The A-Z of Curious Somerset

The A-Z of Curious Somerset PDF

Author: Geoffrey Body

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2013-07-01

Total Pages: 214

ISBN-13: 0750952989

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

This book draws on the long and unique heritage of the county of Somerset, bringing to life seventy of the little known but fascinating and unusual aspects of a much-loved area. It tells of body-snatchers and bewitchment; crime and conflict; lepers and lighthouses; songs and words; heroes and villains – this is book is of and for the curious. Its accounts of larger-than-life episodes from Somerset activity, locations and people take the reader on a near-unbelievable exploration of local human behaviour and idiosyncrasy. Richly illustrated, this book is great for dipping into, but can equally be enjoyed from cover to cover.

The A-Z of Curious Somerset

The A-Z of Curious Somerset PDF

Author: Geoffrey Body

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2013-10-01

Total Pages: 197

ISBN-13: 0750952989

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

This book draws on the long and unique heritage of the county of Somerset, bringing to life seventy of the little known but fascinating and unusual aspects of a much-loved county. It tells, in a single volume, tales of body-snatchers and bewitchment; crime and conflict; lepers and lighthouses; songs and words; heroes and villains - this is book is of and for the curious. Its accounts of larger-than-life episodes from Somerset activity, locations and people take the reader on a near-unbelievable exploration of local human behaviour and idiosyncrasy. Richly illustrated, this book is great for dipping into, but can equally be enjoyed from cover to cover.

The A-Z of Curious Shropshire

The A-Z of Curious Shropshire PDF

Author: John Shipley

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2017-06-27

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 0750983175

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

John Shipley takes the reader on a grand tour of the curious and bizarre, the strange and the unusual from Shropshire's past. Here you will find out where an African Prince is interred; which pub is reputedly haunted by the ghost of John (Mad Jack) Mytton of Halston Hall; and which village lays claim to the oldest cottage in Europe. Along the way you will read about earthquakes and floods, giants and witches, highwaymen and bandits, scandalous residents and inventors. Richly illustrated, The A-Z of Curious Shropshire is great for dipping into, but can equally be enjoyed from cover to cover.

The A-Z of Curious Bristol

The A-Z of Curious Bristol PDF

Author: Maurice Fells

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2014-06-02

Total Pages: 193

ISBN-13: 0750957166

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Bristol's history is packed with peculiar customs and curious characters. This book explains why the vicar in one church goes on an annual trek to peer down a manhole; why captains of industry sing an eighteen-verse song in memory of Queen Elizabeth I; and how the Flower of Bristol got its name. You will meet some unusual contraptions, like the bed with in-built exercise equipment, or the thrashing machine for naughty boys. You will also discover why a public clock still runs to Bristol time. This compendium of the weird and wonderful will surprise even those Bristolians who thought they really knew their city.

The A-Z of Curious Aberdeenshire

The A-Z of Curious Aberdeenshire PDF

Author: Duncan Harley

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2017-12-20

Total Pages: 235

ISBN-13: 075098645X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Duncan Harley takes the reader on a grand tour of the curious and the bizarre, the strange and the unusual from Aberdeenshire's past. Read about the Beatles' first, and almost their last, tour of the North-east, the Deeside artist who tended plaster sheep, and the strange tale of the Typhoid Queen. Learn about Hitler's secret bunker at Stonehaven, the doomed Marquis of Montrose, and the mysterious Mound of Death at Inverurie. Along the way you'll also meet scandalous residents, determined inventors, and Royal personages galore. The A-Z of Curious Aberdeenshire is guaranteed to enthrall both residents and visitors alike.

The A-Z of Curious Essex

The A-Z of Curious Essex PDF

Author: Paul Wreyford

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2013-07-15

Total Pages: 229

ISBN-13: 0752493973

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

'Curious' is perhaps not the first word you would use to label Essex. But 'curiouser and curiouser' it becomes when you dig below the surface. Forget the popular image of Essex boy and girl. Come and meet larger-than-life characters, including the one-time fattest man in England, whose waist was wider than the height of an average man. And talking of big, discover the origin of children's favourite Humpty Dumpty. Did you know that explorer David Livingstone, who trekked across Africa, got lost in Essex; that Essex villain Dick Turpin was only identified because a relative refused to pay the cost of a 'stamp', or that St George saw off his dragon here? Shocking, creepy and bizarre tales abound if you dig a little deeper. And if you literally look below the surface in Essex - 100ft underground to be precise - you'll discover one of the most incredible Government 'secrets' of all time.

The Little Book of Somerset

The Little Book of Somerset PDF

Author: Maurice Fells

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2018-11-09

Total Pages: 191

ISBN-13: 0750990252

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Did you know? The town of Wincanton is twinned with a place that does not exist. William Gibbs of Tyntesfield House made his fortune by importing bird droppings from Peru. A song by 'Scrumpy and Western' singer Adge Cutler was banned by the BBC for being too raunchy. Nine villages in Somerset are known as the 'Thankful Villages'. From seaside to countryside and villages to towns, Somerset is a county where it's difficult to separate history and mystery. This fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of places, people and trivia reveals all sorts of answers to questions you might have wondered about – and some you didn't. The facts, stats and anecdotes will surprise even those familiar with this beautiful and historic county.

A-Z of Curious London

A-Z of Curious London PDF

Author: Gilly Pickup

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2013-07-01

Total Pages: 206

ISBN-13: 075249399X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Spooky, gruesome, weird but true things about one of the world’s greatest cities come alive in The A-Z of Curious London. Discover London’s tiniest house, a 4,000-year-old mouse made from Nile clay, and have a giggle at things people leave on London’s transport (including false teeth, a human skull and a park bench - yes, really.) Why did a dentist keep his dead wife on view in a shop window? Where did a shopkeeper murder 150 customers? Which Queen showed her bosom to an Ambassador? Why was a man arrested for wearing a top hat? In the City proper, why is no thoroughfare called a road? To sum up, eccentrics, legends, folklore, murders, scandals, ghosts, incredible characters and oodles of wow factor, it’s all here.

The A-Z of Curious County Durham

The A-Z of Curious County Durham PDF

Author: Martin Dufferwiel

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2014-07-01

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 0750957352

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

This book draws upon the varied history and unique heritage of the County Palatine of Durham, an ancient land of saints and warlords. It is a catalogue of curious tales, odd anecdotes and quirky characters from County Durham's past. Within its pages the reader will discover stories of hauntings, murders and mysterious deaths, while modern-day enigmas – such as the ancient structure that archaeologists remain at a loss to explain, or the lost treasure found at the bottom of the River Wear – are revisited. Inspired in part by the chronicles and compendiums of County Durham's nineteenth-century historians and antiquarians, this book is a miscellany – at times tragic, at times comic, but always entertaining. And for those for whom the collective subjects hold a perennial fascination, it is ideal for dipping into, perhaps to learn something new about wonderfully curious County Durham.

The A-Z of Curious Sussex

The A-Z of Curious Sussex PDF

Author: Wendy Hughes

Publisher: History Press

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780750956048

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

In this engaging book, Wendy Hughes takes you on a grand tour of the curious and bizarre, the strange and the unusual from Sussex's past. Read about the Alfriston Star - the hostelry for medieval package tours with its unusual ship's figurehead, the Russian memorial to Finnish soldiers, Crazy Jack who couldn't stop building and who is buried in a pyramid, the inventor of vapour baths and the lady who fooled the army. Along the way you will meet scandalous residents, inventors, and smugglers galore.The A-Z of Curious Sussex is guaranteed to fascinate both resident and visitor alike.