Covering the northern half of Yorkshire, this volume is full of contrasts, from urbanized Leeds to the tight-knit mill towns and villages pushing into the Pennines.

This guide to the West Riding of Yorkshire was first published in 1921 as part of the Cambridge County Geographies.

The North Riding extends from the fells on the Westmorland border to the highest cliffs in England, facing the North Sea. In an area of scattered settlements, Richmond is one of the best market towns in England, as Whitby is one of the best fishing towns. There are the remains of unusually complete and beautiful work at Rievaulx, complemented by fine eighteenth-century landscaping. The North Riding also saw Vanbrugh's astonishing first essay into architecture at Castle Howard, and there are many fine classical houses in a distinctively northern style. Industry has made its mark along the estuary of the Tees, where the Middlesbrough transporter bridge is a unique working survival of early twentieth-century engineering.

English as spoken in the north of England has a rich social and cultural history; however it has often been neglected by historical linguists, whose research has focused largely on the development of 'Standard English'. In this groundbreaking, alternative account of the history of English, Northern English takes centre stage for the first time. Emphasising its richness and variety, the book places northern speech and culture in the context of identity, iconography, mental maps, boundaries and marginalisation. It reassesses the role of Northern English in the development of Modern Standard English, draws some pioneering conclusions about the future of Northern English, and considers the origins of the many images and stereotypes surrounding northerners and their speech. Numerous maps, and a useful index of northern English words and pronunciations, are included. Innovative and original, Northern English will be welcomed by all those interested in the history and regional diversity of English.