LOCAL HISTORY BOOKS
Tom Tiddler’s Ground: Memories of a Childhood at
Sevenoaks Weald before the First World War. Blatchington Press. 2010
The memories of Win
Ellis, a junior school teacher who lived at Sevenoaks Weald in Kent all her
life. By the time she died in 2003 at the age of 104, she had become something
of a village institution. She had an astonishing memory and was able to
remember everything that had happened in the village in the twentieth century.
I encouraged her to
write her own story, but she preferred talking – in fact she never stopped
talking - so I took notes of our conversations. Writing this oral history was
something of a challenge, treading a difficult path between ghost writing and throwing
my voice like a ventriloquist. I hope it captures Win’s authentic voice – and her
interests and concerns. I think perhaps it does, as it was well received in her
home village of Sevenoaks Weald.
The Bird Man of Blatchington. Blatchington Press. 2011
A new edition of
the rare ornithological Diaries of the Revd Robert Nathaniel Dennis, 1846-1869.
Review:
The diary entries are interesting [in
themselves], but Rodney Castleden draws out more detail. He has carefully
studied the diaries, as his lively introduction and frequent notes draw out
more detail not apparent in the original diary. The book is illustrated with
prints of some of the birds seen by Dennis and it also has a comprehensive
index. Kevin Gordon.
On
Blatchington Hill. Blatchington
Press. 2011
The
first full-length book to attempt to tell the story of the village of East
Blatchington in Sussex. The village is often thought of as just another
district of Seaford, but it has its own individual history, its own past as a
Downland village. People were living here 2,000 years ago, when St Peter’s
churchyard was the scene of pagan funeral ceremonies, long before the church
was built. The book features various Victorian worthies, including the rector,
Revd Robert Dennis, the last squire, Robert Lambe, and the would-be
resort-developer, William Tyler Smith.
In
the middle ages, the lords of Blatchington manor ran one of the most ambitious
types of agriculture in the country, a highly-organized sheep-and-corn system.
Blatchington was no backwater but a progressive place, full of activity – and
it was on the main road.
The book draws on many different sources,
including manor court books, old newspapers, maps, photographs, memories of
residents. A surprise was finding a paper trail of title deeds revealing the
maze of property deals that brought the last squire, Robert Lambe, to the brink
of ruin – and to the end of the village as a rural community.
Review:
An
absolute treat. Rodney has done a thorough job in recording the history of
Blatchington, a village which has long since disappeared into greater Seaford.
The book is well illustrated with pictures, drawings and maps and some of the
author’s own artwork. Every village should have a book like this. Kevin Gordon.
On
Blatchington Beach: a Village and the Sea.
Blatchington Press. 2013
This
full and detailed book explores many new aspects of the Sussex coastline’s
history. It draws on many different sources, including contemporary accounts of
ship-wrecks, old newspapers, maps, photographs, memories of residents and
reports from engineers. The final chapters include the development of the
seafront and a detailed account of the problems encountered with sea defences.
Review:
Another
superb read by this celebrated local historian. This short beach in the middle
of Seaford Bay is less than a mile long – surely not much to write home about,
I thought – but how wrong can you be? Rodney has left no stone (or should I say
pebble) unturned to discover the history of the beach over the last 2,000 years
and what gems he has found. . . This is not just another local history book. It
will interest naval and military historians as well as anyone studying our coast.
It has over 200 pages and is full of illustrations, many by Rodney himself. It
is well written and a must for the bookshelf. Kevin Gordon.
Forlorn
& Widowed: Seaford in the Napoleonic Wars. Blatchington Press. 2015
During
the French Wars, 1793-1815, Seaford in Sussex was little more than a village,
and a poor village at that. Its days as a port were really over, now that the
Sussex Ouse made its way to the sea at Newhaven instead of Seaford. Efforts to
turn it into a seaside resort were a miserable failure.
New
life was brought to the town when it was militarized, with two batteries, a
barracks and the last of the Martello Towers. Seaford was also a rotten
borough, with corruption on a grand scale. The book re-creates the town and its
struggle for survival.
Review:
I
was pleasantly surprised to find that local historian Rodney Castleden had
written a book to accompany Seaford Museum’s exhibition to remember the 200th
anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. Rodney has written several books on Seaford’s
rich history, so I knew exactly what to expect: a well researched, well
illustrated and uncomplicated book. Forlorn
and Widowed does not disappoint. . .
Rodney’s
book really brings a Sussex seaside town to life. He not only gives a
fascinating account of the political shenanigans of the time, but also details
the everyday life of its population, the court cases, the accidents and the
tragic deaths of ordinary people. I really enjoyed Rodney’s book and heartily
recommend it. Kevin Gordon.
No comments:
Post a Comment