More than 400 million years ago, the oldest rocks in Somerset were formed. On those rocks, a county was built over thousands of years; from prehistoric man and Roman invasion, through a Pitchfork Rebellion and two world wars to where we are today. Revolution, wassailing, Templars and alchemists – all can be found in this friendly guide to Somerset's colourful history.

Did you know? The town of Wincanton is twinned with a place that does not exist. William Gibbs of Tyntesfield House made his fortune by importing bird droppings from Peru. A song by 'Scrumpy and Western' singer Adge Cutler was banned by the BBC for being too raunchy. Nine villages in Somerset are known as the 'Thankful Villages'. From seaside to countryside and villages to towns, Somerset is a county where it's difficult to separate history and mystery. This fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of places, people and trivia reveals all sorts of answers to questions you might have wondered about – and some you didn't. The facts, stats and anecdotes will surprise even those familiar with this beautiful and historic county.

A rich, and indeed sometimes bizarre, thread of history weaves its way through the Bristol story. Find out all manner of things, from why a 'Bristol Diamond' would never be found in a jewellery shop to why local by-laws restrict carpet beating to certain hours. Along with a fresh look at city life past and present, these and many more anecdotes will surprise even those Bristolians who thought they really knew their city.

Excerpt from The Somerset Hills: Being a Brief Record of Significant Facts in the Early History, of the Hill Country of Somerset County New Jersey In the preparation of this little book, the usual sources have been consulted. These have been found in the collections of the New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania Historical Societies. To these have been added some oral traditions, now first put in form, and some materials culled from unpublished manuscripts. In brief, to use the words of the immortal creator of Don Quixote. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This fascinating new book explores what life was like during the Templars' stay in Somerset during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It reveals the struggles over land ownership in the county, and introduces the reader to little known historical characters including William de Marisco, revealing his struggle with the Templars, and claim to the throne of England. The final chapter explores the controversy surrounding a carved wooden man's head discovered in a Somerset church. The author has found compelling evidence to suggest the church was not only built on Templar land, but had a connection with the Grand Master of the Order himself. Richly illustrated and compiled using original research, this book is sure to appeal to everyone interested in medieval history.