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''Fascinating'' - The Sunday TelegraphEngland has been fought over for centuries, by invaders and in civil wars. The sites of these desperate struggles are as varied as the reasons they were fought over, be they fields, towns or fortresses, by land, sea or air. These haunted acres are places of commemoration, memory and, above all, history. These are the places where history was made, and as such they form a crucial part of the historic environment.By ‘reading’ them like any other form of historical evidence, much can be learned about the events which took place there. Through stripping away later features and land use with an eye for the ground, the battlefield historian can, with the use of contemporary accounts, archaeology and military history, reconstruct the events which have shaped the present.In this fully updated, ground-breaking volume, covering over 500 battlefields, Michael Rayner unravels these various strands and weaves them back together to give clear, concise accounts of the battles that shaped England.

In July 1940, Desmond Ibbotson joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve hoping to fly Spitfires. He achieved his dream aged just 19, eventually completing 650 flying hours in seven types of Spitfire. He did two tours of operations with three of the RAF’s elite squadrons in the skies over France, North Africa and Italy, was credited with eleven confirmed victories and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar.After a dramatic active service that saw him shot down during the Battle of El Alamein, captured by Rommel’s forces and making a daring escape, in 1944 he was promoted and moved to instructor duties at Perugia, Italy, where he trained experienced pilots returning to the front line or converting to a new fighter type.Tragically, just over three months later, Desmond was killed during a routine test flight that November. He was buried in a military cemetery, but serious questions would remain about his death. How had such an experienced pilot crashed while undertaking such a simple flight? And, given that he had a marked grave, when a Spitfire was excavated from an Italian field sixty-two years later, why were Desmond’s remains still inside?The product of over twenty years of meticulous research, On Silver Wings is a detailed study that respectfully relays the events of Desmond’s short but eventful life, investigating what happened on his tragic final flight and exactly how he came to have two graves.

‘A joyful drift through an angling life. Poignant meanders with plenty of hooks to snare any angler looking for literary immersion.’ – Kevin Parr, author of The Quiet Moon: Pathways to an Ancient Way of Being and Rivers Run: An Angler’s Journey From Source to SeaTony Bailey has been obsessed with fish his whole life (or, at least, what he can remember of it). As he reached his preteen years, this turned into a love for angling, which has stayed with him throughout his life and ensured he would spend the next seventy-odd years gladly indulging in his passion. In Silver Streams and Muddy Dreams, he looks back over a life spent fishing and considers what lights the spark that turns a human being into an angler – circumstance, social contact or genetics?Packed with memories and peppered with useful tips and observations, Tony explores the full gamut of angling possibilities, from the wildest stream to the most enigmatic of farm ponds, each tied to their histories and legends and each capable of providing the thrill of a lifetime or the peace and tranquillity to connect with nature and soothe the mind.

‘A fascinating and meticulously researched look at the biggest gay scandal to hit the headlines until Oscar Wilde. Absolutely a must-read.’ – Paul Donnelley, author of 501 Most Notorious CrimesIt’s the summer of 1889, and the royal family is in crisis.It is well known in polite society that the Prince of Wales’s eldest son and his aristocratic acolytes are regulars at 19 Cleveland Street – a male brothel in London’s West End. Bad behaviour by the gentry is accepted, but it must stay behind closed doors; they can do what they wish, but the rule that rules all is silence. The Establishment has always closed ranks – a word here and there from powerful people will put rumours swiftly to bed.But not this time.Onto this stage walks Detective Inspector Frederick Abberline of Scotland Yard, fresh from leading the disastrous Jack the Ripper investigation the previous year. Now the reputations of men who rule half the world are under threat from a scandal that stretches all the way to the corridors of Buckingham Palace.

During the final days of the Second World War, for 900 Allied officers held by the Germans, freedom was still a world away. Marched east by their captors, away from the liberating American forces, March and April 1945 was a time of great trials, at the mercy of vengeful Nazis and Allied air raids. Amongst their number were men whose names would become famous post-war, such as actor Desmond Llewellyn, cabinet minister Frederick Corfield and Major Bruce Shand, father of the Duchess of Cornwall.The March East 1945 draws on official and eyewitness accounts, as well as over 30 diaries and memoirs. With more than 120 photographs and exceptional illustrations taken and drawn by PoWs as well as the German instructions for camp evacuation, it reveals the human story that unfolded in Hesse, Thuringia and Saxony, and explains how the prisoners survived until their final liberation.

When Charles Darwin announced his theory of evolution by natural selection, he did more than transform biology. Before his great work, humans were comfortably different from other life: a special creation. By showing how life on Earth evolved, Darwin told us that humans too are part of nature.His decisive experience – a five-year round-the-world voyage on the Beagle – set him thinking about the diversity of life: ideas that would challenge the scientific establishment and Victorian society. Darwin for years built his evidence for evolution, even as he realised that such ideas were leading him straight into controversy and dispute.This updated, concise yet informative account of Darwin’s life and work makes vividly clear the personal influences of the man and his work – and why his discoveries continue to influence us all.

During the bloody years of the First English Civil War, as the battles of Edgehill, Newbury and Naseby raged, another war was being fought. Its combatants fought with cunning and deceit in a hidden conflict that nevertheless would steer the course of history. The story of the spies and intelligence-gatherers of the Roundheads and Royalists is one that sheds new light on the birth of the Commonwealth.In ‘To Walk in the Dark’, intelligence specialist John Ellis presents the first comprehensive analysis of the First English Civil War intelligence services. He details the methods of the Roundhead spies who provided their commanders with a constant flow of information about the movements of the King’s armies, describes the earliest use of code-breaking and mail interception and shows how the Cavalier intelligence forces were overcome. He also reveals the intelligence personnel themselves: the shadowy spymasters, agents and femme fatales.The descriptions of how intelligence information was used in the main battles are particularly fascinating and show how intelligence information played a decisive role in determining the outcome of the Civil War itself.

The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political upheavals which spanned the British Isles in the mid-seventeenth century. It was fought on a wide range of religious, political and racial issues, and succeeded in dividing the traditional loyalties of class, friendship and family ties within all four kingdoms. This unprecedented period of disruption resulted in far-reaching political revolution, the re-evaluation of political representation and social structure, and ultimately laid the foundations of the British constitution we know today.In The English Civil War, Martyn Bennett introduces the reader to the main debates surrounding the Civil War, from the St Giles riots in Edinburgh in 1637 to the restoration of Charles II in May 1660. Complete with biographies of the key personalities and descriptions of events, battles and military institutions, Bennett covers the run-up to the conflict, the wars themselves and the aftermath.This comprehensive A–Z companion to the history of the civil wars provides all the facts and figures that an armchair general would ever need.

REVISED PAPERBACK EDITION FEATURING NEW DISCOVERIESAfter ten years of research, The Missing Princes Project is now concluded and the results are in…''Philippa Langley has done it again.'' - The Times‘Langley ... understands how to excite people about the past — more so, perhaps, than most academics’ - The New York Times‘Philippa Langley deserves huge credit for her discoveries.’ - The Spectator‘a phenomenal untold story.’ - History Hit (Book of the Month)‘a gripping and ingenious work of historical detection’ - The Wall Street JournalHistory re-written: how a 540-year-old mystery has been solved.‘The totality of evidence revealed is astonishing. Following the discovery of King Richard III’s grave in a car park in Leicester in 2012, The Missing Princes Project will again rewrite the history books, redrawing what we know about Richard III and Henry VII and pressing the reset button of history.’ - Philippa LangleyIn the summer of 1483, two brothers were seen playing in the grounds of the Tower of London, where they’d been lodged by the King’s Council – their uncle, the future Richard III, its chief member. From there the boys seem to vanish from the historical record, and so one of the greatest and most intriguing mysteries of British history was born. Over the centuries, historians have debated tirelessly about the fate of Edward V and Richard, Duke of York: did they die in the Tower? Did they escape? Were they murdered?After astonishing success in locating and laying to rest Richard III, Philippa Langley turns her forensic focus onto this enduring case, teaming up with criminal investigative experts, historians, archivists and researchers from around the world in her groundbreaking The Missing Princes Project. Following ten years of extensive research, investigation and formidable dedication, this landmark study has finally reached completion, with stunning conclusions.In The Princes in the Tower: How History''s Greatest Case Was Solved, join Langley as she records the painstaking investigative work undertaken and lays out the evidence to reveal the remarkable untold story. Here she is able, finally, to address any injustice and solve the mystery surrounding the Princes in the Tower once and for all.Compelling in breadth and detail, this book asks its readers to re-examine what they thought they knew about one of our greatest historical mysteries. Perfect for fans of the period and the likes of Dan Jones, Philippa Gregory and Janina Ramirez.

Much has been written about Charles I’s reign, about the brutal civil war into which his pursuit of unfettered power plunged the realm, and about the Commonwealth regime that followed his defeat and execution. His reign is one that shaped the future of the British monarchy, and his legacy still remains with us today.The Prisoner King provides an examination of the crucial period encompassing Charles I’s captivity after his surrender to the Scots at Newark in May 1646. Not only were the subsequent months before his trial a time when the human dimension of the king’s predicament assumed intensity, they were also a critical watershed when the entire nation stood at the most fateful of crossroads.For Charles himself – as subterfuge, espionage and assassination rumours escalated on all fronts, escape attempts foundered, and tensions with his absent wife mounted agonisingly – the test was supreme. Yet, in a painful passage involving both stubborn impenitence and uncommon fortitude in the face of ‘barbarous usage’ by his captors, the ‘Man of Blood’ would ultimately come to merit his unique place in history as England’s ‘martyr king’.

Jane Austen’s Notebook is a biography with a difference, providing a full and detailed account of Austen’s life and legacy in the form of a personal journal.It examines the author’s personal life, with images of family and friends for clues about how she saw the world, and reveals hidden connections between real-life situations and her fictional works.Includes images of the locations Austen grew up in and visited, plus handwritten quotations and amusing anecdotes to bring the author to life more vividly than any ordinary biography.Reveals the woman behind the writing, how the Austen felt about being published, and examines the amazing impact and enduring legacy of her works.

Since 1840, Cunard ships have been transiting the North Atlantic with speed, grace and elegance. These great ships helped to populate nations, served during both world wars and have transported millions of passengers, amongst them celebrities, politicians and royalty. Through tales of ships such as Britannia, Lusitania, Mauretania, Aquitania and the immortal Queens, The Cunard Story gives readers an insight into the heritage of this historic line. Today the Cunard Line operates a fleet of modern ships, offering passengers exciting and varied itineraries to exotic locations across the globe.The Cunard Story is a must-have for all maritime historians and ocean-travellers, especially those with affection for this historic line and its grand vessels.

Popular history has a tendency to simplify, and accounts of the life and career of aeronautical engineer R.J. Mitchell are no exception. Remembered most fondly for his epochal Spitfire design, his other designs – many of them failures and disappointments – have largely been ignored.As a designer for Supermarine, Mitchell produced a huge body of concepts, projects and ideas that never left the drawing board. In Beyond the Spitfire Ralph Pegram brings Mitchell’s previously unseen work to light in an attempt to evaluate the entire portfolio of one of Britain’s most talented aeronautical designers.Illustrated with a combination of layout drawings and impressive CGI renderings of Mitchell’s designs, this book is an insightful and indispensable addition to our understanding of the work of a man often called a genius.

Formed in the twelfth century, the Knights Templar guarded pilgrims on the road in the Holy Land, but soon amassed enormous wealth and became a major military force in the Crusades. By the fourteenth century, the order was abolished. Accused of heresy, its members were arrested and tortured, their Grand Master executed.For centuries the Templars’ legacy lived on in the guise of myth and legend, and today they are the subject of media depictions ranging from villainous knights and noble guardians of the Holy Grail, to secretive occultists and shadowy conspirators.Discover their history and the truth behind the myths and their legacy in Hollywood. Did the Templars really guard the Holy Grail? Are they ancestors of the Freemasons? And why do they continue to captivate us over 900 years later?

June 1221: a tragic death at Conisbrough sends Edwin Weaver and his friend Sir Martin on an unexpected journey. But a baffling letter follows them, one which plunges them into danger as they travel to the manor of Martin’s estranged father, deep inside Sherwood Forest, to find a dying man who can only gasp out a few cryptic phrases.Edwin has his work cut out to solve the mystery – the people with the most compelling reasons to commit the murder could not possibly have done so, while those with the opportunity have seemingly no motive. Martin, meanwhile, must try to reconcile himself with his family even as he remains convinced that he is destined to bring ill luck and death wherever he goes.When another murder attempt is made, Edwin realises he must work quickly to stop more death being visited on the innocent.

Whether you’re a teacher, parent, guardian or family member, the need to engage with and entertain the youngsters you care for is universal. Modern life makes access to entertainment easy, but what if there was another way – one that truly strengthened the bonds between you? For generations, humanity has practised the art of storytelling – a skill that you too can learn, enabling you to create magical tales that will shape those listening for years to come.Perhaps it’s a group of restless children and you wish you could catch, hold and reward their attention? Perhaps it’s a long journey, or you want to get them off their screens? As you conjure a gripping story from thin air using the methods in this book, you’ll find that face-to-face engagement creates contentment, concentration and connection on your journey together through story.