Böcker utgivna av Amberley Publishing

Contrary to popular belief, Anglo- Saxon England had queens, with the tenth-century Elfrida being the most powerful and notorious of them all. She was the first woman to be crowned Queen of England, sharing her husband King Edgar's imperial coronation at Bath in 973. The couple made a love match, with claims that they plotted the death of her first husband to ensure that she was free. Edgar divorced his second wife, a former nun, after conducting an adulterous affair with Elfrida, leading to an enmity between the two women that lasted until their deaths. During her marriage Elfrida claimed to be the king's only legitimate wife, but she failed to secure the succession for her son, Ethelred. Elfrida was implicated in the murder of her stepson, King Edward the Martyr, who died on a visit to her at Corfe Castle. She then ruled England on behalf of her young son for six years before he expelled her from court. Elfrida was eventually able to return to court but, since he proved himself unable to counter the Viking attacks, she may have come to regret winning the crown for Ethelred the Unready. Wife, mother, murderer, ruler, crowned queen. The life of Queen Elfrida was filled with drama as she rose to become the most powerful woman in Anglo-Saxon England.

Learn what went on behind closed doors in the Tudor court. Illegitimate children, adulterous queens, impotent kings, and a whole dynasty resting on their shoulders. Sex and childbirth were quite literally a matter of life or death for the Tudors - Elizabeth of York died in childbirth, two of Henry VIII's queens were beheaded for infidelity, and Elizabeth I's elective virginity signalled the demise of a dynasty. Amy Licence guides the reader through the births of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York's two sons, Arthur and Henry, Catherine of Aragon's subsequent marriages to both of these men, Henry VIII's other five wives and his mistresses, and the sex lives of his daughters. This book details the experiences of all these women, from fertility, conception and pregnancy through to the delivery chamber, on to maternal and infant mortality. Each woman's story is a blend of specific personal circumstances, set against their historical moment: for some the joys were brief, for others it was a question that ultimately determined their fates.

Using evocative text and delightful imagery, Tony Russell brings to life each of the fifty gardens featured, covering their history, plants, architecture and personalities along the way. The diversity of gardens to be found within the Cotswolds and within this book is quite astonishing. Here you will find grand landscapes such as Blenheim Palace and Dyrham Park, influential pioneers at Iford Manor and Rousham, historical gems such as Prior Park and Painswick Rococo Garden, national icons at Westonbirt Arboretum and Hidcote Manor, contemporary masterpieces at Througham Court and Abbey House and an abundance of English gardens in all their beauty, overflowing with roses, herbaceous borders and pastel shades. All the gardens featured allow public access at some time during the year. The Cotswolds' Finest Gardens is undoubtedly set to become a classic in its genre, a book that will appeal to gardeners and non-gardeners alike, those who live within the region as well as those who visit.

The Kyle of Lochalsh Line was opened in 1870 to connect the ferry terminus at Stromeferry on Scotland's west coast with Dingwall and Inverness on the east coast. It had been intended to reach Kyle of Lochalsh but the company ran out of money, and the Highland Railway would open an extension to the Kyle in 1897 to improve transport links for the fishing industry. At the time, the extension was mile for mile the most expensive railway ever built in Britain. The line passes through some of the most dramatic and beautiful scenery in Britain and although it was marked for closure by Doctor Beeching, its importance to the isolated communities it serves led to a reprieve and in 1980 it was featured by Michael Palin in Great Railway Journeys of the World. In this book, Ewan Crawford uses a mixture of contemporary and period images to bring the history of the line and its landscape to life.

The railway came to Peebles in July 1855. However, this small town in the Scottish Borders soon became the subject of a dispute between the North British Railway and the Caledonian Railway. The Peebles Railway, the first to reach the town, was taken over in 1876 by the North British. In 1855, however, the Symington, Biggar & Broughton Railway was authorised and, in 1861, formally absorbed by the Caledonian Railway. The North British responded with a new line from Peebles to Galashiels which blocked the Caledonian. In this book, Roy G. Perkins and Iain MacIntosh look at the two North British lines, from where the original Peebles Railway left the line south of Edinburgh to Galashiels, using a fascinating collection of modern and period photographs. Although the railways in the Borders were closed in the 1960s, sections of them are still in partial use as cycle paths and the new Borders Railway will also bring fresh life to parts.

The kingdom of Scots was the last of the non-Anglo-Saxon states of Britain to survive as a political entity. Alone of the 'Celtic' nations, it was not absorbed into England by conquest. James VI of Scotland came to the throne of England in 1603, and when union with England finally came in 1707 during the reign of Queen Anne, it was technically on equal terms. This success owed much to the abilities and tenacity of a succession of rulers. The story of the rulers of Scotland's constituent states and then of the united kingdom of Scots from Kenneth MacAlpin onwards is complex and often violent. It is full of rapid reversals of fortune, brilliant and incompetent leadership, family strife, and triumph and tragedy closely intertwined. The obscure earlier history is often as fascinating as the better-known stories of the Bruce and Queen Mary, though less familiar. This saga of a thousand years is a tribute to the qualities of Scotland's rulers.

Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV, mother of Elizabeth of York and the Princes in the Tower, and grandmother of Henry VIII, has been vilified and defended in turn. Was she a cunning enchantress, an ambitious advancer of her family's fortunes, or a courageous and tragic figure who lost husbands, brothers and sons during this turbulent period? Discover the real story of the 'White Queen'. Born into a family of Lancastrians, the exceptionally beautiful Elizabeth captured the heart of the young Yorkist king, Edward IV, and found herself caught in the complex web of rivalries, loves and conspiracies that lay at the heart of the Wars of the Roses. She would wield immense influence as queen, watch her brother-in-law confine her sons to the Tower of London to face an unknown fate, and ultimately unite the Houses of Lancaster and York through the marriage of her daughter to Henry Tudor.

Winchester, the ancient capital of Wessex, has a rich and fascinating history. From the time of its Iron Age settlements, rulers, bishops and inhabitants over the last two millennia have left their mark on the city. Anglo Saxon street plans, medieval gateways and castles still preside, as do buildings of religious and scholarly importance. It is this history, tinged with myths and legends, and tales of our most celebrated monarch King Alfred, which attracts people from all around the world. Centuries later, early photographs show social scenes and economic growth. This progress brought inevitable redevelopment, especially in the 1950s and 1960s, leaving some streets untouched and others with hardly a single old building left standing. On the whole Winchester has preserved its heritage, providing a fine backdrop for contemporary events. Where scenes are seemingly unchanged it is always satisfying to view them again through a modern lens.

The majority of South Yorkshire's twenty-first century residents are oblivious to the unique and fascinating Sand House that graced Doncaster from the mid-1850s until the Second World War. It was created by excavating the ground from around a massive block of sandstone and then hollowing out rooms within, in order to create a 40-metre-long, 12-metre-wide residence equipped with all the mod cons that a wealthy Victorian businessman would want. And yet there is nothing to be seen now of this incredible Sand House. The two authors show how the idea for the Sand House arose from its creators' combined business interests of property development and sand extraction. From its modest beginnings as a two-up-two-down dwelling, it grew to become a ten-roomed mansion, complete with stable and ballroom. Not only dances but other major social events took place in the house and its 'sunken garden'; guests were allowed to explore the property's extensive tunnels and admire the abundance of carvings hewn from the sandstone within. The Sand House's sad demise in the mid-twentieth century means that this marvellous creation is no longer available for visitors to admire, but its story lives on through the pages of this book.

During the Second World War, when Britain's very survival depended on her Merchant Navy, ships were being sunk faster than they could be replaced. The mass production of the Liberty Ship, on the assembly-line method in the USA, solved the problem: Britain received 200 of them under the Lend-Lease agreement. From 1943 until 1951, Ian Malcolm was a radio officer/purser with Alfred Holt & Co., owners of the Blue Funnel Line and the Glen Line. His voyages on the Liberty Ships Samite and Samforth, described in this book, were made during wartime, after which he spent a year on the Samnesse, trading mainly between Italy and East Africa. Subsequent voyages were made to the Continent, Far East, Australia and Indonesia. Dealing mainly with life on board his ships and how he spent the sometimes prolonged spells in port, Ian begins his story with his entrance into the Merchant Navy as a radio officer and continues with his crossing to Canada on the Queen Elizabeth to join the Samite in Baltimore. During the Samite's fifteen month voyage, she called at various ports in the USA and North Africa while Ian's next ship, the Samforth, on her ten-month voyage, visited Canada, the USA, Egypt, Arabia, India, Mozambique, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Norway and Finland. Life Aboard a Wartime Liberty Ship is an engaging memoir of a young man's maritime adventures, the people he met, the countries he saw, and the intoxicating thrill of life at sea.

There is plenty of information about military dress in Roman Britain and the rest of the Roman Empire, but the evidence for civilian dress has not been comprehensively looked at since the 1930s. In this richly illustrated survey, Alexandra Croom describes the range and style of clothing worn throughout the Western Empire and shows how fashions changed between the first and the sixth centuries. After a short introduction to the evidence (from archaeology, art and literature), and to the manufacture of clothing and its use in status display, she systematically treats male and female dress, looking at the tunic, toga (for men), mantle (for women) and cloaks; underwear, footwear and specialist wear; hats, hairstyles and jewellery. The book concentrates on the clothing work in the Mediterranean region, but includes a section on provincial fashions. A fine and varied corpus of illustrations (including colour plates) helps to bring the everyday world of the Roman Empire to life.

Wendy ran home through the streets of Bexleyheath with the air-raid siren wailing, her little gas mask box bumping against her hip. Just as she reached her front gate, a Spitfire spiralled out of the air and crashed into the school field at the end of the road. You never forget a moment like that. Growing up in Bexleyheath in the Second World War, bombs, air-raid sirens and fear were all Wendy had ever known. Here, through the eyes of a small child, we see family life on the Home Front in 1944 in its entirety - from bombed-out houses to burnt potato peelings, from maths lessons and classroom antics to air-raid sirens and crashing planes. After the family slept through an air raid that destroyed the houses directly opposite, Wendy's parents decided it had become far too dangerous. Wendy, her sister Thelma and her brother Brian were evacuated to the Burnley area of Lancashire. Surrounded by a new accent, shining front steps and outdoor lavatories, this little girl felt a long way from home. However, the two women who took Wendy and her sister into their home helped her adjust to a new way of life. She remembers fondly the kindness of these women, as well as her other experiences as an evacuee: a new school, nits, chickens, gravy, and her first trip to the seaside. Wendy Appleton describes beautifully the memories that were imprinted so deeply on her young mind. As she discussed her recollections with her older brother and sister and started to write them down, everything came flooding back - so much so that at times she was in tears. She is delighted to share within these pages the sights, songs and sounds of her wartime childhood.

Stretching 73 miles from coast to coast and reaching a height of about 13 feet, Hadrian's Wall should have been counted as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Today, a World Heritage site, it stands as the most imposing monument north of the Alps and attracts millions of visitors a year. Yet, despite all the excavation and research that has been carried out, this is the first detailed guide to be written for many years. Having first dealt with the practical questions of transport, clothing and maps, Guy de la Bedoyere explains why and how the Wall was constructed. With the help of almost 100 sketch maps, drawings and photographs, he then conducts the visitor, stage by stage, along the full length of the Wall, providing map locations, route and parking instructions, details of access and opening times, and a full account of everything that can be seen. He also covers the outpost forts, the forts and settlements to the rear (South Shields, Corbridge and Vindolanda) and the local museums which house so many of the artefacts discovered along the Wall. This indispensable guide-book concludes with a list of dates, a glossary and a summary of all the key sources.

The beautiful site the Romans called Vindolanda lies in south-west Northumberland, in the district of Tynedale, more or less half way between the North Sea east of Newcastle and the Irish Sea to the west of Carlisle. It is just within the boundary of the Northumberland National Park, and is a part of the World Heritage Site of Hadrian's Wall. The Wall itself was built on the whinstone ridge a mile to the north, with the fort of Housesteads two miles to the north-east, and that of Great Chesters five miles to the north-west. This book follows the site throughout its many phases of use and occupation. It explores the everyday life of those who lived and worked on the site and provides valuable new insight into the larger context of Rome's Northern Frontier: Hadrian's Wall. The translations of the Vindolanda Scrolls ('send fresh socks' etc) are also a treat!

The story of Isleworth Studios is essentially that of the British film industry from 1914 to 1952. Beginning with the first British Sherlock Holmes screen adaptation and ending with its Oscar-winning swansong, The African Queen, in the intervening years it was one of the most technically advanced studios in the country and home to some of the best and the worst examples of British cinema. It experienced the transition from silent films to talkies. Britain's only movie mogul, Alexander Korda, arrived, looking to rival Hollywood, followed by Douglas Fairbanks Jr looking to rival Korda. Buster Keaton struggled with alcoholism; Richard Burton made his screen debut; Bogart, Hepburn and Huston made a classic; and Emeric Pressburger directed his first and only film at Isleworth. Little by little the old dream factory's physical shape is now crumbling or altered, or is disappearing altogether. Soon it may be gone. Isleworth Studios has a history worthy of more than just an addendum in the annals of the British film industry. This is its story told for the very first time.

Wales is a land of ghosts and dark legends, strange animals and unexplained phenomena. From the Abergele Ghost Ship to the Witch Lakes of the Brecon Beacons, Alvin Nicholas takes the reader on a comprehensive A-Z tour. Supernatural Wales is the definitive guide to Welsh ghosts, hauntings, monsters and mysteries. Here you will find haunted castles and manor houses, mountain spectres and ghost ships. Learn how to track mystery panthers, try your hand at ghost hunting and explore a land of lake monsters, sea serpents, vampires and werewolves. With well over 100 entries, Supernatural Wales covers everything from spooky secret passages to phantom armies and mystery light phenomena. Thoroughly researched, this book includes new information and first-hand research that will lead you to the heart of mysterious Wales. The book includes never-before-published OS grid references so you can walk where ghosts walk and stand, if you dare, where disembodied voices are heard and where grim goblins, spectral horsemen and dogs of darkness appear. Sure to delight both armchair enthusiasts and serious researchers alike, Supernatural Wales is packed with fascinating stories and intriguing information that will compel readers to refer to this book again and again.

For over seventy-five years, Butlin's have been entertaining families of all ages. Billy Butlin opened his first holiday camp in Skegness in 1936 and continued to expand with camps at Clacton, Ayr, Pwllheli, Bognor Regis, Mosney, Minehead and Barry Island. In post-war Britain, families could enjoy a holiday at Butlin's for the equivalent of a week's wage. Their slogan was 'Our True Intent is all for Your Delight'. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of people visited Butlin's and many have wonderful memories of the friendly redcoats, the funfair rides, roller skating, boating, the talent contests and the beauty pageants.

DRACULA is such an iconic figure that he has inspired hundreds of films and television programmes for over a century. He has appeared in over 215 films and, since its publication in 1897, Dracula has never been out of print. Most people have a very strong image of Dracula and for many the seaside town of Whitby in North Yorkshire is a big part of this. Indeed, many of the scenes in Dracula were places that Bram Stoker regularly visited. Ian Thompson has had a lifelong interest in horror films and scary stories, and Dracula is a story that has fascinated him. As a result, he has made many pilgrimages to Whitby. In this fascinating book, the reader is taken around Dracula's Whitby, to the very places Bram Stoker and his Dracula frequented. This book will inspire not only fans of Bram stoker's literary creation, but also visitors and residents alike.

A ring of spectacular cemeteries, developed at the edges of London in the decade from 1832, have long been referred to as The Magnificent Seven. At the time, they set a new aesthetic for the burial of the dead, and remain rich in social history and beauty to this day. It was entrepreneurs, rather than the religious authorities, who responded to the squalor of the City's brimming churchyards by fi nancing seemly, hygienic concepts of burial in the rural outskirts, now embraced by inner London. The Seven became showcases for neoclassical and neo-Gothic architecture, matched by splendid - sometimes eccentric - memorials recording Victorian society, and the sweep of London's history to the present day. From grand Kensal Green in the west to modest Tower Hamlets in the east; from heady Highgate to charming Norwood and Nunhead; and from the military influences of Brompton to the Non-conformist woodland of Abney Park - a host of characters and stories are visited in this distinctive coverage of the subject.

Molly's touching account of life in Guernsey during the German Occupation brings events of the Second World War to life through the eyes of a young child. The Channel Islands were the only British territory to be occupied during the Second World War and many Islanders were immediately imprisoned. Molly's story begins on a lovely afternoon on the 28th of June 1940, when she recalls waving a recently bought cucumber at planes flying over the harbour, only to realise that they were German planes when they started to machine-gun and bomb the previously peaceful harbour. Molly's recollection of her childhood engages the reader from beginning to end and provides a charming account of her life set against the backdrop of war.

Living in a 1966 Albion Chieftain lorry, converted to a home, Traveller Dave has spent much of the past two decades in Europe, working on farms and travelling around, all the time taking photographs of the other interesting traveller homes he has seen. From mid-1980s Glastonbury to France and Portugal, all manner of vehicles are shown here, creatively converted to full-time homes. Making their homes from redundant buses and lorries, travellers have made a fantastic variety of one-off mobile homes using their own creativity and materials they have recycled or restored and Traveller Dave has managed to photograph and document these colourful vehicles from the early 1980s onwards. Inside the pages of Traveller Homes, Traveller Dave takes us on a journey through the years, showing us how this alternative lifestyle has created a multitude of unique vehicles, each tailored to its owner's personal style and taste. Be surprised and amazed at the variety, creativity and style to be found within.

LONDON needed rebuilding after the great fire of 1666. Eighty-eight churches had been destroyed and a grand plan to rebuild them was started by Sir Christopher Wren. In the end, he designed fifty-one new churches and the splendour that is St Paul's Cathedral. Of the fifty-one churches, many have been lost, either to a combination of Victorian indifference, fire, subsidence or German bombs. Twelve Wren City churches survive in their original form, while many of the remaining churches have been rebuilt or substantially altered. Wren left an amazing legacy and John Christopher takes us on a tour of the churches, showing them as built and showing us a comparison scene of today.

A fascinating collection of ghost stories from all over Wales brought together by Peter Underwood, an acknowledged expert on the paranormal. This book covers not only more well-known hauntings but also some more recent, and highly surprising, sightings. In his wide and varied experience Peter has handled objects which were alleged to have been moved by paranormal means and heard a recording of reportedly paranormal music. Rather more significantly he has met and talked with many, many people who have either seen or heard or even felt a ghostly presence. Welsh folklore and daily life have long been visited by occult phenomenon. Told in chilling detail these stories will delight paranormal enthusiasts of all ages.

Ripper Murders From Old Photographs is not a standard retelling of the story of the Whitechapel Murders but the tale of historically important photographs connected to the case, discovered by the author in 2007. Half of the book deals with The Whitby Collection. This is a surviving series of 27 images taken by the amateur criminologist John Gordon Whitby in 1961. They show many of the murder locations and related streets as they looked at that time. The book will not only tell the known facts about the photographer, but will - for the first time - reproduce every one of the photographs, along with modern comparison shots in colour. The second half of the book deals with an image that some have described as the most important photographic discovery in the Jack the Ripper case for quarter of a century. Before the discovery of a unique image purchased on eBay for less than $5, no photographic image was known to exist of the murder location of supposed Ripper victim Elizabeth Stride. Not only will this book present the photograph to the world for the first time, it will also discuss in detail the vast amount of research that has been undertaken to authenticate and date the image and, with frequent reference to the photo album it came from, will try to close in on identifying the photographer.

Northumberland has a great many attractive sites that are well-recorded, and are frequently visited and written about. However, in this new book Dr Stan Beckensall focuses upon places that are off the beaten track, not so well known, but all of enormous interest for their stunning locations and stories. They are scattered across the county in the hills, valleys, scarplands and on the coast. Sites featured include locations off the 'Alemouth Road' from Hexham to Rothbury; hidden valleys and waterfalls at Linhope Spout, Roughting Linn and Hareshaw Linn; seascapes; abandoned settlements and industry centres; pilgrimage routes; graveyards, and the remarkable rock formations that make up much of the landscape. Northumberland hides some of its history in names, and these too are revealed. Throughout are the author's reflections on the significance of what is seen and known.

This is the definitive account of a mission thought to be an impossible one. A powerful depiction, an astounding tale of courage and bravery by men and women of both Britain and France one which is graphic in its telling. This is the complete no holds barred record, a deeply researched, highly detailed, intricately woven true story of a Combined Operations Clandestine Raid, with men who volunteered for Hazardous Service. Thirteen black-faced villains embarked on a secret mission via T-Class submarine and paddled 105 land miles in canoes to place limpet mines on Axis blockade runners deep inside enemy held territory. Led by Blondie Hasler the story tracks from an English seaside resort in the Solent to the Scottish lochs and onto the unpredictable waters of the Bay of Biscay by cigar-shaped coffin then by Cockle. From M.I.9 to an escape network care of a Countess, punctuated by the love of a fifteen-year old girl and the forlorn future hopes of young men and, for many, death by firing squad. With determination and by guile, this is the story of another Few - they were the 'Cockleshell Heroes'. Never before has this narrative been told in its entirety. Never before have all the individuals concerned been named. Never before have all those that played their part in this historic little event had each of their life stories told, intertwined with these 'commandos', these 'Cockleshell Heroes'. As The Daily Telegraph sported, this is, 'The Truth at Last'.

The inside story of one of the most famous of all the 'back rooms' of the Second World War - and of the men and women who worked for it. Conceived by Winston Churchill to circumvent the delays, frustrations and inefficiencies of the service ministries, Department M.D.1. earned from its detractors the soubriquet 'Winston Churchill's Toyshop', yet from a tiny underground workshop housed in the cellars of the London offices of Radio Normandie in Portland Place, and subsequently from the 'stockbroker Tudor' of a millionaire's country mansion in Buckinghamshire, came an astonishing array of secret weapons ranging from the 'sticky bomb' and 'limpet mine' to giant bridge-carrying assault tanks, as well as the PIAT, a tank-destroying, hand-held mortar. Written by Colonel Stuart Macrae, who helped found M.D.1. and was its second-in-command throughout its life, the story is told of this relatively unknown establishment and the weapons it developed which helped destroy innumerable enemy tanks, aircraft and ships.

Malvern Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of the country. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Malvern, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people of this area throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set, and through the author's factual captions for every picture, and carefully-selected choice of images, the reader can achieve a reliable view of this town's history. Readers are invited to follow a timeline of events and watch the changing face of this beautiful area, as Brian Iles guides us through Malvern's streets. There is something for everyone here, whether they have lived in this area all their lives, or whether they are just visiting Malvern for the first time. This book also shows how photography has continually evolved to keep up with an ever changing society.

South Shields Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of one of England's finest cities. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of South Shields, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people of South Shields throughout the 19th and into the 20th Century. Looking beyond the exquisite exterior of these well-kept photos, readers can see the historical context in which they are set, and through the author's factual captions for every picture and carefully-selected choice of images, the reader can achieve a reliable view of the city's history. Readers are invited to follow a timeline of events and watch the changing face of the city, as Mike Hallowell guides us through the city streets. There is something for everyone here, whether they have lived in South Shields all their lives, or whether they are just visiting this fabulous city. It also shows how photography has continually evolved to keep up with an ever-changing society.

Although there were many more Hawker Hurricanes than Supermarine Spitfires engaged in the epic conflict fought over southern England in the summer of 1940, the public's imagination was captured by the shapely and charismatic Spitfire. According to legend, however, the Hurricane executed far greater damage on the enemy than all other defenses combined, and was therefore the unsung hero of our 'Finest Hour'. New research, analysed and interpreted by Dilip Sarkar however, confirms that the Spitfire, although less in number, was in fact supreme, and destroyed an equal number of enemy machines to the more numerous Hurricane force. Featuring interviews with pilots who flew to war in both Spitfires and Hurricanes, and following a detailed analysis of combat reports and casualty records, Dilip Sarkar shatters the myth surrounding the Hurricane and argues that the Battle of Britain could have been won by Spitfires, but not Hurricanes, alone. A controversial thesis likely to provoke lively debate, the evidence presented by this retired police detective and expert aviation historian is nonetheless indisputable.