The Fens: Discovering England's Ancient Depths

by Francis Pryor Narrated by Francis Pryor

Overview

“Whenever I travel somewhere else, in upland Britain, I find the hills and the horizon are leaning towards me, as if trying to cover me over; to blinker my gaze and stifle my imagination. It's always a huge relief to get back to the its infinite vistas of the Fens.”
The Fens is Britain's most distinctive, complex, man-made and least understood landscape. Francis Pryor has lived in, excavated, farmed, walked and loved the Fen Country for more than forty years: its levels and drains, its soaring churches and magnificent medieval buildings. In The Fens, he counterpoints the history of the Fenland landscape and its transformation the great drainage projects that created the Old and New Bedford Rivers, the Ouse Washes and Bedford Levels, the rise of prosperous towns and cities, such as King's Lynn, Cambridge, Peterborough, Boston and Lincoln with the story of his own discovery of it as an archaeologist.
“Pryor feels the land rather than simply knowing it.” GUARDIAN
'Francis Pryor brings the magic of the Fens to life in a deeply personal and utterly enthralling way' TONY ROBINSON

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Francis Pryor traces the area's history and his own relationship with it, which stretches back more than 40 years” —Radio Times

“A fascinating account of a complex landscape by archaeologist Francis Pryor who has dug and worked its soil for almost 40 years. Weaving together strands of archaeology, history and personal experience, he paints an intimate portrait of the East of England's marshy and mysterious Fens” —East Anglian Daily Times

“[Francis Pryor's] enthusiasm is infectious, whether he's glimpsing Ely cathedral from a train, coming across John Clare's grave or counting the bricks of Tattershall Castle” —Spectator

“An elegant account of a region that, as [Francis Pryor] puts it, "has inhabited my soul"” —History Revealed

“Pryor always writes well and entertainingly, and in The Fens he has created what should become one of his most lasting works, a personal, archaeological celebration of a region where he has family roots and where he conducted a lifetime's fieldwork” —British Archaeology

“A heartfelt love story to the fens: a testament to their deep past as well as a concern for their ecological future” —BBC Countryfile

“Literally hands-on history – a deeply felt discovery of half a million underestimated acres from Lincolnshire to Suffolk... The Fens retains much of its brooding, enigmatic character and those who wish to understand its unique importance can now call on an articulate and avuncular guide'” —Country Life

“[Francis Pryor] interweaves his own personal experiences, the graft and grime of the dig and lyrical evocations of place, offering a unique portrait of a sometimes neglected but remarkable area of England” —Countryside

“A wonderful journey into the history and archaeology of an East Anglian landscape” —Eastern Daily Press Norfolk.

“An immersive journey through the landscape, saturated with local history and personal insight... It will inspire you to explore the locations on foot'” —Country Walking.

“Part history, part memoir, it brings the riches of the Fens to the surface and shines a light on this much misunderstood corner of the country” —Waterways World

“Extremely erudite, with a deep love for and understanding of the flat landscapes of Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire (where he has lived for many years), this is the bronze and iron ages brought vividly to life” —Jo Henry, BookBrunch

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176400830
Publisher:	W. F. Howes Ltd
Publication date:	12/19/2019
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	984,708

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