The History of the Countryside The Classic History of Britain's Landscape, Flora and Fauna

About this book

From its earliest origins to the present day, this award-winning, beautifully written book, originally published in 1986, describes the endlessly changing character of Britain’s countryside.

Exploring the natural and man-made features of the land – fields, highways, hedgerows, fens, marshes, rivers, heaths, coasts, woods and wood pastures – he shows conclusively and unforgettably how they have developed over the centuries. In doing so, he covers a wealth of related subjects to provide a fascinating account of the sometimes subtle and sometimes radical ways in which people, fauna, flora, climate, soils and other physical conditions have played their part in the shaping of the countryside.

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Biography

An acknowledged authority on the countryside and its history, the late Dr Oliver Rackham carried out research in the Botany Department at Cambridge University, where he was a Fellow of Corpus Christi College.