Books published by Amberley Publishing

The women of Ancient Rome, were obliged to maintain the 'Mos maiorum', the established order of things. Romulus himself was believed to have devised the almost indissoluble marriage rite, the 'Confarreatio', which put a wife under the absolute power of her husband. She could not divorce him, but he could divorce her.

A fascinating exploration of Cornwall's historic churches that will be of interest to residents and visitors alike.

Discover the history and architectural treasures of Jersey in this fascinating exploration of 50 of its buildings and landmarks from across the centuries.

Examining the modern rail scene of Derbyshire. Takes a whistle stop tour of the county's stations, looking at both the passenger and freight trains.

A fascinating exploration of the architectural heritage, treasures and landmarks in the City of London from across the centuries.

In this book I do not propose to delve to the great depths of our Torah; what I merely desire to do is to focus light on some aspect or other of the area "Around the Tents of the Torah".

50 of the most remarkable objects recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Somerset.

Don Matzat here provides a new perspective on the life of Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of the infamous Henry VIII. While most biographers suggest that Katherine chose to marry the obese, irascible monarch in order to further some reformation or obey a divine imperative, the author goes against the tide and concludes that Katherine was an opportunist who married the king in order to enjoy the comforts of being the Queen of England, proven by her sumptuous lifestyle. But everything changed for Katherine when she had a dramatic conversion experience, embracing the primary tenets of the Protestant Reformation as described in her seminal work, The Lamentation of a Sinner. Her newly found belief placed her in a precarious position, not only with her husband but with the heresy hunters who, with the king's blessing, beheaded those who held such beliefs. Yet Katherine had the courage to discuss her faith with her dangerous husband during the final months of his life. The life of Katherine Parr was one of drama, intrigue, danger, deceit, clandestine romance, scandal, tragedy and mystery. She came to a tragic end, and for three hundred years her burial site remained unknown. Katherine ruled England while Henry went to war against France. She was the first woman published in England under her own name. Her Lamentation of a Sinner is a little-known gem of the Protestant Reformation. Her influence upon the children of Henry, the future monarchs Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, would affect English history for many years to come.

A new edition of Alistair Cooke's classic work, which has sold more than 2 million copies. Full of Cooke's signature erudition, this is an incisive and illuminating history of the United States. Republished to mark the 50th anniversary of the classic BBC series and this title's first publication.

Cranborne Chase is an area of outstanding natural beauty in southern England, encompassing the counties of Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire. Here royalty once came to hunt deer and other game in an area that became known as the Chase. It remains a landscape that feels like a painting of the past, with open chalk downland, wide expansive skies, dramatic escarpments and panoramic views. Renowned for its archaeological treasures, it remains largely unspoilt with its own sense of remoteness. Chalk river valleys provide a contrast with hidden villages, churches and manor houses surrounded by ancient woodlands, forming an atmospheric landscape where nature and humanity live hand in hand. In this book, Roger Lane traces elements of the region's history, occasionally with personal anecdotes adding to the interest. He and Roger Holman are acclaimed photographers with an intimate knowledge of the area. Here, their photography informs and delights both visitors and residents alike.

An examination of Magnus Maximus's life indicates that the Roman order survived in Britain for far longer than is usually credited, both politically and to a large extent materially.

Rare and previously images documenting this interesting bus scene. Areas covered includes Liverpool, the Wirral, St.Helens and Southport.

This book will interest anyone keen to know more about Berkshire's remarkable local military history.

Explore Eyam's fascinating hidden history through a fascinating selection of stories, facts and photographs.

A fascinating insight into the world of Saxony's narrow gauge railways, which remain a favourite among rail enthusiasts due to their continuing steam-powered workings.

A stunning collection of rare photographs documenting the last years of industrial steam around the world. This first volume focuses on scenes captured in the twenty-first century.

Previously unpublished photographs documenting buses and coaches around the Thames Valley during this interesting period.

A fascinating collection of merged historic and modern images that reflect the changes in Aberystwyth through the decades.

A pocket-sized, illustrated history tour of Aylesbury showing how Buckinghamshire's county town has changed through the decades.

A fascinating illustrated account of the industrial heritage of the town and county borough of Wrexham across the centuries.

Stunning previously unpublished images documenting the end of steam in London, the South and South West.

The seaside town of Bournemouth was founded as a watering place in the early nineteenth century in an area of barren land on the south coast known for smuggling. After developing as a health resort, the railways arrived and the town grew rapidly, becoming a popular destination for visitors. Today, Bournemouth welcomes millions of visitors every year to its beaches and festivals, its two piers - one at Bournemouth and one at Boscombe - and long promenade, and is a cultural and commercial centre of the area. Many of its outstanding Victorian buildings have been preserved and stand alongside art deco and more recent landmark buildings. In A-Z of Bournemouth, author Bill Hoodless delves into the history of the town, from evidence of the earliest settlers in the area to the present day. He highlights well-known historic landmarks such as the Winter Gardens, former home of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, forgotten stories from yesteryear such as a tram tragedy, and the air crash that killed Charles Rolls, co-founder of Rolls-Royce Ltd. He also writes about famous residents and visitors such as Robert Louis Stevenson and digs beneath the surface to uncover some of Bournemouth's lesser-known facts and its hidden places of interest.

Situated in the south-west of Ireland, the port city of Cork is right on the very edge of Western Europe and has always been open to influences from Europe and the wider world. The amalgamation of these influences has created a vibrant and historic twenty-first-century city. It is no surprise that, with such a wide range of influences, Cork has developed a very distinct culture. Corkonians have an immense variety of strong cultural traditions, from the city's history to its sports, commerce and education. Then there is its maritime heritage, the festivals, literature, art, music and the rich Cork accent. In Celebrating Cork, local author Kieran McCarthy highlights the wealth of the city's heritage and its citizens' diverse achievements. The book explores some of the reasons why Cork is so special in the hearts of Corkonians and its many visitors. It takes the reader through the familiar and lesser-known layers of Cork's importance in Atlantic Europe. Different chapters focus on the history of its port; the documents and maps which defined the city's sense of identity; the Arts and Crafts movements, which can be viewed within the cityscape; its key institutions and charities; its engineering feats; and perhaps why Cork is known for its rebel nature. Illustrated throughout, Celebrating Cork will be of great appeal to residents, visitors and all those with connections to the city. It will be a source of civic pride as well as a valuable contribution to local history.

Sunderland's proud history encompasses its beginnings as a major centre of religious learning in the early medieval period and its growth into a major port and shipbuilding centre on the mouth of the River Wear. Today, the city and the surrounding Wearside area is a major centre of car manufacturing and other industries in the North East. In this book author Steve Watson investigates the rich supernatural heritage of this city and the surrounding Wearside area, not only the well-known phenomena but also lesser-known hauntings from the past and present day, including ghostly happenings at the North East Land Sea and Air Museum on the site of an old airfield near Washington and mysterious sightings at the Phoenix Lodge, the oldest purpose-built Masonic lodge in the world, and many more. Paranormal Sunderland takes the reader into the world of ghosts and spirits in the city, following their footsteps into the unknown. These tales of haunted places, supernatural happenings and weird phenomena will delight the ghost hunters and intrigue everybody who knows Sunderland and Wearside.

Coventry has been one of the most important cities in England since the Middle Ages. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Coventry became an industrial centre, renowned for clock and watch manufacturing and later for building cars, bicycles and aircraft. Its significance drew massive air attacks during the Second World War and the historic centre of Coventry was destroyed. The city was rebuilt in the post-war era, including a new cathedral, and the city boomed, then was hard hit by industrial decline in the late twentieth century, but recent decades have seen a gradual recovery, recognised with Coventry becoming the 2021 UK City of Culture. Lost Coventry presents a portrait of this corner of the East Midlands over the last century, showing not only industries and buildings that have gone but also people and street scenes, many popular places of entertainment and much more. This fascinating photographic history of lost Coventry will appeal to all those who live in the area or know it well, as well as those who remember it from previous decades.

After many years of expansion and redevelopment Bicester has grown and changed considerably from the little Oxfordshire market town that it once was. Some parts of the town appear noticeably different to how they were a few generations ago, and when you look at some photographs of Victorian or pre-war Bicester it seems almost unrecognisable. Amidst all the changes however, some familiar landmarks have remained largely untouched, such as the town's medieval St Edburg's parish church and Market Square. This collection of photographs tries to cover both the changes and the consistencies to show how Bicester has developed and how its character remains. Bicester Reflections features an exciting collection of historic and modern pictures that are individually merged to reveal how the area has changed over the decades. Each of the 180 pictures in this book combines a recent colour view of Bicester with the matching sepia archive scene. Through the split-image effect, readers can see how streets, buildings and everyday life have transformed with the passing of time. Local author Matthew Hathaway presents this fascinating visual chronicle that ingeniously reflects past and present glimpses of Bicester.

Bounded by the River Dee and Wales on one side and the River Mersey and Liverpool on the other, the Wirral Peninsula has its own special history. The major towns on the Mersey - Birkenhead and Wallasey - have a strong industrial heritage. New Brighton on the Irish Sea coast was developed as a resort whereas the south and west of the Wirral is largely rural with small towns and villages. Ancient and recent history are intermingled on the Wirral, with areas of natural landscape and parklands, medieval villages and ancient buildings built of the local sandstone close to the industrial development and docks on the Mersey in the north-east and Port Sunlight to the south. A-Z of The Wirral delves into the history of the peninsula. It highlights well-known landmarks and famous residents, and digs beneath the surface to uncover some of the lesser-known facts about the Wirral and its hidden places of interest. Significant moments in its history are covered, as well as its notable buildings and other features, including famous names associated with the area from early times to the present day. This fascinating A-Z tour of the Wirral's history is fully illustrated and will appeal to all those with an interest in this part of the North West.

There have always been small buses used by bus companies for a variety of reasons, but in the 1970s a number of companies employed van-derived minibuses on experimental services such as Dial-a Ride schemes. These were small-scale operations. From around 1984 the majority of British bus companies started buying minibuses in bulk. They began replacing full-size vehicles and soon whole town local networks were being converted to their use. At first these continued to be on small, van-derived chassis - Ford, Freight-Rover and Mercedes-Benz - seating around sixteen passengers, but soon larger, purpose-built vehicles began to appear from companies sometimes unfamiliar to the British bus market. There were also attempts to produce 'midibuses' - larger than a minibus but smaller than a full-size bus. By the mid-1990s the boom had come to an end. Larger vehicles started to replace many of these minibuses. Although modern accessible minibuses are still produced and still have a role to play, it is a far cry from their heyday. This book looks back at the rise and fall of the minibus in British bus services.

The sight, sound and smell of animals are a part of the story of every great city - and are also part of its hidden history. The royal standard of Scotland features a lion rampant, and Edinburgh can trace its earliest depiction of the beast to the Roman occupation - long before Scotland evolved into a nation. As marks of prestige and respect, animals are highlighted in many public sculptures, bas-reliefs and other artworks throughout the city. For centuries animals such as horses were a crucial part of the economy. Horses transported goods and people in and out of the city, while the growth in ownership created a demand for saddlers, coach makers, grooms, fodder suppliers, horse trainers, farriers, smiths and riding schools. Animals were also a source of wonder and amusement, such as the elephant housed in a tenement in the 1700s and the legendary Greyfriars Bobby, who spent fourteen years guarding the grave of his owner and is now immortalised in words, films and monuments. The travelling menagerie of the Regency era gave the ordinary citizen a taste of the exotic and within a few decades Zoological Gardens Association landscaped gardens and built structures to house animals for the city's latest attraction.