Chiltern Images

The Chilterns - a name derived from the Saxon word Cylt or Chilt, meaning chalk - 'forms a high but undulating tract of hill, vale and wood' rising up in Hertfordshire, sweeping through Buckinghamshire and dropping down into the Thames valley. In this landscape people have lived in harmony with their surroundings for many centuries, exacting a living from the soil, the beechwoods, the cherry orchards, and the cottage industries of lace-making and straw-plaiting.
The Chilterns has undergone dramatic changes since the reign of Henry VIII when religious persecution was rife. In the Civil War, the Chiltern Hills became the reluctant frontier between Oxford and London, a battleground for many skirmishes and a witness to death and destruction.
In this tapestry of words and pictures spanning over four centuries, the reader is immersed in the spirit of the Chilterns. Drawing upon extracts written by past travellers and residents in this area, the book begins with the sixteenth-century antiquary and topographer, John Leland, and includes, among others, Camden, Milton's daughter, Defoe, Shelley and Disraeli. In their company a unique region of England is brought vividly to life.
Superbly illustrated with modern colour photographs together with sepia photographs from the turn of the century and period engravings, Chiltern Images is a wonderful reminder of the history and beauty of this fascinating area. It will be welcomed by the tourist and resident alike.