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Early in the 20th century, geographers devoted a lot of time attempting to draw boundaries around geographical regions. Their failure was a reminder of the impossibility of drawing sharp lines around areas which gradually merge into their neighbours. Mid Anglia comprises the new counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire; its prosperous acres also broadly correspond to those occupied by the ancient Saxon kingdom of the Middle Angles. As such, the region contains the best assemblage of Saxon churches in England; the college buildings of Cambridge; and many fine post-medieval buildings such as Wimpole Hall and Kirby Hall. Author Christopher Taylor, the eminent landscape historian, has written a fascinating account of Mid Anglia's formation and growth since prehistoric times. This volume is one of a series of four National Trust Histories which seeks to illuminate the landscapes of today by looking at the natural and human influences which have forged their distinctive characters.
Examines the Grand National, the most famous horse race in the world. Officially first run in 1839, it is now watched in 140 countries on television with viewing figures of more than 500 million. Run in early April at Aintree, Liverpool, this steeplechase over 30 fearsome fences and four and a half miles has had a history filled with drama.
The Lake District was, until the 19th century, a remote, neglected and inaccessible part of England. Before the arrival of good road and rail networks and tourism it had been home to successive generations of very tough people: prehistoric peasant farmers, small Roman garrisons, Norse and Saxon settlers, monastic tenants and, after the Dissolution of the monasteries, the doughty farming families of yeomen or 'statesmen' and communities of miners and quarry workers. Each group has left its powerful imprint on the landscape and there is an exceptional legacy of prehistoric and Roman monuments, interesting medieval castles and monastic buildings and a wealth of post-medieval buildings in stone, as well as plenty of relics to attract the industrial archaeology enthusiasts. It is fitting that the Lake District should be the subject of one of the four volumes in the National Trust Histories series since the charity manages so man! y properties in the region and has done so much to conserve its beauty. There are scores of books which delight in the loveliness of the Lake District but very few which tell the visitor in uncomplicated terms about the creation of the landscape. There are also very few scholars who understand this story as well as Chris Bassinger and his account will add a new dimension to the pleasure and inspiration that so many derive from this remarkable north-west corner of England.
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