UK

The National Galleries of Scotland is widely regarded as one of the finest small galleries in the world. It's collection includes (read more)

The National Galleries of Scotland is widely regarded as one of the finest small galleries in the world. It's collection includes many of the greatest names in Western art, encompassing artists as diverse as Titian and Francis Bacon, and Canova and Pablo Picasso. This lavishly illustrated book contains more than two hundred of the National Galleries of Scotland's greatest and best-loved treasures, each accompanied by an informative text written by the Galleries' curators.

Not only does this book provide a fascinating introduction to the national collection but it is also an accessible and informative introduction to the history of art. (hide)

111 Churches in London That You Shouldn't Miss takes you through the doors of 111 rarely visited churches, but which, with the help (read more)

111 Churches in London That You Shouldn't Miss takes you through the doors of 111 rarely visited churches, but which, with the help of this informative guide are now on the map! With their spires, towers, columns and capitals, vaults and arches, carvings and paintings, London churches tell us a lot about its architecture and its history. And with their beautifully carved fonts, pulpits, carvings, mosaics and decorative objects, they show you centuries of skill and labour that went into making these buildings for which the main objectives were majesty, endurance and posterity. (hide)

Welcome to Leeds; a great northern powerhouse of a city that has reinvented itself from an industrial centre of wool, textiles and (read more)

Welcome to Leeds; a great northern powerhouse of a city that has reinvented itself from an industrial centre of wool, textiles and coal to one of the country's biggest financial and commercial cities outside of London. Leeds is famous for its beautiful Victorian arcades, its magnificent architectural landmarks, its eclectic mix of shops and bars and its sporting venues. But scrape its bare bones and you will find it is a city rich in history, heritage and culture with a plethora of hidden places and talents.
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Liverpool's unique history as an international port and a cultural melting pot has given it a character all its own. The city has (read more)

Liverpool's unique history as an international port and a cultural melting pot has given it a character all its own. The city has produced music that conquered the world and is home to more historic buildings than any other British metropolis outside London. It features two magnificent cathedrals and many world famous museums.

But beyond its renowned exterior is a labyrinth of places hidden and unknown. This deliciously offbeat guidebook will lead you to a different Liverpool: down tunnels, up skyscrapers, and into secret bars, speciality shops, and disused factories. You will see Balenciaga trainers and football trophies, rolling bridges and disappearing statues, Liver Birds and suitcases, extravagant cakes and cast-iron churches.

Explore Britain's first mosque. Wander a roof garden of wild flowers, where different species bloom each month of the year. Marvel at the world's most expensive book or largest brick building (27 million bricks!). (hide)

This guidebook explores 20 sportive cycling routes in the best cycling areas of south west England. Ideal for training, the rides (read more)

This guidebook explores 20 sportive cycling routes in the best cycling areas of south west England. Ideal for training, the rides range between 59 and 119km (36 to 74 miles) in length, and offer a full range of challenges; from long, fast flat routes, perfect for pacing, to tough hill climbs on the Downs and Moors of the south west. The 20 sportive routes are found in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, as for north and east as the Wye Valley and Swindon.

The range ensures that there is plenty of riding to be found, throughout the region, not to mention the companion Sportives guidebook to routes in England's south east. From the Cotswolds, to Dartmoor, Exmoor, Bodmin Moor, into Wales and the south coast, there are miles of of cycle-friendly roads suitable for sportive training. All 20 routes are graded for difficulty and include timings, ascent, food-stops and access information, as well as annotated route maps and clear route descriptions. Sportive cycling is a growing sport, and this guide provides routes for experienced riders and those new to this sport.

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For centuries visitors to Monmouthshire have been seduced by its picturesque landscape and breathtaking beauty. Poets, princes, priests, (read more)

For centuries visitors to Monmouthshire have been seduced by its picturesque landscape and breathtaking beauty. Poets, princes, priests, peasants, painters, politicians, and even pirates have all sung the praises of this unique little corner of Wales. It is a county with an elusive nature and a turbulent past, but one whose sublime splendour is evident in its surrounding hills, scattered castles, sleepy churches, rolling rivers, rising mists and ancient woodlands.

William Wordsworth once famously described Monmouthshire as the place where 'the heavy and the weary weight of all this unintelligible world is lightened'. In 50 Gems of Monmouthshire local author Tim Butters takes an illuminating journey along the high and low roads of one of the UK's most popular counties in search of the landmarks, the historic curiosities and the natural wonders that make this little patch of the UK so magical to both visitors and residents alike.

Published:15 Jul 2020 (hide)

Every cheese tells a story. Whether it's a fresh young goat's cheese or a big, beefy eighteen-month-old Cheddar, each variety holds (read more)

Every cheese tells a story. Whether it's a fresh young goat's cheese or a big, beefy eighteen-month-old Cheddar, each variety holds the history of the people who first made it, from the builders of Stonehenge to medieval monks, from the Stilton-makers of the eighteenth-century to the factory cheesemakers of the Second World War. Cheesemonger Ned Palmer takes us on a delicious journey across Britain and Ireland and through time to uncover the histories of beloved old favourites like Cheddar and Wensleydale and fresh innovations like the Irish Cashel Blue or the rambunctious Renegade Monk. (hide)

The city of Liverpool is famous throughout the world. This once-small fishing village was transformed into a mighty commercial powerhouse, (read more)

The city of Liverpool is famous throughout the world. This once-small fishing village was transformed into a mighty commercial powerhouse, seen by many as the second city of the British Empire. In 1715 Liverpool created the world's first enclosed, commercial wet dock; eventually there would be docks along 7.5 miles of the River Mersey.

It rapidly grew into the greatest port and city in the entire British Empire outside London. Nevertheless, by 1980 Liverpool's population had reduced by over half; its infrastructure and economy were decaying, and its political leaders were leading the city towards complete collapse. Today, Liverpool has the fastest-growing economy in Britain and has been a European Capital of Culture and is a UNESCO World Heritage City. (hide)

Pub Date:03/08/2016 - In the summer of 1793 the Witts family arrived in Edinburgh for a stay of five years. A previously well-to-do (read more)

Pub Date:03/08/2016 - In the summer of 1793 the Witts family arrived in Edinburgh for a stay of five years. A previously well-to-do Oxfordshire/Gloucestershire family they were brought to near penury brought the failure of Edward Witts' woollen cloth trading business. Apart from the stigma of bankruptcy, their easy style of living was brought crashing down to a mere few hundred annually-the income from their marriage settlement which Edward's creditors could not get their hands on.

Within a few months Edward and Agnes had built a wide circle of friends and acquaintance in the upper echelons of Edinburgh society where Agnes's magnetic personality worked its usual magic. Agnes Witts was a remarkable woman with great zest for life. She required constant amusement and bored easily. (hide)

Be transported back to the heyday of modern style when architecture, design and style were de rigueur. This is an invaluable location (read more)

Be transported back to the heyday of modern style when architecture, design and style were de rigueur. This is an invaluable location guide for any art deco traveller in the United Kingdom and for all lovers of 1920s and 30s nostalgia and all that that entails: the opulence and decadence of the legendary Jazz Age era. Whether you are visiting the UK for business or pleasure or just wish to have a further insight into the art deco legacy left behind for us all to enjoy, this county-by-county guide highlights buildings and facades to see, local accommodation, theatres, monuments and associated places of interest.

Published: 28 May 2019 (hide)