Craftland: In Search of Lost Arts and Disappearing Trades

by James Fox

An enchanting and illuminating exploration of the history of craftsmanship and the world’s oldest craft traditions, documenting the rapid disappearances of time-honored practices and shedding light on artisanal work in the face of massive technological industrialization by renowned Cambridge art historian Dr. James Fox.

During an age of mass manufacturing, fast fashion, synthetic materials and the unsustainable practice of companies valuing quantity over quality, a return to tradition, connection, and simplicity is essential.

Art historian and award-winning broadcaster Dr. James Fox explores the rapidly fading crafts and artisanal traditions of the world—such as coopering, basket-weaving, wheelwrighting, metalwork, and blacksmithing—that have shaped so much of our history through their alchemy of the hand-made human touch and generational wisdom.

Fox explains the history of craftsmanship in Britain, taking readers across the lands and communities that originated there, teaching them about the practices, traditions, and people at their heart. From coopers to thatchers, basket makers to bellfounders and dry wall builders, Fox tours Britain, once the workshop of the world, in search of its lost and disappearing craft traditions and the artisans trying to keep them alive including, a rush weaver who has managed to rebuild a sustainable business with her baskets and other wares, a bell foundry that uses the same practices it used in the nineteenth century, and dry wallers, building walls one piece of stone at a time that could last two centuries.

Part travelogue and part historical record, Craftland is a profoundly intimate meditation on our human cultural heritage, exploring what we lose as these traditions fade from view in the race of progress, and what we stand to gain if we bring them back.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Art, Audiobook, Crafts

368 pages, Hardcover

Published October 28, 2025

Reviews

[Stephen the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

** Shortlisted for the Nero Book Awards 2025**

" Maybe it's time to realise that progress isn't actually progress."
"Traditional crafts are dying all the time, vanishing from our world like butterflies from our gardens and pubs from our high streets."

Simply a superb read!!

In a world of fast consumerism, climate change, diminishing direct communication and increased isolation, this exploration of the craft industries of past and present shines an antidote of positivity and a potential lifeline of hope.

James Fox has written a superb read exploring the crafts that are still surviving across the four nations and in some instances re-emerging to growing concerns; he does also look at the flip-side of the huge decline of a nation of specialised and skilled women and men who were the lifeblood of everyday living- a time without imports, mechanisation and carbon emissions.

That is not to say the life of an artisanal craftsperson is an easy choice. Often battling against diminished resources, limited market places and cheaper alternatives, this is the story of the heroes past and present preserving a skill set that could be lost forever.

Travelling from the Scottish Highlands to the southwest of England , onwards to the Chilterns, across to the Fens and much more, James Fox meets these heroes. and explores the history go their trades and their lives today. The prose is full of compassion and warmth, wonderfully observed details and a balance of reality and future hope. Personal favourites were the watch-makers and letter-cutters but that feels like a disservice to all the other incredible people featured who are equally sublime in what they produce.

For some of us, this is a book of childhood's passed and the acknowledgment of the disappearance of so much but for others this may well be a revelation of another world.

There is also an important recognition of the people who use a skill/craft for a living and the thousands who enjoy crafts as hobbies, as a mean of connection, keeping community events at the heart of where they live and pure joy. The distinction is recognised but both are valued.- no snobbery or elitism here. As long as we all value the time, love and dedication placed into each handmade creation around us then the world could be/should be a better place.

This is easily my factual book of 2025- (last year was Raising Hare)

Hugely recommended - a book that will educate and inform, entertain, yes, provide nostalgia for some but ultimately a beacon of hope and resilience

Quotes:

" In our fast-moving world we need these reference points; they give us assurance and stability from which we venture forth"

"Britain is still a craft land, if only we have the eyes to see this."

[Katrina Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 brilliantly, endlessly interesting journey through the crafts, labours, trades, work and artistry (who the hell can define "craft" really) of Britain. Reflecting our culture, industrialisation, fashions, technology, modern consumerism, rural v urban livelihoods, sustainability and traditions.

This book is a great mixture of personal stories, nerdy tool appreciation and a journey back through time. Both sad and hopeful, I'm delighted that these people and their stories are documented and celebrated here.

Scissors, watches, barrels, withy pots, dry stone walls, wheels, leather etc. What variety!

[Tom Mooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

An endlessly fascinating combination of social history, travel, and crafting. Fox traverses the UK to tell us about the many crafts that are woven into the fabric of who we are and how we built our societies. But more than that - and key to making this such a good book - he meets the hardy few who are still preserving skills like rush weaving, watchmaking, and drystone walling. It is these people who bring the book to life.

Fox crucially avoids filtering these people and what they do through some nostalgic sepia - well, actually, they stop him as much as he stops himself. Every time he mentions the word art, or suggests that they take some pleasure from what they are doing, he is laughed out of the room. This is not about fun or leisure, this is work, it is livelihood. And really the only way these crafts will be preserved - indeed, the only reason they ever existed in the first place - is if they are needed.

[Eleanor Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been very difficult for me to find pride in being British in recent years. Fox is a beautiful writer and has provided me with a new perspective on the place where I live. I took a while to get through this because I've been so busy, but each chapter was so exciting and taught me so much.

p.s. I love dry stone walling

[Jen Burrows · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lively and engaging exploration of some of the UK's vanishing traditional crafts, told through the stories of some of the people (and places) keeping these trades alive. Fox has a personable style, and while he is only able to give a brief overview of a selected few crafts, his obvious passion for his project shines through and makes you want to find out more. The illustrations also help bring some of the more obscure terminology to life.

Part art and social history and part travelogue, Craftland is an enjoyable read.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a little gem of a book. A fascinating journey into the trades of dry stone walling and watchmaking to name but a few. So sad that nowadays we just buy and sell coffee to each other.

[Kate M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book about crafts & how they tie us to whenua !!! And epic in the UK context. Such a cool read and felt really inspired & cool to hear people share their stories about how they live in active reciprocal relationship w the land and actually everything is better off for it !! Awesome stuff

[Nikko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly good and beautifully written book.

[Atlas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Craftland: In Search of Lost Arts and Disappearing Trades
by James Fox

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5 stars)

Thanks to Crown Publishing for the ARC! 🙏📚

Vibe Check: thoughtful 🪵, slow-paced 🚶, beautifully researched 🎨, part travelogue/part history 🌍, bittersweet meditation on vanishing traditions 🕯️.

What I Liked:
• A fascinating catalog of crafts like coopering, basket weaving, thatching, and bellfounding 🧺🔔
• Evokes the charm of rural Britain and its heritage landscapes 🌿🏡
• Blends history with modern observations of artisans still keeping traditions alive 🛠️
• Raises important questions about sustainability and what we lose in the rush toward mass production 🌍
• Reads like a quiet love letter to the art of making things with our hands ✋

What Didn’t Work for Me:
• Pacing is very leisurely, sometimes meandering 🐌
• Could feel a little repetitive in its structure (craft → artisan → reflection) 🔄
• More descriptive than analytical—sometimes I wanted deeper exploration of the “why” behind these crafts fading 🕵️
• Not always emotionally gripping; more of a contemplative wander than a narrative drive 🌫️

Tropes/Elements:
• Disappearing traditions ⏳
• Travel + history hybrid 🚂
• Crafts as cultural memory 🪡
• Quiet sustainability themes 🌱

Final Word: Craftland is equal parts travelogue and elegy for the handmade. It won’t be for everyone—it’s slow and reflective rather than dramatic—but if you’re drawn to history, heritage, or the romance of lost skills, it’s a gentle and thoughtful read that might spark a new appreciation for what we’re losing in a mass-produced world.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb book, so interesting. A journey around the British Isles extolling people who are working in traditional crafts, dry stonewalling, thatching, watch making, and many more. Visiting sometimes the last craftsperson or the last place where these traditional skills and businesses survive, James Fox, writes passionately the need to encourage these people, skills and practices in our ever increasing alienated world.
These crafts are not hobbies they are businesses, the businesses which were some of the foundations of life in these Isles for centuries and which need to be encouraged, nutured and appreciated before we lose them forever.
As one craftsperson described herself, she was "a maker". And that's what humans have always done and there is joy in making, building skill and expertise to make something that will last and be cherished by generations.
I hope this book inspires not only individuals but our government to support these "living national treasures".

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traditional crafts matter.

What an amazing book dedicated to the history and shining a light on the world of craftsmanship in Britain! I'm currently studying for my Life in the UK exam and this even felt like a great addition to my learning journey. I learned about crafts and trades I'd never heard of before and loved getting a peek into the lives of those who continue their art.

Highly recommended for those interested in British history with a bit of a travelogue mixed in. Thank you Random House UK, Vintage for the copy.

[Alden Globe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Book of the Year

Fox has done an incredible job surveying the state of artisanal craft work across Britain while taking the reader inside the story of each craft and providing the context for its evolution as automation and imports changed the nature of the market. Amazing and inspiring.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, what a great book! Lots of good research, but also lots of real life research, finding and talking to those who craft. It makes one appreciate that much more all the still going and all the disappearing crafts of the past and present. Very well written and inspiring. Well worth a read. Well done narration by the author as well.

[Katy Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. A fascinating insight into dying crafts that once shaped Britain and which still leave traces of their existence everywhere. This is not a sentimental hymn to the past though. It offers insights into how we might incorporate craftsmanship into a more sustainable future and build skills back into local communities. One of my top books of 2025.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself gently drawn into this celebration of surviving skills in the UK. Some I have been involved in myself particularly dry stone walling and coppicing were like visiting old friends. Others such as watchmaking defy perfectionism and attention to detail. The illustrations are fabulous throughout. This book would have got 5 stars if only it included an index.

[thomas m devleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

FASCINATING

Remarkable research and great writing style. This book is amazing. I couldn’t put it down. A great gift to all

[LeeAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Fascinating and inspiring.

[Damian Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

what an amazing book. detailing lost crafts of Britain and the few who keep them going. makes you long for a simpler time

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful book to read full of interesting stories of these artistans and helpful illustrations. I picked this up at Sherlock and Pages in Frome, Somerset, so thanks to Luke Sherlock for the recommendation.

[Julie Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gentle romp through the British countryside reveals the incredible craftspeople that are still keeping our traditional arts and trades alive in a time when cheap and throwaway is more the norm.

From the intricacies of dry stone walling to the charges of blasphemy thrown at the Jewish scribe for a spelling mistake, James Fox delves into a world still living in the past that is often forgotten. We are down to the last remnants of these once thriving industries and it's fascinating to hear about the bell foundry, cooperage, tannery, rush weaver and watchmaker and their contribution to passing on their skills.

Who knew for instance that basket weaving was valued so highly that until the second world war you were exempt from military service. Or that the patterns knitted into the gansey sweaters for fishermen were unique to each fishing port so that if a fisherman went overboard and was washed up, his finders could identify his home town by the design on his gansey and returned to the right community. Scissors are pretty complicated to make too!

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I skeptically started reading this book. There have been too many books about craft and craft life lately that I've founding cloyingly nostalgic and romaticised visions. This one resists that urge and instead gives us a quick tour of the crafts as modern businesses - how they persisted and survive today, what their future looks like and what value they give us. There is awe in this book - in the determination of the crafts people in particular. But I appreciated that this tour of the now. This is not some idyllic lifestyle for the privileged but a modernisation of the businesses that thrived to serve their communities before our rampant consumerism kicked it. Its not demanding a return but instead asking what might be. The current practitioners aren't preserving for the sake of preserving but doing so out of stubbornness and necessity and sustainability and more. An inspiring look at what's happening in every corner of the UK - if we care to look for it.

[James Chesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book, written really well