Published in November by Pavilion. Available to pre-order here.
Social history as natural history:
Fascinating stories behind 50 famous trees throughout British history
How much do we know about the Glastonbury Hawthorn? This is a tree on the site of Glastonbury Abbey that flowers on Christmas Day, and is believed to descend from an original thorn planted on the grounds by Joseph of Arimethea. And then there’s Oswald’s Tree, where the dismembered body of Oswald, the Christian King of Northumbria was said to have been hung by Penda, King of Mercia, as a warning to others–and from where the town of Oswestry takes its name.
Inspired by the history of Britain, from the tree under which the first trade union was formed to the branches from which outlaws were hanged, this collection features stories behind 50 historical trees, arranged in chapters per species.
Mark Hooper 