Description

The untold story of rural Britain revealed through its artefacts

‘A really lovely, fascinating book. I dived straight into this clever, joyous, celebration of nature, history, and – of course – the countryside.’ Charles Spencer, author of The White Ship

For most of human history, we were rural folk.

Our daily lives were bound up with working the land, living within the rhythm of the seasons. We poured our energies into growing food, tending to animals and watching the weather. Family, friends and neighbours were often one and the same. Life revolved around the village and its key spaces and places – the church, the green, the school and the marketplace.

And yet rural life is oddly invisible our historical records. The daily routine of the peasant, the farmer or the craftsperson could never compete with the glamour of city life, war and royal drama. Lives went unrecorded, stories untold.

There is, though, one way in which we can learn about our rural past. The things we have left behind provide a connection that no document can match; physical artefacts are touchstones that breathe life into its history. From farming tools to children’s toys, domestic objects and strange curios, the everyday items of the past reveal fascinating insights into an often-forgotten way of life. Birth, death, celebration, work, crime, play, medicine, beliefs, diet and our relationship with nature can all be read from these remnants of our past.

From ancient artefacts to modern-day memorabilia, this startling book weaves a rich tapestry from the fragments of our rural past.

Publisher Review

'What a charming trayful of historical canapes this is, inventively found from across the widths of the landscape and always and repeatedly surprising. Sally Coulthard has the lightest of touches and through object after object is able to conjure a wonderful sense of intimacy with the lives of the past. I couldn't think of a better way of encountering them.' Adam Nicolson, author of Life Between the Tides: In Search of Rockpools and Other Adventures Along the Shore 'From head-dresses to hedgehog signs, Sally takes you on an informative and illuminating treasure hunt across the British countryside in search of the objects that have shaped our land and its people. A portable museum of a book that I will return to again and again.' Ruth Allen, author of Grounded: How connection with nature can improve our mental and physical wellbeing Praise for Sally Coulthard's work: 'Full of fascinating social history.' The Independent 'Global in scope, with fascinating vignettes from the ancient world to the present day.' BBC History Magazine 'A snappy, stimulating book.' Mail on Sunday 'A lively history.' Daily Mail 'Coulthard's style is never less than effortlessly readable.' Yorkshire Times 'Deserves a place in your bookcase next to Harari's Sapiens.' Julian Norton, The Yorkshire Vet