Search results for ""Author Martin Brisland""

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.

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Southampton has been a major port on the Hampshire coast since the medieval period, and the development of the docks in the nineteenth century saw the town (it became a city in 1964) expand massively. Thornycroft established a shipbuilding yard for the Royal Navy in 1904 and the town’s strategic importance led to it being a target for aerial bombardment in the Second World War, in which 70 per cent of the buildings in the centre were badly damaged or destroyed. Rebuilt after the war, Southampton is now a thriving, populous metropolitan area. In this book author Martin Brisland reveals the hidden history of Southampton, from the grisly locations of the Old Admiralty Gallows and other public executions at the Bargate to the medieval wine vaults beneath the streets that were used as air-raid shelters during the Second World War. Many notable characters have been associated with the city, including Benny Hill; Jane Austen; General Rosas, who helped create modern Argentina; and Admiral Jellicoe. As well as being the port of embarkation for the Titanic, the Pilgrim Fathers’ Mayflower sailed from Southampton. All this and more features in Secret Southampton as the author explores the little-known history of the city.

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Southampton has been a major port on the south coast of England since the Norman Conquest, when it was a significant departure route for trade to Normandy, as well as for invading forces. Its position meant it was also potentially threatened by forces from abroad and extensive defences were built over the centuries, from its medieval walls to Tudor fortifications along the Solent. In the nineteenth century Southampton Docks were developed and the strategic importance of the city, as well as vital manufacturing sites such as the Supermarine Spitfire factory, meant that Southampton was heavily targeted by German aerial bombardment during the Second World War with heavy destruction of life and buildings. Today Southampton is a major commercial centre and has attracted new industries. Illustrated throughout, this accessible historical portrait of the transformation that Southampton has undergone through the ages will be of great interest to residents, visitors and all those with links to the city.

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The history of a settlement at Southampton and its role as a major port on the south coast goes back to Roman times and beyond. Convenient as a crossing point to Normandy and the rest of France, Southampton grew in importance in the Middle Ages, evidenced today by the remains of the city walls and other surviving medieval buildings. As well as continuing to grow as a port and centre of shipbuilding, Southampton also developed itself as a spa town in the eighteenth century and expanded greatly after the foundation of the docks in the next century. Despite the ravages of the destruction wrought on Southampton through aerial bombardment in the Second World War, the city is a thriving business and commercial centre today where the old sits alongside the new. A–Z of Southampton delves into the history of this Hampshire city. It highlights well-known landmarks and famous residents, and digs beneath the surface to uncover some of the lesser-known facts about Southampton and its hidden gems. This fascinating A–Z tour of Southampton’s history is fully illustrated and will appeal to all those with an interest in this historical city.

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Southampton has been a major port on the south coast of England since the Middle Ages. As a gateway to the country, over the centuries Southampton has welcomed people from all over the world, as well as being an important embarkation point, most famously for the Mayflower and Titanic, the former evidence of its Nonconformist tradition. The town grew rapidly following the building of the docks in the nineteenth century and the development of the shipbuilding industry, particularly with companies such as Thornycroft and Harland & Wolff and the aviation industry as the birthplace of the Spitfire but its importance in the Second World War, including its naval base, meant that it became a target for aerial bombardment and much of the city was destroyed. In subsequent decades the city was rebuilt and today has been redeveloped as a commercial and financial centre, but retaining its many green spaces, and proud of its traditions and the many famous names associated with the city over the years. Building on the author’s previous titles Secret Southampton and A–Z of Southampton, Celebrating Southampton chronicles the proud heritage of Southampton, its important moments and what draws so many to this dynamic city today. Illustrated throughout, this fascinating book offers a marvellous and refreshingly positive insight into Southampton’s rich heritage, its special events and important moments. This book will be a valuable contribution to the history of the city and provide a source of many memories to those who have known it well over the years.

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