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 The Villages of England by Richard MuirRichard Muir, renowned for the spirit of informed passion with which he approaches our rural past, presents a lively and authoritative history of the English village. He explores how these communities began, how they acquired their names, how they developed their characteristic forms, how they grew, and how -- sometimes -- they died. This book illuminates the often harsh realities of country living, and follows the story of the village home, looking at how houses were adapted over the centuries to answer the changing needs of their occupants. The traditional village landscape -- church, green, cross, stocks, inn and school Ð is likewise explored and explained. A notable photographer in his own right, Muir has also provided most of the pictures that illustrate the text. His fascinating study reveals how the English village was a far more vital and spirited, yet fragile, place than it has often seemed. Richard Muir has published more than a dozen books dealing with the countryside, the formation of the landscape and the history of villages and rural life. "Illuminates village life from the Stone Age to the present day while at the same time examining its myths" --Booklist Paperback 224 pages - 7" x 9" - (4/04)
ZC4733 The Villages of England $19.95
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