Book description
From steam engines and suspension bridges to canals, factories and
pubs, the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries
transformed the social and material landscape of Britain. Yet how many
of us know why our local pub looks the way it does or why a railway
station might resemble a cathedral? This book reveals how, by
'reading' buildings, structures and townscapes, we can understand
their context and significance for the society that created them.
Author Tim Cooper uses themes including transport, education and
religion to show how the geographical and architectural remains of
industrial Britain have shaped us as a people. He sheds light on how
and why the pioneers of the Industrial Revolution redesigned our towns
and countryside, and draws on a wealth of British sites to explain,
for instance, how canals were instrumental in the expansion of
industry, or why affluent suburbs are usually situated in the west end
of a town.
This book is a joy for anyone wanting to investigate our industrial
heritage and discover the secret history behind familiar, everyday
features of our urban and rural landscapes.
Tim Cooper taught history and archaeology at Sheffield, Manchester
and Hull universities before turning to freelance research and writing
in 2000. He holds an honorary research fellowship in the Department of
Archaeology at the University of Sheffield. He also writes for
television and has been involved in a number of award-winning historical
documentary/dramas. He lives in Sheffield with his wife and two
children.
