Oxfordshire is the hive to which great artists, scientists, thinkers and warlords have swarmed for 2,000 years. You will be amazed at how many historical figures have enjoyed or suffered their defining moments in this exciting and interesting county. From flint arrowheads to RAF bases, from the Ridgeway to the M40 and from the Roman Conquest to the Cold War, this book tells the story of Oxfordshire's diverse people and their trades, triumphs and tribulations. The history of Oxfordshire is, indeed, the history of England in miniature, and Paul Sullivan shares it in all its glory in this well-researched book.

Do you think you know Oxford? Do you want to know more? Either way, this is the book for you! Pit your wits against a local specialist Blue Badge Tourist Guide on a series of themed topics around Oxford, including fun but increasingly challenging questions on subjects both ancient and modern. This is a welcome addition to a series of regional quiz books written exclusively by local, professional guides. Rigorously examined by the Institute of Tourist Guiding, the industry's standard-setting body, Blue Badge Tourist Guides are world-renowned for their knowledge, interpretation skills and enthusiasm for their area.

The Little History Of Coventry packs into its pages the colour and incident of a thousand years, telling the story of a city that has perhaps been overlooked by mainstream historians, but has often been at the heart of this country's great events. From the testing ground of the saintly Godiva to fourteenth-century boom town, from Second World War Blitz victim to the next UK City of Culture, Coventry has always been an inventive place with an unerring ability to bounce back from misfortune and make its mark. This is a truly eye-opening journey through the events and characters that have shaped its story and made the city one of England's hidden jewels.

The Secret History of Oxford offers the reader an off-the-beaten-track tour of the city’s landmarks and streets. Filled with hundreds of facts and anecdotes, it reveals the amusing, unlikely and downright wonderful stories hidden beneath the surface. Some, such as the fact that the founder of Oxford was eaten by wolves, will be known; many others, such as the fact that Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, stole a piece of New College’s unicorn horn, that one of the Fellows of Christ Church was a bear or that Oxford Castle has England’s most frequently sighted ghost, are much less widely known – and some of these stories have not appeared in print for hundreds of years. With rare photographs and intriguing information on the people, eras and events that defined the city’s history, this book lets the flying cats out of the bags, rattles the dragons’ cages and reveals all the skeletons in the city’s cupboards.

Who was the real King Arthur? What do the historical documents tell us about the Knight of the Round Temple? It is just a chivalric fantasy? The story of Arthur has been handed down to us by Medieval poets and legends - but what if he actually existed and was in fact a great king in the early years of Britain's story. Mike Ashley visits the source material and uncovers unexpected new insights into the legend: there is clear evidence that the Arthurian legends arose from the exploits of not just one man, but at least three originating in Wales, Scotland and Brittany. The true historical Arthur really existed and is distantly related to the present royal family.

Who was Robin Hood? Throughout history the figures of the hooded man of Sherwood forest and his band of outlaws have transfixed readers and viewers; but where does the myth come from? The story appeared out of the legend of the Green man but found its location during the reign of Richard II, the Lionheart, who was away from England fighting in the crusades. In his absence his brother John lay waste to the country. But does this tell the full story? Was Robin a bandit prince ahead of a troop of brigands? Who was the Sherrif and was he in fact the legitimate law in the land fighting vigilantes?

Every family has a story. And for Angela Fortnum, her maternal family story would begin eight generations before her and reach back to the turn of the eighteenth century in England - and it is a story that she will tell and continue today. In Pages and Leaflets of North Oxfordshire, author Angela Fortnum shares a well-researched family history of her maternal grandfathers, offering a compelling window into the life and times of her ancestors. This history chronicles the Page family's shift from agricultural and labourer life to self-employment and small holding, and it also lists the changes in the family's religious beliefs over time. Angela includes as well a discussion of the richness and diversity of the church and chapel buildings that were linked in some way to her family, each of which tells a story of their own. In the end, the story of the Page family lives on today, as Pages and Leaflets of North Oxfordshire stands as a legacy to Angela and her mother's family and the great changes they experienced over the centuries. www.angelafortnumbooks.com