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Local History

Yorkshire’s Most Famous Authors

The wild landscapes and northern industrial cities of Yorkshire in northern England evoke many images in our minds, and many famous authors and writers have hailed from this region or been inspired by it in their works.Here we list some of Yorkshire’s most famous authors and a bit about how the region marked their work so noticeably.J. C. Atkinson (1851-1900)Two miles outside Danby in Danby Dale is St Hilda’s church. John Christopher Atkinson is buried there – ornithologist, natural historian...

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County Durham’s Mining Towns in Rare Pictures

A new book by North East author Araf Chohan uncovers hundreds of rare views of County Durham, including its landscapes, peoples, villages, towns and cities.Notable among the images are many pictures of the former mining towns and pit villages which are so famous in Durham, and gave it much of its identity of the past century.These pictures give an example of some of the images that are in the book.The former colliery at Ferryhill.Langley ParkChurch Street in MurtonThe long-demolished cottages...

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Ghostly York

In her new book, York Historic Walking Guides, author Claire Shaw uncovers the city's history as seen by foot through the city.For those keen to discover what goes bump in the night, one of the walks in her book is Ghostly & Ghastly York, which take you past some of York's most haunted and sinister locations.So which are York's most ghastly sighty?Exhibition SquareWhere today you might visit York Art Gallery or the Theatre Royal, gruesome executions of Catholics and criminals...

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York – A Flooded City

York is famous for its floods. Whenever it happens, TV news channels cover the dramatic and destructive effects of the rivers Ouse and Foss as they spill into the streets and buildings. According to York - A Rare Insight, unwise and reckless development by Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and everyone that followed them right up to the 21st Century has meant that the streets and buildings of York have regularly been subject to flooding. The Evelyn Collection, which is featured in this book,...

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Looking Back at the Old City of York through the Evelyn Collection

York was privileged to be one of the earliest cities in the world to be photographed, thanks, in part, to it being the birthplace of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1831. Photography was one of those areas of science on the cusp of development and progress. Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson took what are probably the earliest photographs of York while attending a meeting of the association in October 1844. William Arthur Evelyn arrived in York in 1891....

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15 Great Lost Middlesbrough Buildings

Central Middlesbrough has changed so much over the past century. In his new book, Middlesbrough 1920-2020: A Century of Change, author Araf Chohan has uncovered hundreds of photographs which show these changes. For many, the main landmarks of Middlesbrough have been the buildings which define the town and life there. Perhaps most famous is the iconic Transporter Bridge. Sadly many of these landmark buildings have been lost over the years. Who remembers these?   The Royal Exchange One of Middlesbrough’s most lamented buildings. The Victorian Royal...

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Scenes of Ashford in the 1960s

Ashford in Kent was once very different place to the town we see today. Local author Steve R Salter is an expert on the history of Ashford and has put together another amazing collection of previously unpublished images showing how the town was in the 1960s. Ashford Scenes of the Sixties is available to order now, and is sure to delight anyone who remembers Ashford in the old days. Many of the pictures show a time that is still in living memory...

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Nostalgic photos give a fascinating look at Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough

Linthorpe Road is one of Middlesbrough’s main thoroughfares. Today it is part-pedestrianised, part-commercial and part-residential. Ever since the relatively new town of Middlesbrough (it was founded in 1830) started spreading southwards across the railway from the original township at St Hilda’s, Linthorpe Road became one of the main routes. It led, as the name suggests, to the village of Linthorpe a mile or two south of Middlesbrough. Today Linthorpe is wholly part of Middlesbrough, which has spread even further south into Acklam,...

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Discover the Roman Legacy in the North of England

Out now is a new book from Destinworld Publishing and Roman expect Paul Chrystal, entitled The Romans in the North of England. Covering the entire area, from Buxton and Lincolnshire in the south to Carlisle and Hadrian's Wall in the north; from Brough in the east to Chester in the west, this is a comprehensive and interesting read and guide to the key sites chosen by the Romans for settlement, defence and trade. With useful maps, each chapter of the book deals...

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10 Places Where You Can See London’s Old Buildings Today

Old London is not that hard to find if you know where to look. Amongst the modern glass skyscrapers and buildings, there are signs of the past and some of the city's most important monuments still standing strong. Here are ten examples of where you can see London's old buildings today.   1 City of London Churches The original heart of London is the area now centring on the financial district, with modern glass skyscrapers one every corner. Yet look a little closer and...

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