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The Worcestershire town of Redditch grew up in the Middle Ages but became famous for needle manufacturing, and by the nineteenth century it produced 90 per cent of the world's needles. Alongside the needle industry, the town was also known for manufacturing fishing tackle, hooks and springs, and in the twentieth century other industries followed, including Royal Enfield. Redditch was transformed in the 1960s when it was designated a New Town, much of it being rebuilt as an example of modern town planning and new housing developments doubling the population. Although the traditional industries have largely disappeared, other new businesses and services have taken their place and Redditch is a thriving town. In Secret Redditch local author Anne Bradford reveals many little-known stories about Redditch from its medieval past to more recent times. These include a hidden cemetery left by the monks and a mysterious stone coffin, the scandalous elopement of an heiress at Hanbury Hall, a tucked-away memorial to a needleworker's death and another memorial stone to a notorious murder, the remains of the now closed Redditch to Evesham railway and much more. The hidden world of old Redditch behind the new town is revealed including little-known stories about the development of the new town and how the shopping centre was built on the old town plan.

Idyllic and breathtaking, the Yorkshire Dales is one of the most popular and well-known national parks not only in Britain, but throughout the world. Designated a national park in 1954, it attracts millions of visitors each year who are lured there by the spectacular scenery. Then there are historic towns such as Skipton, Settle and Hawes. Its landscapes are famous and rewarding whilst picturesque chocolate box villages are untouched from a bygone era and yield a life full of character. But there is more to the Dales than meets the eye. With 841 square miles of beauty and things to do, it's full of hidden gems that show a glimpse of its lesser-known heritage. In Secret Yorkshire Dales, author Mike Appleton takes the reader on an enlightening and entertaining journey through the park's past, delving beneath the surface to uncover its secrets. You'll discover a network of passages that have shaped the landscape above it, learn why the clack of needles was to be feared and hear folk tales from years past. You'll also find out about hidden kilns and mines, discover why a village had to drive a spike through the heart of a dead man and tread along long-forgotten routes and pathways. Then there are the secret inns, meeting places, notable folk, the intriguing cottage industries and much more that make this area special.

Originally a county town in Middlesex, Ealing became known as the 'Queen of the Suburbs' at the beginning of the last century. Famous for the Ealing Studios, the oldest film studios in the world, in this book authors Paul Lang and Dr Jonathan Oates delve into the fascinating but often lesser-known history of this district. Characters associated with Ealing include Olga Grey, hockey player and MI5 agent, and Ealing's pro-Hitler MP, and other links with espionage and political extremism include suspected Soviet spies and a Communist cell in nineteenth-century Hanwell. Crime has stalked the streets of Ealing with the tale of the disappearance of Peregrine Henniker-Heaton and dissent when the borough was home to anti-German riots in 1915 and the Sunday Opening controversy in the 1930s. Alongside these tales the authors uncover stories of sports stars, film studios, wartime and ancient Ealing. Secret Ealing explores the lesser-known episodes and characters in the history of the borough through the years. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, it will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this West London district.

Truro has been an important port since the Middle Ages, and its status as a stannary town, allowing it to assay and stamp copper and tin from Cornish mines, also brought prosperity to the town. Wealthy families settled in Truro, benefitting from mining and other industries such as iron-smelting, potteries and tanneries and the town was given city status by Queen Victoria and the foundations laid for a new cathedral. Today it is the administrative and commercial centre for Cornwall. This book explores Truro's history, including personalities such as Richard Lander, the explorer, and his contemporaries in the cultural hotbed of eighteenth-and nineteenth-century Truro. The Assembly Rooms which once stood in High Cross welcomed Sarah Siddons, General Tom Thumb and regular local entertainer Joseph Emidy who was once a slave. The Truro River has stories to tell, as do the cathedral, churches and chapels, and there are tales of law and order in the city, fires and other emergencies. The authors take the reader down the 'opes', alleys and lanes to reveal interesting anecdotes about musical events, clubs and societies, monuments and plaques, gravestones under the pavement and the 106 public houses that once served Truro. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Truro will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this fascinating city in Cornwall.

The Fens of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire (and a small part of Suffolk) are breathtakingly beautiful but misunderstood by some. This book will explore some of the secrets of the Fens that visitors and locals would be fascinated to learn. This unique landscape is rich in rare species, unusual traditions, 'Fentastic' festivals and hidden heritage. This book will help you unlock some of these secrets, including forgotten royalty, how people worked on the Fen lands, how the waterways were used and how flooding is managed today. Some of its many hidden treasures can be found in architecture, archaeology and stunning landscapes. Many of the facts in this book will prove that while the Fens may be flat, they are definitely not boring. Author Karen Merrison has unearthed singular events, little-known personalities and places in the history of the Fens to reveal the stories beneath the surface of the area. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Fens will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this area of eastern England.

The towns and villages west of Birmingham, around Dudley, Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Wallsall, became known as the Black Country during the Industrial Revolution due to the intense industrialisation of the area, particularly coal mining and ironworking. The towns soon became one continuously built-up area, which developed its own distinctive character. Secret Black Country explores the lesser-known episodes and characters in the history of the area through the years, from Dudley Castle and royal connections with Lady Jane Grey and Queen Elizabeth I, visits by Charles I and Charles II in the English Civil War and visits by the future Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson to Himley Hall, which became a Red Cross hospital for patients with severe facial injuries during the Second World War, to the evidence of Charlie Chaplin's birthplace on Black Patch Park in Smethwick. Entries include the massive cavern beneath Dudley Zoo used for storage during the Second World War, the stories behind the gruesome nineteenth-century robbery and murder that caused Fir Tree Hill to be renamed and the tragic death of Dorothy Beaumont, wife of the Deputy Commander of Dudley Castle, while under siege in the Civil War, who is said to still haunt the ruins. Fully illustrated throughout, this book will reveal the hidden heritage of this historic area.

A World Heritage Site since 1999, the New Forest is not that new and not really a forest. Only half is wooded with the rest being mainly gorse, heathland, mudflats and farms. It was created around 1079 for William the Conqueror as an exclusive royal hunting ground, especially for deer, and is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Nova Foresta'. Still 90 per cent of the forest is Crown land, although King James II was the last monarch to hunt there, in 1686. It has also retained its ancient governing system of Verderers, Agisters and 500 Commoners. In Secret New Forest, author Martin Brisland has unearthed fascinating facts, little-known personalities and places in the history of the New Forest and reveals the history below its surface. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret New Forest will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this area of southern England.

The Isle of Wight, lying off the south coast of England, has been a popular tourist destination for 200 years but has played an important role in the history of Britain for centuries. It was settled by Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, and following the Norman Conquest it became a kingdom in its own right for two centuries. After the Reformation the Worsley family became governors of the island, transforming Appuldurcombe Priory into the family home, but misfortune was to haunt them and the house over ensuing centuries. The island was transformed by royal patronage, George IV supporting the Royal Yacht Club and Victoria making Osborne her favoured retreat, and the island was home to many famous names in the Victorian world including Tennyson. The island has also been at the forefront of technology and defence with the world's first radio station, established by Marconi, and the development of Britain's Black Knight ballistic missile and Black Arrow space rocket. As well as all this, the island's story includes the remarkable tale of how Bob Dylan was persuaded to play the Isle of Wight Festival instead of Woodstock and much more. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or vanished historical buildings and locations, Secret Isle of Wight will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this unique island across the Solent.

Secret Haverfordwest explores the lesser-known history of the town of Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire through a fascinating selection of stories, unusual facts and attractive photographs.

Secret Staines-upon-Thames and Laleham explores the lesser-known history of the town of Staines-upon-Thames and next-door Laleham through a fascinating selection of stories, unusual facts and attractive photographs.

Secret Clerkenwell and Islington explores the lesser-known history of Clerkenwell and Islington in London through a fascinating selection of stories, unusual facts and attractive photographs.

Discover the lesser-known heritage of the town of Warrington from across the centuries in this illustrated book.

Secret Wokingham explores the lesser-known history of the town of Wokingham in Berkshire through a fascinating selection of stories, unusual facts and attractive photographs.

Secret Dorchester explores the lesser-known history of the town of Dorchester through a fascinating selection of stories, unusual facts and attractive photographs.

Secret Redcar, Marske and Saltburn explores the lesser-known history of the town of Redcar and resorts of Marske and Saltburn through a fascinating selection of stories, unusual facts and attractive photographs.

Secret Royal Leamington Spa explores the lesser-known history of the town of Leamington Spa through a fascinating selection of stories, unusual facts and attractive photographs.

Cirencester is one of the most remarkable towns in Britain. From its Roman beginnings around AD 75, when it was classed second only in importance to London, to its current status as the 'Capital of the Cotswolds', it has always punched well above its weight. The 'A-side' of its history as a small market town which developed at the centre of the Cotswold wool trade is well documented, but what about its ' ip-side'? Much of the town's fascinating history has either been overlooked or lies hidden below the surface. Well-known local author David Elder delves deep into Cirencester's lost, forgotten and hidden histories, recounting some remarkable stories. Learn, for example, about some of Cirencester's minor celebrities and local characters, including the Victorian female astronomer who became a national expert in sunspots and solar eclipses. He also unearths fascinating facts, celebrating, for example, the town's accolade of having the UK's oldest public outdoor swimming pool in continuous use, and explaining why it was important for passengers travelling on the railways around the mid-nineteenth century to understand that Cirencester time was 7 1/2 minutes earlier than London time. With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked-away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Cirencester will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this town in Gloucestershire.

St Albans has a long and fascinating history from its pre-Roman settlement as Verlamion, through the Roman municipium of Verulamium, the Benedictine monastery dedicated to Alban, the first British Christian martyr, to the charter borough and market created by Edward VI in 1553 and the city designated by royal edict in 1877. The town's location on the ancient Watling Street linking London with the Midlands and the North West has ensured its significance in each of these periods. In this book, local author Kate Morris portrays episodes in the social life of the charter borough and market, when the town gained in popularity with City merchants and professional folk, often as their 'second home'. Morris reveals lesser-known events and characters of the Early Modern period of the town's history. Some of the tales and happenings revealed are not untypical of those in other English towns, but their telling in this context will appeal to all those with an interest in St Albans and its history, and the book's period illustrations and modern photography will delight.

The ancient Suffolk market town of Beccles has a history of more than a thousand years, which saw it flourish as one of the principal trading communities in the county. Situated on the River Waveney, it is often referred to as the 'Gateway to the Southern Broads'. In Secret Beccles, local author Barry Darch sets out to discover the lesser-known and hidden aspects of the town's heritage. At its heart lie two large marketplaces, the newer one (dating from the fourteenth century) still very much in use for a weekly market and for special events. A number of nearby buildings also have large cellars with interesting architectural features. Many buildings have had several changes of use; for instance, the late Anglo-Saxon St Peter's Church became a tannery and later a restaurant. A Georgian theatre that became a corn hall now lies hidden behind a branch of Lloyds Bank. Part of the town's hidden past rests in the names of its streets and paths, such as Shipwreck Alley and Hungate, the street of the dogs. As well as the places and locations, the book will also uncover stories of those significant townsfolk across the ages, ranging from the heroes to the villains. The author also looks at gravestones and memorials and seeks out what secrets are revealed about the town in publications including books, newspapers, maps and letters. Featuring archive and contemporary images, Secret Beccles includes a wealth of little-known or previously unpublished material, which will be of interest to residents, visitors and anyone with connections to the town.

Every corner of Nottingham is rich in history, and if the streets could talk they might tell of the people and events they have witnessed. Many ancient secrets have remained untold, such as the purpose of the great Viking 'long-house' found beneath the site of a demolished Victorian factory, and who built the ancient mound that once marked the site of the spot where a king of England raised his standard. Perhaps the city's greatest secret of all lies beneath its streets - a labyrinth of over 500 man-made caves. Visitors to Nottingham are often told not to stamp their feet too hard as they never quiet know where they will end up. Father and son authors Frank and Joe Earp are privy to these and many more of Nottingham's secrets. Come with them as they share their knowledge within the pages of this book.