Trees & Woodland in the British Landscape: The Complete History of Britain's Trees, Woods & Hedgerows

by Oliver Rackham

Long accepted as the best work on the subject, this is both a comprehensive history of Britain's woodlands and a field guide that presents trees individually and as part of the landscape. Extending from prehistoric times up to the Middle Ages, it also describes the subsequent decline until the present century. "This is the book that felled the romantic cliché of sylvan England...There are heroes in this book as much as in any history, but they are ancient oaks and beeches and hornbeams..."--Simon Schama. "...a classic..."--Country Life.

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Natural History, History, Ecology, Gardening

1000 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Oliver Rackham OBE FBA was an English academic who studied the British countryside, especially trees, woodlands and wood pasture, Rackham wrote a number of books, including The History of the Countryside (1986) and one on Hatfield Forest. He also studied and published extensively on the ecology of Crete, Greece.

In 1998 he was awarded the OBE for "services to Nature Conservation". In 2006 he was appointed Honorary Professor of Historical Ecology in the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge.

He was a Life Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and Keeper of the College Records. On 15 October 2007 Rackham was elected Master of Corpus Christi College until 1 October 2008.

Reviews

[Steve Dewey · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those books that overwhelms you with information, especially if you don't know your elms from your limes, but contains facts that will undoubtedly return from the fog when confronted by a woodland feature when your fuzzy brain will go "oh yes, I remember reading about that". It will also be a useful reference, I think, in years to come, as I wander and wonder about local clumps, copses and stands.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This learned and thoroughly objective work is really a must for anyone interested in the history and conservation of trees and woodland. It is full of facts and interest, and as one would expect from a leading academic authority, and active conservationist, properly evidenced. Rackham sketches out the evolution of British trees during the interglacial periods, walks the reader through medieval records, usage and practice, enclosures, war, and conservation. His breadth of knowledge a measure of his passion for the subject. Rackham explains the preference of some trees for certain types of soil, and how pollen taken from soil indicates tree type in ancient woodland. He explains the difference between timber and wood (timber was used for construction, wood, under a certain girth, was in part used for fuel and taxed). Is critical of the response to the Great Storm of 1987, and does not generally favour replanting, over managed woodland, i.e. pollarding, coppicing; and re-wilding. While supporting active conservation work Rackham is critical of over intervention. Rackham died in 2015, but his voice is not yet silent.

[Louis Koz]

Bloody lovely

[Sophy H · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars

Well, I've waited months for this book to be available from my local library. It is always always always on reservation! Finally it was my turn and .................... oh my! Major disappointment!

This book has to be one of the driest, uninteresting, monotonous books on trees I have ever had the displeasure to peruse! I'm gutted too as I was really looking forward to it.

It reminded me of sitting through a lecture with the worst lecturer in history in a stuffy tweed jacket with Mr Magoo spectacles and a voice like a drone!

I skipped vast swathes of the material in the hope that a modicum of humanity might be injected somewhere but no.

Eugh, back to the library for you kidder, lets hope someone else manages to squeeze a bit of life out of you!

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant and somewhat academic explanation of all the forces that have had a impact on our trees and woodland. I need to read again and follow up on some of the works and research that Oliver draws on to write this book to fully understand the implications of this work.

[Nick Harriss · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming book that combines a study of the ecology of woodland along with the history of them in the British Isles over the last 1000 years.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit heavy going and academic in places. But I was good to finally get around to reading this book after having first read about in the book 'Wilding'.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always liked trees and loved woodland. In the 3 weeks since I started reading this I have begun to enjoy them even more.

[Daniel K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not always an easy going read, but it is undeniably an epic and passionate triumph of ecology and history.

[Mallory Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A forensic investigation of the history of forest management in the United Kingdom, starting in the Neolithic age and progressing into our own time. Prepare to learn about fossilized pollen, wattle and daub houses, Roman imports, medieval court records, the British navy during the Napoleonic War, and so much more. It's an information heavy book, but it really gave me a new perspective on my nostalgia for pastoral landscapes.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a rare find.

The author took a topic I knew nothing about (trees) and made me passionate about it.

I don't know how I found this book, or why I started reading it, but I'm so glad I did.

This was the first history book I ever read that wasn't about war. Hell, the beginning wasn't even about people, it was just the history of nature.

What makes this book so great is that the author was so passionate about the subject.

[Martin Empson · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The conservation of woods is not the same as that of buildings: troubles (apart from that of deer) have a habit of getting better, not worse, if neglected. We need to know each kind of tree and how to work with, not against, its natural properties. Conservation is about letting trees be trees, not gateposts with leaves."

[G. Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, very informative, and I never knew what a factoid was until now! (The author clearly finds them most annoying!). I must admit to skipping through some of the more technical sections, but really very well written and interesting