 by Michael Shaw 320 pages with over 200 black and white photographs, drawings and plans ISBN: 978 906663 09 4 Price: £12.95 Evidence suggests that mining was almost certainly undertaken in Shropshire in the Bronze and Iron Ages, but it is with the Romans that the county’s mining history can be truly said to have begun. The lead mines continued to be worked in the Middle Ages, producing lead for roofing, pipes and water tanks. But it was the period from the late 1700s to the mid-1900s that saw the busiest period of mining, and in this period Shropshire became famous for its lead mines, most notably Snailbeach and the adjacent Tankerville mines on the western slopes of the Stiperstones. In their heyday (the 1870s and 1880s), these two mines each produced around a quarter to a half of the county’s lead ore, itself some 9 to 12% of the country’s total output. Whilst lead was the product most often found, a quantity of zinc was obtained as well as small amounts of copper and silver and various earthy minerals, and even smaller quantities of cobalt, vanadium and manganese. In later years calcite and especially barytes (now barite) were mined, this latter mineral being used in the chemical industry and as an inert filler (in paints, for example) due to its density — for which reason it was also used to provide a shield around the Windscale Nuclear Reactor after the famous ‘incident’. The first few chapters in this book cover the early history of Shropshire’s mines, then look at the products and what they were used for, and how the mines were financed and worked — tales of boom and bust are numerous. Some of the main players involved are described and the geology of the area is considered. The following chapters then give an account of each mine in some detail, mines being grouped together by area. For some mines there is little evidence on the ground and even less in records; for others there is still a wealth of standing and underground remains, together with copious records. Michael Shaw has scoured the hillsides of Shropshire, spent years researching records and books, and talked to surviving miners and members of the Shropshire Caving and Mining Club who have investigated many of the shafts and levels. The result is this extensively researched book, copiously illustrated with photographs, maps and plans, which gives an informative and often lively history of the Lead, Copper and Barytes Mines of Shropshire, including the associated railways, ropeways, mills and smelters. Michael Shaw has always been interested in industrial history, notably that of the railways which served factories, mines and quarries. It was this interest that led him to research the tramway at Cothercott mine and thence to investigating the mines themselves. In so doing he gained a Master of Philosophy degree from Birmingham University having written a thesis on the Shropshire barytes industry. He has lived in Shrewsbury for the last quarter of a century and had a career as a building surveyor.  by Paul R. Davis 144 pages with 125 black and white illustrations ISBN: 978 1906663 08 7 Price: £10.00 Hearth & Home traces the development of the house in Wales, from huts in the Neolithic and Iron Age through to individual houses in the local or vernacular style in the 1800s. It is copiously illustrated with quality photographs and drawings. The book explains how lifestyles and attitudes changed over time and how these were reflected in architectural design and in materials used. Thus the change from a central fire to fireplaces and chimneys; from essentially an open hall with a few private rooms, to a series of rooms with a central lobby or passage; from quality houses for a few to gradually improving accommodation for the many; to the provision of privies where none previously existed — these and many other alterations in ‘fashion’ and comfort and therefore design are recounted. It is divided into three sections covering the main historical periods of traditional architecture. The first section deals with prehistoric and Roman houses that still exist in the form of archaeological sites, the second section surveys the domestic buildings surviving from the Middle Ages, and the third part covers houses built after the Reformation, when the old medieval halls were adapted or abandoned in favour of new plans and ideas. One of the primary aims of the book is essentially to refer to and use as examples buildings that can be visited, and details of these and their opening arrangements are given. Paul R. Davis was born and bred in the Rhondda Valley and educated at Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen and attended Dyfed College of Art in Carmarthen. He worked as an illustrator with the Dyfed Archaeological Trust and is currently working as a surveyor in Cardiff. He has spent many years studying and surveying the architectural heritage of Wales, particularly the traditional architecture of the south Wales valleys, and has contributed articles to journals such as The Carmarthenshire Antiquary and Archaeology in Wales. Other publications include Historic Rhondda (1987), Historic Inns of Wales and the Marches (1993), Historic Gower (1997), A Company of Forts (2000), Sacred Springs (2003) and Castles of the Welsh Princes (2007).  The Story of the Milford Haven Waterway by Sybil Edwards 224 pages with over 140 black and white illustrations ISBN: 978 1906663 10 0 Price: £12.95 This book, a major revision of that first published in 2001, focuses on how the Milford Haven waterway has shaped and developed the fortunes of the settlements along its shores, from the arrival of early man through to the present day. Trade developed with the arrival of the Romans and from the Dark Ages that followed emerged the multitude of Welsh Kingdoms that often fought with one another. Into this feuding mix arrived the Normans, Flemings and English. The Landsker, a line of castles across the peninsula, soon created ‘Little England beyond Wales’. The relative calm and peace that this secured, coupled with trade with Ireland led initially Pembroke and then Haverfordwest (as well as Tenby) to develop into thriving ports, safeguarded by their own castles. Along the shores a multitude of small sailing craft were built. Yet not all was calm. The waterway with all its creeks and inlets was also a haven for smugglers, often aided and abetted by those with some responsibility to control their activity, for they too could make good financial gain from the illicit trade. Some went further than smuggling, leading to piracy, often conducted in distant waters, but at times close to hand. Of all nationalities, the pirates occasionally raided the offshore islands, sometimes brazenly sold stolen goods on the quaysides, even stayed in the homes of their friends. Sea-borne trade in agricultural produce, initially corn, wood, salt, wine and ale, quickened when local mines started producing quality anthracite, and when lime kilns established along the waterway required a constant supply of lime with which to make fertiliser. Ships grew in size and battle waged between various settlements to become the main dockyard, a contest won, eventually, by Pembroke Dock, though Milford became the main fishing port, supported by Neyland. Various schemes for the fortification of the waterway to protect what became a main naval dockyard saw a flurry of forts, towers and barracks, their design often rapidly overtaken by changes in military technology. Pembroke Dock thrived for over 100 years before it fell from grace, becoming at first a graveyard for boats being scrapped, then a flying boat base around the time of the Second World war. Since then the waters have served the need of oil supply, and most recently Liquified Natural Gas, and shared the associated dangers of such activity, and now also looks to more leisure use. Throughout the book the story is interspersed with personal recollections and views to create a feeling of a living waterway that has seen both good times and bad times. Sybil Edwards has been a journalist all her working life. Her first job (as Sybil Longstaff) was as a reporter with the Western Telegraph — the paper’s first female journalist — ‘covering’ Milford Haven, the docks becoming her happy hunting ground. Marriage into the Edwards family brought her even closer to Milford’s history for, through the generations, they were involved in helping build the town. Sybil later became the Western Telegraph’s chief reporter and, after the death of her husband, went into partnership with Jim McBrearty (whom she later married) to produce the Pembrokeshire Magazine. She now runs her own business, Sybil Edwards Publicity, covering a wide range of subjects from art to industry.  edited by Fiona Grant and Jane Patton 112 pages, 55 mainly colour illustrations ISBN 978 1 906663 12 4 Price: £10 The book follows on from the work carried out by David Whitehead and others for Historic Parks and Gardens in Herefordshire, which brought to light how many walled gardens still exist and their varying state of preservation. A gazetteer lists all these gardens and summarises their condition, whilst seven are selected for detailed study: George Skippe’s at Upper Hall, Ledbury; those at Old Sufton and Sufton Court at Mordiford; that at Downton Castle; one currently being restored at Nieuport House, Almeley; Donald Beaton’s garden at Haffield; and one which has been much restored in recent years at Lugwardine Court. These studies outline the initial plans for the gardens and sometimes list the species planted and explain how the gardens were managed. They sometimes tell the story of the head gardener and occasionally of other workers, as well as recording recent works of conservation, repair and restoration. Stories emerge of the ad hoc and unregulated naming of fruit trees, of attempts to make wine in 1690, and of how seeking refuge in the Civil War gave rise to a model for a British Elysium. The creators of these walled gardens went in for all kinds of experiments: fruit breeding, trials of different shapes of glasshouses, even growing pineapples, to which great status was attached although the resultant fruit was ‘universally destitute of fibre’. Well illustrated, this book is a joy to dip into and makes one appreciate the wealth of walled gardens that were once created in Herefordshire, and how many of them still exist.  Son and Servant of Shropshire: The Life of Archdeacon Joseph (Plymley) Corbett, 1759-1838 by Douglas Grounds 262 pages, 26 colour and 15 black and white illustrations ISBN 978 1 906663 13 1 (paperback) £13.95; 978 1 906663 14 8 (hardback) £18.50 Born in 1759 to an apothecary father who had married into the Corbett family, Joseph Plymley was destined for the Church at an early age. In 1792 he became Archdeacon of Salop (in the Hereford diocese), his abilities and enthusiasm leading to much restoration and repair of church buildings as well as the invigoration of local clergy. He was keen to use existing laws and charities to improve the conditions of the rural poor, and would take others to task if they failed to do what he saw as their Christian duty. He took this attitude into his work as a magistrate, also using the powers conferred upon him to help improve the county’s infrastructure of roads and bridges. He also became actively involved in elections for the county and Shrewsbury and, in later years, promoting the work of the local Bible Society. Plymley came to national prominence as a key supporter of the anti-slave trade movement in the late 1700s, becoming a friend of William Wilberforce and a close associate of Thomas Clarkson. Partly as a result of his proven administrative expertise in this capacity, but also because of his deep commitment to Shropshire and its inhabitants, he was asked by the Board of Agriculture to produce a report on the state of agriculture in Shropshire. His report, which included contributions from those with specialist knowledge, led to Plymley becoming the principal link between a number of scientists and intellectuals in what has become termed ‘The Shropshire Enlightenment’. (It was in this atmosphere of scientific inquiry that the young Charles Darwin grew up.) In 1804 he changed his name as a condition of receiving the Corbett inheritance, a bequest that led to a protracted legal battle. He was married twice, his first wife dying young, and produced a large family with whom he had a close relationship. This book, relying in large part on his own writings and a diary kept by his sister, Katherine, not only records the events of his life, but also describes his character and evaluates his contributions to tackling social issues and the development of the county. Douglas Grounds was an Open Scholar in Modern History at Worcester College, Oxford, and took a research degree in the History of Education at Sheffield. He taught History in grammar and comprehensive schools in several parts of the country before becoming head of a large inner-city Church of England Comprehensive School. He first became aware of Archdeacon Joseph (Plymley) Corbett when writing A History of the Church of St Laurence, Church Stretton, published by Logaston Press in 2002. Further research revealed that the Archdeacon had been the leader of the anti-slave trade movement in Shropshire and beyond, and his sister’s journals, held at Shropshire Archives, provided such a detailed picture of his life and activities that a biography beckoned.  by Madge Moran and Henry Hand 32 pages, 34 black and white illustrations, drawings and maps ISBN: 978 1 906663 11 7 Price: £4.95 This booklet, as its name suggests, considers the ‘Market Hall’ in Bishop’s Castle. Inverted commas are required because the purpose of the building, the significance of which was only appreciated after an extensive fire in 2000, is still unclear. From the subsequent research carried out it seems most likely that this was indeed the purpose of the building, located between School Lane and the High Street, but with some additional storage space. The text starts with a consideration of the architecture of the building, using a number of reconstructional drawings to help illustrate how the building might have looked. The results of the archaeological excavation carried out in 2007 are then given, along with the results of dendrochonological sampling of the remaining timbers to ascertain their felling date. The history of the manor and market is then detailed, comparisons made with other market halls along the borders, its function debated and some conclusions drawn. Madge Moran is well known for her investigations into the vernacular buildings of Shropshire, and Henry Hand for his general archaeological research and drawings of buildings in particular.  by David Lloyd and Karen Johnson 168 pages with over 60 colour and 100 black and white illustrations Paperback ISBN 978 1 906663 15 5 Price: £12.95 Books could be written on ‘baronial Ludlow’, ‘manufacturing Ludlow’, ‘political Ludlow’ and on many other kinds of Ludlow. Such books – as some already do – would record topics such as conquest, wealth creation, poverty and destitution. But Festival Ludlow is principally about happiness – not the total experience of happiness, but that happiness which comes from creating and enjoying various forms of art – writing, acting, making music, carving, and painting. Since Roger Mortimer heard the tale of the Fitzwarine Romance in Ludlow Castle in the 12th century, and medieval patrons like John Parys commissioned the stained glass windows in St Laurence’s church, Ludlow has been the setting for an extraordinary range and richness of artistic achievement and entertainment. In the town’s period of greatest national influence, when it was the base for the Council in the Marches, an eminent literary and artistic circle, led by the Sidney and Herbert families, gathered around the Council. There is strong evidence that Shakespeare himself performed in Ludlow, but the crowning glory of the period was the first performance of Milton’s Comus at the castle in 1634. There have been many glories since. This book recounts the intriguing history of the arts in Ludlow, covering theatre and dramatic spectacle, music, poetry, literature and intellectual life, and the visual arts, all which have continued to thrive in the town. Many performances still take place in the ancient venues of the castle and the church, and are at the heart of Ludlow Festival. The book’s publication coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Festival, and its final two chapters chart its origins in the 1934 Ludlow Pageant (itself a commemoration of the 300th anniversary of Comus) and its development over the years, from the excitement of the first festival in 1960 and the year-round work to create and present the Shakespeare production in the castle for which the festival is renowned, to its full flowering as a joyous celebration of all the arts. Dr David Lloyd, M.B.E., was born and brought up in Ludlow, though his later career was in education elsewhere, his involvement with the Festival and its predecessors began in 1953, during his final term at Ludlow Grammar School, when he was one of a group of amateurs in Comus’s rabble rout: ‘an unforgettable experience’. Upon returning to Ludlow in retirement, among his many contributions to the life of the town, he was actively involved with the Festival in a number of ways, while his historical tours and lectures became regular features of the Festival programme.  Merrily's Border: The Marches share their secrets with novelist Phil Rickman & photographer John Mason 112 pages with over 90 colour and 60 black and white photographs Hardback £20 (ISBN 978 1 906663 16 2) Paperback £12.95 (ISBN 978 1 906663 17 9) A land where ancient mystery is never far below the surface: the Knights Templar and the Green Man; the secret lore of apples; the lair of the real Hound of the Baskervilles; a pentagram of churches; a serial killer’s dark legacy; the unchronicled links between the composer Edward Elgar and Alfred Watkins, discoverer of ley-lines. With its uniquely authentic blend of crime and the paranormal, Phil Rickman’s addictive Merrily Watkins series about the diocesan exorcist for Hereford has virtually established a new fictional genre. But the fiction is never far from an often surprising and occasionally disturbing reality. All the novels are set in actual locations along the Welsh Border, with real history – recent and ancient – and indigenous folklore. Revealing the sources and the inspiration, this book takes readers, for the first time, to the heart of it all ... and an area which itself has been one of Britain’s best-kept secrets. Apart from the Merrily Watkins thriller series, Phil Rickman has written nine other novels, (including two for children under the name Thom Madley.) He was born in Lancashire, but has spent most of his adult life in Wales and the Marches, now living near Hay-on-Wye with his wife Carol and a bunch of animals. He has worked as a BBC radio and TV reporter, winning a couple of awards, and still presents radio features including the book programme, Phil the Shelf, on BBC Radio Wales. National acclaim for the Merrily Watkins series includes: ‘First class’ The Guardian; ‘First rate’ Daily Mail; ‘Wonderful’ Daily Express; ‘Terrific’ The Times. John Mason has worked with Phil Rickman over the years to produce cover images for his books, and is noted for his atmospheric photographs of haunted Britain and use of infra-red photography. |