Britain’s Landmarks and Legends

by Jo Woolf

Discover the history, legends and folklore of Britain’s most intriguing landmarks
This beautifully illustrated book reveals the secrets and stories of fifty icons of Britain’s landscape.

Some are natural wonders, such as Cheddar Gorge, Sherwood Forest and the white cliffs of Dover. Others were made by our distant ancestors: the standing stones of Avebury and Calanais, the Uffington White Horse, the burial mounds of Sutton Hoo.

Discover how they came to be, the legends and traditions that surround them, and how they have inspired famous writers and poets. Reconnect with our ancient landscape with this fascinating and surprising guide.

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Genres: Nonfiction, History, Travel, Nature, Reference

224 pages, Hardcover

Published December 15, 2023

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating read. I learned more about the places I was already familiar with and some I hadn't heard of before. The illustrations are lovely. Favorites include: Avebury, The White Horse of Uffington, Winnats Pass, Cadair Idris, Dinas Brân, Glen Lyon, and Calanais.

[Amy Marsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great little read! It was nice to learn more about Britain, its landmarks, and the folklore surrounding them, a lot of which I've never heard of. Shame on me, lol. The one bad thing I have to say is that the North/South divide is clear. The South of England is given far more attention than the North, Wales, and Scotland. Other than that, this was a fascinating read, and I'm definitely going to visit the places mentioned!

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 5 out of 5]

For as long as I can remember growing up in our wild and beautiful country there were people desperate to vanish abroad on holiday annually, and to say that this perplexed me right from the beginning would be an understatement because, for the most part, these were people who admitted to not having explored much of their own country and the UK before deciding that warmer climes looked much more inviting.

Now, don't get me wrong, I can understand the weather is often quite an issue in the UK, even throughout the summer months, making it a tricky prospect for most and a chance they would rather not take, but as this delightful book illustrates, Britain has a unique charm and beauty that few countries can rival. Add to that centuries of history, myth and legend and you have got more than enough reasons to brave a British summer or clearing in the weather to take advantage of the fifty landmarks throughout these pages showcasing the very best Britain has to offer.

What particularly excited me about this book is that it doesn't focus completely on just the tourist areas you would expect it chooses to add attractions that are slightly more off the beaten path and then the way the book links each site back to British culture in terms of the history of the place, those it inspired, famous people who lived close by, etc, was all fascinating. Lastly, the photography is breathtaking and some of the most spectacular I have seen in a long time. An inspiring book that is bound to encourage visits to such places by Brits and foreigners alike. Highly recommended.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating read, with a mix of well-known and obscure sites in Britain that all have a certain aura of mystery to them. A large part of this is due to superstitions and myths, which the book narrates succinctly, while it also tries to weigh what historical evidence might link up with different stories.
I did find it a little strange that the book uses illustrations instead of photographs, and found myself frequently reaching for a search engine so that I could see what some of these places really look like.

Thanks to Netgalley and Collins Reference for this digital review copy.

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting collection of British legends and the landmarks associated with them, divided into areas. Good concise information, loved the watercolour illustrations but would have liked more of them. And how did the author choose which ones to include when we have so many?

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good book that could be a good guide to design a travel. There's places, landamarks, legends.
I found it informative and interesting.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This lovely little book explores different parts of Great Britain and the myths and legends that go with various land features. Nice to dip in and out of.

[Angelique Simonsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting to say the least. Enjoyed the hand drawings

[A.J. Sefton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely book from the National Trust that focuses on the wonders of the British landscape and how they have become landmarks over time.

​The book is organised by regions, starting with South West England and moving through the South East, Central England and East Anglia, Northern England and concluding with Wales and Scotland. Within these sections about a half dozen to a dozen features are identified, totalling fifty. These include natural features such as Sherwood Forest and the White Cliffs of Dover, to man-made landmarks like Stonehenge and Sutton Hoo.

The landmarks are described with an easy to read, sentimental story-like text, that includes the history and mythology surrounding the feature, plus quotes and poems. The book feels like a charming collection of folklore tales rather than a history or travel guide: it is definitely not an academic textbook. The stylised images also add to the folklore ambience, whereas photographs may be more useful but would spoil the essence of this book.

An atmospheric book of British legends linked to our wonderful landscape. This would make an enjoyable and pleasant gift for anyone to dip into for a bit of tranquility. Beautiful hardback.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ready to be filed very nicely next to Amy Jeffs, this National Trust book does a similar thing, but by region, with an eye to being more of a travel guide, as opposed to putting a whole single chronology on it all. So we don't start with the first British Islanders, but at St Michael's Mount, and then see what Arthur left on Tintagel (answer – ghosts, at most, and nothing more real). We soon realise the other change, too – while Jeffs was able to write her own tales, and very well, this is more discursive of what has been said then, and can quote Baring-Gould, Tennyson, Conan Doyle, and all relevant major archivists, poets and antiquarians.

Nicely, this touches on places well catered for by coach trips (Glastonbury), stalwarts of bucket lists (Staffa) and much less well-known places (the Badbury Rings hill-fort, Wandlebury Hill, Pontius Pilate's birthplace). Whatever your engagement with the sort of Fortean history of our lands there will be something to appeal. A final difference is wonderful, and fully-coloured, artwork, bordering on ideal for both mood and representation. The whole is skewed heavily towards some sections of the world – SW England is a whole third of the book, more or less, and this is Britain not the UK – but needs must when the Devil drives, and this takes us to places that had to be included, else things would just look silly. I did, however find a difference between the earlier pages and the later ones – in the sections regarding Scotland, and bound-to-be-mispronounced legends borrowed from Eire, I found the lochs etc very woolly compared to the more obvious remnants of southern England. That said, this does a very good job of making much of this something to aspire to visit – be it a dividing island in the middle of a dual carriageway or not.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous hardback book published by The National Trust. It gives the reader a snapshot of landmarks and legends in the South West, South East, Central & East Anglia, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. It is 224 pages long so it does not give huge amounts of information on the selected items but it does make for very interesting reading.

I am a fan of history and especially of the folklore and legends that are part of the British Isles. This book provides a snapshot of different parts of the areas that make up our Isles. Landmarks are something that are spread across the country and some are more well-known than others. With the landmarks there are legends and mysteries and also folklore and tales that have been handed down and adapted over the centuries.

This book is broken down into the area sections and you can easily flick through to find something that catches your eye, or it is just as easy to read it from cover to cover. Given that the book is not overly long, there are not many images, it is more text and this means that you are not losing too much information. I sometimes find books like this focus on the image and give scant details, this book does the opposite and this is why it works so well for me.

Ideal for fans of history, folklore and legends of the British Isles. A nicely presented hardback book that I would definitely recommend.

[Andrew Spink · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has a lot of interesting stories and facts about various British landscapes. The landscapes are not given equal weight; the Lake District is given as much attention as the whole of Scotland, for instance. Perhaps something to do with all the National Trust land in the Lakes? What is also strange is that the majority of the Scottish stories seem to be about Ireland, or at least have a strong Irish connection.
The book is clearly written so that each chapter can be read stand-alone. That is understandable, but it does lead to some repetition. For example, the story of Tristan and Isolde is told twice.
There were some things that I really liked about the book. The illustrations are really nice and definitely add another dimension. I appreciated the use of scientific names of plants (in addition to their English/Welsh names). The mentions of the specific old trees was also something that I liked. I have visited a lot of the places covered, which meant that reading the stories about them was more interesting. All the literary references definitely also added a worthwhile element to the book.
This review is based on a free copy of the book kindly provided by the publisher using the NetGalley platform, in return for an honest review.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accompanied by some really beautiful artwork, Britain's Landmarks and Legends is a fantastic read about the legends and folklore that follows and shrouds some of Britain's historic places.

Discovering some incredible new places that are filled with history and legend, this book shines a light on places I've never heard of, even in my home county and across the UK where we discover rings of stones, castles of lore and places of natural brilliance.

A real joy to take in, this book will make you want to get up and go outside and see something new.

(Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC).

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested this book to read with my history obsessed 9 year old daughter not realising that it’s definitely aimed more at adults than children (the Cerne Giant section mentions erect penises!) Having said that my daughter did enjoy reading about the many places linked with the King Arthur legends. The illustrations are beautiful, I would’ve loved more as only around a third of the locations have drawings. Interesting and informative, I’m sure this would make a much loved gift and would be re-read many times.

Thank you Netgalley, Collins and Jo Woolf for this ARC.

[Kristina the Book Forager · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed 'Britain's Landmarks and Legends.' It's interesting how much I didn't know, often bypassing some of these historical landmarks without giving them a second thought. But who would have known that there are legends behind them, and some date back to well-forgotten eras? I really loved this piece of information and feel that I will revisit a few chapters when I plan to travel near these historical landmarks. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, and thank you to the publisher for this book.

[Dominique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved dipping into this beautifully presented and illustrated collection of stories of ancient Britain. Each short account reveals how and why those ancient landmarks have come to hold such a place in the lore of the land. As for Jo Woolf's earlier "Britain's trees", I found this to be better enjoyed by reading about a few places at a time and letting the mystique of each sink in. A book to savour by the fireside. A lovely gift to receive.

[Andrew Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable read and a lovely physical book (e-readers will miss out in that respect). Fairly brief descriptions of sites and legends around Britain including the obvious Stonehenge, Sutton Hoo and ‘Fingal’s Cave’ but perhaps less well known Blencathra, Cwm Idwal and Hell’s Kettles. Provides a good introduction and starting point for your own research on whichever landmark takes your interest. It would have been very useful if a map (or maps) had been provided.

[Bob Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable tour of exactly what it says on the tin- exploring the UK through the natural (and occasionally man-made) sights within.

The sheer range of this, separated by regions of the UK, make this a useful reference guide for deep exploration.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jenny H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely book with charming illustrations. From ancient stone circles to the Cerne Abbas giant, the author gives us beautiful descriptions and interesting historical snippets to make you want to visit these places. A good book to take on holiday, a long train trip or while sitting in your favourite comfy chair. It's just the right size to pack too.

[Helen Leighton-Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an informative guide throughout the folklore of Britain, though heavily weighted to the south and with few examples in the northeast or Scotland. Illustrations alone are worth the book! Personally, it's not in-depth enough for me, but as an introduction, it's fabulous. As a travel guide, it will help to pinpoint locations to visit.

[Angela DT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Britain's Landmarks and Legends by Jo Woolf

The ultimate coffee table book . A wonderful book full of fascinating facts that will keep you returning to it for years.
Would also make a great present for the person who has everything.

[Anna L · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating book about some of Britain’s significant landmarks such as St Michael’s Mount, Glastonbury, Stonehenge and The White Cliffs of Dover. The author details the history, myths and legends surrounding these landmarks. Each region in the UK is included.

[Owen Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated overview of some of Britain's ancient legends related to famous, and some lesser-known landmarks.

I do personally wish there had been a few more legends from the medieval period and onwards, but I still learned a lot.

[Matt Barter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much more to say about this book other than it is a perfect cozy read. Great for reading in that dead period between Christmas and New Year just as I did. My biggest takeaway is that King Arthur must have put some miles on his horses!

[Yvonne Aburrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended and very readable. Great overview of many of the legendary sites of Britain.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely little book packed full of interesting stories - one to take along on UK holidays

[Heather Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely! Fascinating and well written.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Britain is steeped in so much history and legend, we’re lucky to have so many relics, landmarks and attractions which often accompany a story or myth.

This book sheds light on a select few landmarks that are found around Scotland, England and Wales and was a fantastic read, both entertaining and insightful. I really enjoyed reading about all of the stories and myths which often include tales of fairies, nymphs, the legends of King Arthur and romances of kings and queens of old. I’ve added a fair few sites to the ‘to visit’ list after this!

Also the illustrations on the pages were a real visual delight and added to the reading experience. It was super easy to read and interspersed with extracts of readings and poetry. I actually learnt a lot from this and a fair few nuggets of places I haven’t yet visited but sparked my curiosity and imagination.

It’s a fab book to have on your shelf and would be a worthy addition to all at home bookshelves. Especially if you find yourself intrigued by the wonders of the UK, love history and regularly frequent many of the amazing National Trust sites we have dotted around the country.

Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.

[Carol Standish-Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading my way around the British Isles and finding out about various landmarks and the legends attached to them. The United Kingdom has plenty of exciting landmarks and more legends that you can shake the proverbial stick at. So this book should interest both UK readers but also those either visiting or have an interest in the UK. The landmarks were given enough detail and information without being overly long or boring. Enough to excite the interest and give the reader the opportunity to research more information at their leisure. The book is broken down in the regions which is helpful. You can either read the book from front to back or pick and choose your region. My own criticism is that I would loved to have had more pictures in the book. The illustrations are lovely, but I would have like more or lots of photograph throughout the book. Not each landmark has an accompanying illustration which I feel is a shame.

[Rachel N · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really beautiful book - it tells the history and legends surrounding some of the most famous landmarks in Britain and how they inspired some of our most famous art. The book also has the most beautiful illustrations of many of the sites - my only mild comment is I'd have loved there to be an illustration of all of them. It's a fascinating read giving a thorough and very readable background to all sorts of history. I received an e copy of the book but I will most certainly be buying the hard copy to add to my shelves.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy in return for an honest review #NetGalley #BritainsLandmarksandLegends