Two centuries ago Weston-super-Mare was a small, rarely visited village but its location alongside the Severn Estuary soon made it a convenient bathing place for the wealthy inhabitants of Bristol and Bath. Once the railway arrived in 1841, the handful of brave sea bathers became thousands of day trippers in search of fun and sunshine. Weston also became popular with excursionists and holidaymakers arriving by steamer from South Wales. To cater for all these visitors, the small entertainment and bathing facilities enjoyed by the wealthy Georgian elite were replaced by larger, more popular facilities, including two piers, Winter Gardens, a large swimming bath and a substantial open-air pool. Weston is not only a busy seaside resort, but a popular place to live. During the 19th century its population rose from around 100 to almost 20,000 and its handful of small, fisherman’s cottages became a sea of terraces, crescents and villas constructed using the local stone. A distinctive type of villa emerged in Weston, different from those found at either of its larger neighbours. This was in large part due to Hans Fowler Price, the town’s leading architect for more than half a century from 1860 until his death in 1912. The book celebrates the complex history and colourful heritage of the town. It also looks to the future to examine how its 200-year story might contribute to a prosperous future.

The nineteenth century saw Weston-super-Mare grow from a tiny village of about 100 inhabitants to a thriving Victorian seaside resort of 20,000 people. Today it has a population of over 80,000. Despite changing fortunes during the twentieth century, as the traditional English week at the seaside was replaced by holidays overseas and short breaks in the UK, Weston has managed to adapt – and still flourishes. Illustrated with ninety beautiful colour photographs, Weston-super-Mare Then & Now explores the modern townscape to discover what remains of Weston’s past, and what has replaced features that have gone for ever.

'Absolutely one of his best - a wonderful, wonderful read' Stephen Fry 'Funny and heartfelt' Spectator From the bestselling author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER comes a compassionate, compelling new novel of boyhood, coming of age, and the confusions of desire and reality. 'An incredibly beautiful story told with compassion. Nothing is wasted. Each sentence is beautifully crafted' Joanna Cannon 1970s Weston-Super-Mare and ten-year-old oddball Eustace, an only child, has life transformed by his mother's quixotic decision to sign him up for cello lessons. Music-making brings release for a boy who is discovering he is an emotional volcano. He laps up lessons from his young teacher, not noticing how her brand of glamour is casting a damaging spell over his frustrated and controlling mother. When he is enrolled in holiday courses in the Scottish borders, lessons in love, rejection and humility are added to daily practice. Drawing in part on his own boyhood, Patrick Gale's new novel explores a collision between childish hero worship and extremely messy adult love lives. 'It's delicious, it's dear, it's heart-breaking and very funny' Rachel Joyce 'Suffused with the joy and wisdom of Gale's mid-life reconnection with music' Guardian 'Gale is excellent on the hot, messy nature of self-discovery and sexual awakening' Daily Mail 'Generously optimistic. It shows how our past shapes us, but suggests that we can make something from the emotional burdens that we bear' Telegraph What readers love about TAKE NOTHING WITH YOU: 'This is a beautifully written novel, simple to read but so humane and warm' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'As with all his books you feel you are reading about someone you know intimately such is his amazing characterisation. Read this book and feel totally fulfilled' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'This is a warming tale of a younger and later an old man overcoming adversity through his innate goodness, humour and optimism' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Gale is a wonderful writer. His description of the Schubert string quintet rehearsals perfectly described the slow movement. I'd been searching for that music for a few years. This story is brilliant on so many fronts' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'A very beautiful novel of love, friendship and the cello' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Weston-super-Mare has changed and developed over the last century.

This A-Z map of Weston-Super-Mare, Burnham-on-Sea and Clevedon is a full colour street atlas featuring 36 pages of mapping.Weston-Super-Mare coverage extends to include: Kewstoke, Worle, M5 Junction 21, Banwell, Sandford, Congresbury, Yatton, Claverham, Wrington, Churchill, Shipham, Winscombe, Bleadon and Uphill.Burnham-on-Sea coverage extends to include: M5 Junction 22, Highbridge, Berrow (part) and Brent Knoll.There is separate coverage of: Clevedon, Nailsea and Cheddar.Postcode districts, one-way streets and safety camera locations with maximum speed limits are featured on the mapping.The index section lists streets, selected flats, walkways and places of interest, place, area and station names, hospitals and hospices covered by the atlas.This Weston-Super-Mare publication is ideal for residents and visitors to this popular seaside town ali

The first book to tell the full story of the association that Weston-super-Mare had with the aeroplane.