z of Curious Essex

A-Z of Curious Essex PDF Author: Paul Wreyford
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0752493973
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 220

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Book Description
‘Curious’ is perhaps not the first word you would use to label Essex. But ‘curiouser and curiouser’ it becomes when you dig below the surface. Forget the popular image of Essex boy and girl. Come and meet larger-than-life characters, including the one-time fattest man in England, whose waist was wider than the height of an average man. And talking of big, discover the origin of children's favourite Humpty Dumpty.Did you know that explorer David Livingstone, who trekked across Africa, got lost in Essex; that Essex villain Dick Turpin was only identified because a relative refused to pay the cost of a ‘stamp’, or that St George saw off his dragon here?Shocking, creepy and bizarre tales abound if you dig a little deeper. And if you literally look below the surface in Essex - 100ft underground to be precise - you’ll discover one of the most incredible Government ‘secrets’ of all time.

The A-Z of Curious Bristol

The A-Z of Curious Bristol PDF Author: Maurice Fells
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750957166
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 183

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Book Description
Bristol's history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. This book explains why the vicar in one church goes on an annual trek to peer down a manhole; why captains of industry sing an eighteen-verse song in memory of Queen Elizabeth I; and how the Flower of Bristol got its name. You will meet some unusual contraptions, like the bed with in-built exercise equipment, or the thrashing machine for naughty boys. You will also discover why a public clock still runs to Bristol time. This compendium of the weird and wonderful will surprise even those Bristolians who thought they really knew their city.

The A-Z of Curious Aberdeenshire

The A-Z of Curious Aberdeenshire PDF Author: Duncan Harley
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 075098645X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 235

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Book Description
Duncan Harley takes the reader on a grand tour of the curious and the bizarre, the strange and the unusual from Aberdeenshire's past. Read about the Beatles' first, and almost their last, tour of the North-east, the Deeside artist who tended plaster sheep, and the strange tale of the Typhoid Queen. Learn about Hitler's secret bunker at Stonehaven, the doomed Marquis of Montrose, and the mysterious Mound of Death at Inverurie. Along the way you'll also meet scandalous residents, determined inventors, and Royal personages galore. The A-Z of Curious Aberdeenshire is guaranteed to enthrall both residents and visitors alike.

The A-Z of Curious County Durham

The A-Z of Curious County Durham PDF Author: Martin Dufferwiel
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750957352
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 258

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Book Description
This book draws upon the varied history and unique heritage of the County Palatine of Durham, an ancient land of saints and warlords. It is a catalogue of curious tales, odd anecdotes and quirky characters from County Durham's past. Within its pages the reader will discover stories of hauntings, murders and mysterious deaths, while modern-day enigmas – such as the ancient structure that archaeologists remain at a loss to explain, or the lost treasure found at the bottom of the River Wear – are revisited. Inspired in part by the chronicles and compendiums of County Durham's nineteenth-century historians and antiquarians, this book is a miscellany – at times tragic, at times comic, but always entertaining. And for those for whom the collective subjects hold a perennial fascination, it is ideal for dipping into, perhaps to learn something new about wonderfully curious County Durham.

The Little Book of Somerset

The Little Book of Somerset PDF Author: Maurice Fells
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750990252
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 191

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Book Description
Did you know? The town of Wincanton is twinned with a place that does not exist. William Gibbs of Tyntesfield House made his fortune by importing bird droppings from Peru. A song by 'Scrumpy and Western' singer Adge Cutler was banned by the BBC for being too raunchy. Nine villages in Somerset are known as the 'Thankful Villages'. From seaside to countryside and villages to towns, Somerset is a county where it's difficult to separate history and mystery. This fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of places, people and trivia reveals all sorts of answers to questions you might have wondered about – and some you didn't. The facts, stats and anecdotes will surprise even those familiar with this beautiful and historic county.

The A-Z of Curious Bristol

The A-Z of Curious Bristol PDF Author: Maurice Fells
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750957166
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 193

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Book Description
Bristol's history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. This book explains why the vicar in one church goes on an annual trek to peer down a manhole; why captains of industry sing an eighteen-verse song in memory of Queen Elizabeth I; and how the Flower of Bristol got its name. You will meet some unusual contraptions, like the bed with in-built exercise equipment, or the thrashing machine for naughty boys. You will also discover why a public clock still runs to Bristol time. This compendium of the weird and wonderful will surprise even those Bristolians who thought they really knew their city.

Somerset Folk Tales

Somerset Folk Tales PDF Author: Sharon Jacksties
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0752478192
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 209

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Book Description
These Somerset tales, newly collected or retold with a strong sense of the land and the waters that shaped them, reflect our enduring interest in the natural landscape. Let these stories from the Summer Lands take you on a journey: across wind-wild moors that plummet to treacherous tides traversed by sea morgans; on a scramble from gorges shaped by the Devil's spite to caves dwelled in by bitter witches. Discover ancient mines and dragons' haunts, and emerge into forests and fields to be befriended by bees or bedevilled by fairies; then stroll beside ancient waterways, where willows walk and orchards talk. From Gwyn ap Neath to Joseph of Arimathea, your travelling companions will meet you from legend, history and living memory – from the places where they were once known best. Sharon Jacksties has a sharp eye for the landscape of Somerset and the seen and unseen stories that it holds, a sympathetic ear for the dialect of the South West, and a playful wit that brings this collection of tales to vivid and delightful life.