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Hidden Villages of Britain: Histories and Tradition Past and Present
The official TV-tie in to the popular Channel 4 programme 'Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages'
Explore the most interesting and beautiful examples of British village life in this lavishly illustrated book, published as a companion volume to the highly successful Channel 4 television series, 'Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages'. Featuring gorgeous illustrations and dust jackets from Brian Cook's iconic designs, the book explores the villages as they appeared then and now.
It's hard not to be enchanted by rural villages. From thatched roofs, charming churches, bunting, cream teas and the local landscape, they capture our imaginations. Structured by region, this book follows Penelope's journey through Britain across all four series, including the idyllic villages found in the Costwolds, the cosy cottages of East Anglia and the treasures nestled in the North Yorkshire moors.
Pictured alongside Brian Cook's iconic illustrations, Hidden Villages of Britain takes you through the fascinating history and the curious customs and characters unique to each village and how they survive in the present. From bog snorkelling in Llanwrtyd Wells and gravy wrestling in Stacksteads to cheese rolling down Cooper's Hill in Brockworth and dwile flocking (where contestants seek to soak their opponents with a beer-soaked cloth outside the village pub), snippets of the history, life and traditions of each village are fully explored.
Whether you are looking for a place for your next holiday, a guide to Britain's rural landscape or have a love for Britain's most inspirational settings, this book is perfect for the armchair traveller.
Explore the most interesting and beautiful examples of British village life in this lavishly illustrated book, published as a companion volume to the highly successful Channel 4 television series, 'Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages'. Featuring gorgeous illustrations and dust jackets from Brian Cook's iconic designs, the book explores the villages as they appeared then and now.
It's hard not to be enchanted by rural villages. From thatched roofs, charming churches, bunting, cream teas and the local landscape, they capture our imaginations. Structured by region, this book follows Penelope's journey through Britain across all four series, including the idyllic villages found in the Costwolds, the cosy cottages of East Anglia and the treasures nestled in the North Yorkshire moors.
Pictured alongside Brian Cook's iconic illustrations, Hidden Villages of Britain takes you through the fascinating history and the curious customs and characters unique to each village and how they survive in the present. From bog snorkelling in Llanwrtyd Wells and gravy wrestling in Stacksteads to cheese rolling down Cooper's Hill in Brockworth and dwile flocking (where contestants seek to soak their opponents with a beer-soaked cloth outside the village pub), snippets of the history, life and traditions of each village are fully explored.
Whether you are looking for a place for your next holiday, a guide to Britain's rural landscape or have a love for Britain's most inspirational settings, this book is perfect for the armchair traveller.
- GenresNonfictionTravel
184 pages, Hardcover
Published November 7, 2017
About the author
Clare Gogerty
34 books8 followersAfter years in London editing consumer magazines, I decamped to the country to write books, manage a smallholding and create a magical garden. That’s going pretty well, although keeping sheep has proved trickier than I’d imagined. Chickens are easier. Anyway, I have kept to my intention and written a few books since I got here.
Next up are the first three titles in the Little Wild Library foraging series (Dandelion, Nettle, Clover), which will be published on 18 March 2025 (Verbena). These were much fun to write and I spent much time upended in hedgerows and preserving and brewing in the kitchen.
They will be followed sharply by 'The Water Remedy: folklore, ritual and wisdom', which is published on 25 April (Calon). This is a practical, mystical, mythological, geographical and poetic book which aims to make the reader appreciate, value and enjoy this vital, life-giving element.
The Witch’s Shadow Work Oracle Deck (Watkins), 40 cards with an accompanying booklet packed with myths, magic and legends to help you explore your shadow self, follows in June.
Next up are the first three titles in the Little Wild Library foraging series (Dandelion, Nettle, Clover), which will be published on 18 March 2025 (Verbena). These were much fun to write and I spent much time upended in hedgerows and preserving and brewing in the kitchen.
They will be followed sharply by 'The Water Remedy: folklore, ritual and wisdom', which is published on 25 April (Calon). This is a practical, mystical, mythological, geographical and poetic book which aims to make the reader appreciate, value and enjoy this vital, life-giving element.
The Witch’s Shadow Work Oracle Deck (Watkins), 40 cards with an accompanying booklet packed with myths, magic and legends to help you explore your shadow self, follows in June.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 17, 2019
Very interesting, curious, eccentric, lovely people living in a beautiful part of the world - lots of reasons to explore and enjoy
August 27, 2018
the text of this lovely book tells me that the artist was Brian Cook Batsford, who was the illustrator/designer of the covers of the highly collectible Batsford books. He was an artist who went to work for his uncle Harry Batsford’s firm, which produced a gorgeous series of books about rural life in Britain – with names like English Village Homes, The Beauty of Britain, The Legacy of England; How to See the Country and How to Look at Old Buildings.They featured villages, churches, castles, gardens and country roads, and some of these artworks, I now know. also graced the covers of H.V. Morton’s books as well, including In Search of England. (Some of my HVMs have their dustjackets, but alas, not this one!)
What made Brian Cook Batsford’s style instantly recognisable was his carefully drawn images and large areas of flat, bright colour and his bold use of clashing colours. He had an innovative technique too:
Brian pioneered the use of the Jean Berté watercolour printing process, in which plates were cut in soft rubber and printed with water-based inks, rather than oil. A separate plate was used for each colour, which accounts for the blocks of colour in Brian’s work. Brian had little regard for the finished product and threw away the covers of ‘wrappers’ as he called them, placing books on his shelves in their cloth bindings. Fortunately, the production manager at Batsford, Frances Lucarotti, kept every jacket safe in an album. (p.11)
The books were
a snapshot of British country life, chronicling the world of work – haymaking and ploughing, fishermen at their nets – as well as the villages clustered around the church or village green, and the rolling and verdant landscape that surrounded them.
Though most of the images in Hidden Villages of Britain are contemporary photographs, the book is in part an homage to the artist and there are plenty of his artworks to fall in love with. The book begins with an introduction about villages in general, and then there is a brief bio of the artist’s life, and then it launches into pictorials about eleven regions...
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2018/08/27/h...
What made Brian Cook Batsford’s style instantly recognisable was his carefully drawn images and large areas of flat, bright colour and his bold use of clashing colours. He had an innovative technique too:
Brian pioneered the use of the Jean Berté watercolour printing process, in which plates were cut in soft rubber and printed with water-based inks, rather than oil. A separate plate was used for each colour, which accounts for the blocks of colour in Brian’s work. Brian had little regard for the finished product and threw away the covers of ‘wrappers’ as he called them, placing books on his shelves in their cloth bindings. Fortunately, the production manager at Batsford, Frances Lucarotti, kept every jacket safe in an album. (p.11)
The books were
a snapshot of British country life, chronicling the world of work – haymaking and ploughing, fishermen at their nets – as well as the villages clustered around the church or village green, and the rolling and verdant landscape that surrounded them.
Though most of the images in Hidden Villages of Britain are contemporary photographs, the book is in part an homage to the artist and there are plenty of his artworks to fall in love with. The book begins with an introduction about villages in general, and then there is a brief bio of the artist’s life, and then it launches into pictorials about eleven regions...
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2018/08/27/h...
November 28, 2020
A well produced glossy book. It could have done with a gentle end piece. It ended rather abruptly, but otherwise covered the ground revealing a few unknowns for me.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews