England's Villages: An Extraordinary Journey Through Time

Description

England's villages have survived, developed, and thrived over hundreds of years. But what makes a village and how has that changed over time? Take a charming and unexpected journey through the quirks of England's villages throughout the ages in the excellent company of Dr Ben Robinson, expert archaeologist. Join him in visiting villages from prehistoric, to Roman, to medieval times, all the way through to today's modern, urban villages. Discover how landowners, governments and communities have shaped villages, why village greens, village pubs and village halls exist, and the real meaning behind names like Bunny, Yelling, Lover, Great Snoring and Slaughter. A compelling study of archaeology, history and architecture, England's Villages is a thoughtful, enlightening and informative look at our oldest homes, uncovering and revealing the extraordinary heritage of the places that surround us.

Dr Ben Robinson is a British archaeologist and television presenter. Ben grew up in a Cambridgeshire fenland village, within a farming family. He has worked as a field archaeologist, an archaeological planning adviser, and once enjoyed the grand-sounding job title 'Inspector of Ancient Monuments'. Ben joined cult archaeological TV show Time Team for several series and has presented regional BBC TV features on heritage subjects from Roman treasure to Victorian rubbish. He has taken to the skies as 'The Flying Archaeologist', traced King John's final ill-fated journey and tracked the path of Zeppelin raids for BBC Four. Latterly, Ben has joined Alice Roberts as 'the eye in the sky' for three series of Channel 4's Britain's Most Historic Towns, presented village archaeology and history series Pubs, Ponds and Power: The Story of the Village, and now fronts Villages by the Sea for BBC Two.

'Villages are the ancient heart and soul of rural England. Ben Robinson's book vividly explains the complexity of their history and why we must cherish them for future generations.' * Francis Pryor * 'Dr Ben Robinson reveals how England's Villages have a dynamic and turbulent history which belies their sleepy image.' * Choice Magazine * 'A fascinating, often surprising history, full of twists and turns, of something as apparently simple as a village. I was raised in a village (though I left it for the big city) so this book helped me understand the village part of my childhood.' * Rachel Morris, author of The Museum Makers *