The Most Beautiful Villages of England (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Author, Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Enchanting...Hugh Palmer's work is exemplary, painting each location in its very best light. -- Beautiful Britain --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description

Clustered around its parish church and green, or strung out along a curving road, the English village often seems the very embodiment of tranquillity. Winding lanes, thatched cottages, and red-brick Georgian houses bespeak a way of life that has developed peacefully over centuries, uninterrupted by war or invasion. Yet, the occasional castle or fortified manor house bears testimony to a more turbulent past, and it should not be forgotten that the style of many village churches--Romanesque or Norman--was originally borne across the English Channel on the wave of conquest. Each English village possesses its own distinct character, formed by history, location, and, indeed, local building materials. There is a world of difference between the dark-stone villages of the north and the Pennines and the thatched, half-timbered architecture of East Anglian and southern communities. Village forms and layout differ widely too. Eton, in Berkshire, is arranged along a high street and centered on a famous college. The Dorset village of Cerne Abbas is dominated by the figure of a naked, priapic giant, carved into a hillside some 1,500 years ago. In Hawkshead, Cumbria, it is still possible to visit the school attended by William Wordsworth; in Mevagissey, Cornwall, the delights of a Cornish shipping village remain virtually intact. The richness and diversity of the English village are celebrated here in absorbing commentary and magnificent photography by James Bentley and Hugh Palmer. Grouped by area and subdivided by county--northern, midland, eastern, southern, and western--this splendid volume describes and illustrates the most beautiful villages and that most beautiful of lands--"this earth, this Realme"--this England.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (May 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500019053
• ISBN-13: 978-0500019054
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 10.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #489,341 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great photos, a nice addition to this line of books., August 13, 1999

By A Customer

This book keeps in line with the other "Most Beautiful Villages of" series quite well. Above all this is a photographic book, that lets the reader make the judgements. The photos of these breathtaking places are all we need for the photographer's selection criteria.

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Beautiful Villages of England, December 16, 1999

By	"luvjkrsl" (USA) - See all my reviews

Absolutely beautiful book! Wonderful photographs of the many lovely villages in England that make you feel as if you toured them yourself. Worth every penny.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Beautiful Villages of England, February 10, 2003

By	"shell2128" (Southport, CT USA) - See all my reviews

I bought this book because I am obsessed with England and wanted a coffee table book that portrayed that. The photographs in this book are gorgeous, exemplifying the beauty of England and the villages within. Of course, this book makes me want to travel to the UK and explore all of these historic villages!