Standing in the busy streets of South London today, it is hard to imagine that much of this suburban townscape was once a vast wood, stretching unbroken for almost seven miles from Croydon to the Thames at Deptford.
In The Wood That Built London, C.J. Schuler takes us on a journey through time, telling tales of invaders and trade guilds, map makers and soldiers, royals and working class people. From the 8th century to current conservation efforts, Schuler offers a fresh perspective on London's history, with tales of murder, Anglo-Saxon treasure, fires, pandemics, the blitz and more along the way.
This compelling narrative history charts the fortunes of the North Wood from the earliest times: its ecology, ownership, management, and its gradual encroachment by the expanding metropolis.
C.J. Schuler is the author of three illustrated histories of cartography: Mapping the World, Mapping the City and Mapping the Sea and Stars and co-author of the best-selling Traveller's Atlas. Writers, Lovers, Soldiers, Spies: A History of the Authors' Club of London, 1891-2016 was published in November 2016, and Along the Amber Route (Sandstone) in 2020.
He has also written on literature, travel and the arts for The Independent, The Independent on Sunday, The Tablet, The Financial Times and the New Statesman. He was chairman of the Authors' Club from 2008 to 2015.
FOREWORD AUTHOR
Rachel Lichtenstein is a British artist, writer and curator who is internationally known for her books, multi-media projects and artworks that examine place, memory and Jewish identity. The author of many books, including Estuary: Out from London to the Sea, she is co-director of the Centre for Place Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Title: The Wood That Built London: A Human History of the Great North Wood
Author: Schuler
ISBN: 9781914518164
Binding:
Publisher: Sandstone Press Ltd
Publication Date: 2022-09-01
Number of Pages: 320
Weight: 0.2601 kg
'In this meticulously researched yet accessible work, historian C J Schuler brings to life a largely forgotten slice of the capital's topography.'
* Geographical Magazine *
'A gentle and beautifully produced book... Skilfully alternates between pastoral and archival archaeology.'
-- Sebastian Milbank * The Tablet *
'Deeply rewarding'
-- Paul Wood, author of London's Street Trees
'Timely and informative'
-- Travis Elborough, author of A Walk In the Park
'An engaging reflection on what we've already lost; but more importantly, it's a vital reminder of what we still have alongside us.'
-- Julian Hoffman, author of Irreplaceable
'Meticulously researched and hugely enjoyable.'
-- Tiffany Francis-Baker, author of Dark Skies
'A beautifully illustrated and richly researched exploration of the relationship of humanity and nature.'
-- S. G. MacLean * Historia magazine *
'Magnificent... Will be the defining work on the Great North Wood for a long time to come.'
* Woodlands.co.uk *
