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Robert Bevan-Jones

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West: Tales of the Lost Lands

by Martin Wall (Goodreads Author)

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Robert Bevan-Jones said: " It was fascinating to read the latest book by Martin Wall entitled "West, tales of lost lands". Although he has often written serious history books themed on one subject, such as "Lost Battlefields of Britain", or "The Anglo-Saxon Age", here, he has It was fascinating to read the latest book by Martin Wall entitled "West, tales of lost lands". Although he has often written serious history books themed on one subject, such as "Lost Battlefields of Britain", or "The Anglo-Saxon Age", here, he has thrown off strict academic shackles and takes history on a more personal journey. He uses elements of genuine factual history, personal experiences, gleaned local folklore and family history, to construct a personal vision.

Under the banner of "West", this journey travels all over the history of the West of Britain, both archaeologically but also documenting his own experiences growing up, working and travelling around the West Midlands. This includes accounts of walking and hitch-hiking around the area, into Worcestershire, Wales and beyond and stories of how his family (and himself) came to live on the edge of the Black Country. This effectively sowed the seeds for his lifelong interest in this local history.

In the telling of the tales of "the lost lands", Martin invokes the spirits of many key figures in the varied history of the West Midlands. These include the cave dwelling Saxon scribe Layamon, Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould, A.E. Housman, J.R.R Tolkien, Boudicca, Saxon king Penda, Bella in the Wych Elm, Dud Dudley, Dr Plot and Squire Robins. The stories combine to create an esoteric and erudite patchwork of observation and reflections, that form a meditation on the cultural significance of the districts we call home.

Along the way, tales of several local murders are retold, around which his own experiences of the murderous locations are woven, creating a charming sense of past and present, sometimes appearing to meet. This seems to be how the fictional chapters are intended to fit, a brave counterpoint to the factual stories in the book, that assures the reader that this is no simple autobiographical memoir.

It is the theme of memory in the in the history-themed chapters that really resonates and most of the places discussed can be visited today. They will continue on into the future. His observations on these places from the 1970's to today, informed by his sharp knowledge of the history, demonstrates how history surrounds us and that we, at exactly the same time, are a part of it. ...more "

Apr 17, 2023 06:13AM · see review