England’s Villages is a stunning book by the host of BBC2’s Villages by the Sea. What makes a village, and how have some survived and others thrived? Take a charming and unexpected journey through the quirks of England’s villages through the ages, with the excellent company of archaeologist Dr Ben Robinson as your guide.
Join him in visiting prehistoric to Roman to medieval villages, through to modern urban villages of today. Learn how landowners, governments and communities have shaped villages, and why village greens, pubs and halls exist. And the meaning behind names like Great Snoring!
Villages provided the solid social and economic backbone of the country for centuries. The history of England is in large part a history of its villages. Villages have much more to offer than first meets the eye, but often you have to do a little work to uncover their secrets. A hamlet is defined as a small village, especially one without a church. Yet Bicester Village is second only to Buckingham Palace among Britain’s must-see destinations for Chinese tourists: no residents, all private property and the same fashion stores you find in shopping centres all over the world.
about the author
Dr Ben Robinson is an archaeologist who currently works for Historic England. He has presented for the BBC including co-presenting a series of Britain’s most historic towns with Coast’s Dr Alice Roberts. He also presented a TV series on villages by the sea.
