Winn, Christopher – The Bell Bookshop

I Never Knew That About the River Thames

Emma — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Bestselling author Christopher Winn takes us on a captivating journey out of London along the banks of the River Thames to discover the secrets and stories of England’s most famous waterway. Discover the Thames’s literary heritage at Pangbourne, near Reading, famous as the home of The Wind in the Willows’s Kenneth Grahame, then explore Mapledurham House, the inspiration for its famous Toad Hall. Explore Henley-on-Thames, where the first Oxford and Cambridge boat races were held, then marvel at Southend Pier, the longest pleasure pier in the world.

As he follows the river from source to sea, visiting its towns, villages and places of interest, Winn unearths a fascinating array of facts, folklore, landmarks and legends that are guaranteed to have you exclaiming ‘I Never Knew That!’. Illustrated with line drawings this charming gem of a book is guaranteed to inform and delight in equal measure.

Great British Street Names

Emma — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Bestselling author Christopher Winn takes a closer look at our Roads, Avenues, Groves, Gardens, Hills and Lanes.

There are around 800,000 streets in the UK and the name of each one tells a tale. We take them for granted but the choice of name can reveal facts about Britain’s history, geography, topography and nature, even its politics and culture.

From the most common names, to the rarest, the funniest to the most notorious, among the many fascinating facts, find out why the City of London has no “Roads”, and where the UK’s shortest street name (Rye) is located, as well as its longest (Bolderwood Arboretum Ornamental Drive). And why Station Road is in the top five most popular street names, alongside the multitude of Victoria Streets and Albert Roads. Devon even boasts The Street with No Name, which of course has its own story…

Perfect for fans of trivia and local history, Great British Street Names will prompt you to think a little differently about the street where you live.

Walk Through History

Emma — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000

‘What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.‘ – W.H. Davies

Walking around London is one of life’s great pleasures. There is a huge amount that you can only see on foot – but sometimes it is hard to know where to look. Luckily, Christopher Winn, bestselling author of I Never Knew That About London, knows where all the hidden treasures are.

This book takes the reader on a series of stimulating original walks through different areas of central London, focusing on one particular period of history, the Victorian, so ubiquitous that we take it for granted, and yet so astonishing and so far reaching in its variety, imagination, ambition and detail.

Discover…

..the remarkable 300-foot bell tower at the Houses of Parliament you never knew was there….
..the extraordinary fairytale house in Kensington where the Mikado was inspired…
..the best Victorian loos in the world near Old Street…
..a hidden chapel in Bloomsbury described by Oscar Wilde as ‘the most delightful private chapel in London’…
..London’s best preserved high class Victorian shop near Tottenham Court Road?
…an almost complete Victorian townscape boasting the world’s oldest surviving mansion block…

Walk through history and discover the hidden gems of Victorian London!

I Never Knew That About England’s Country Churches

Emma — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 00:00:00 +0000

This charming book takes you through the counties of England, exploring Saxon churches, reflective of simple faith; Norman churches with rugged arches and powerful pillars, stamping their authority, gothic churches with their soaring arches; Decorated and Perpendicular churches made glorious with Early English style and craftsmanship; Victorian churches, resplendent with imperial pomp; eccentric Arts and Crafts churches. Every one of them has a remarkable tale to tell, that will move you to exclaim, again and again: ‘I never knew that!‘.

I Never Knew That About New York

Emma — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 00:00:00 +0000

In I Never Knew That About New York Christopher Winn digs beneath the gleaming towers and mean streets of New York and discovers its secrets and its hidden treasures. Learn about the extraordinary people who built New York into one of the world’s great cities in just 400 years. New York is one of the most photographed and talked about cities in the world but Winn unearths much that is unexpected and unremembered in this fast moving, ever changing metropolis where history is made on a daily basis!

I Never Knew That About River Thames

Emma — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0000

I Never Knew That About England

Emma — Thu, 07 Apr 2005 00:00:00 +0000

The inspiration for the primetime ITV series on Great Britain, this is the ultimate journey around England. Christopher Winn takes us to each county, to see where history happened, where people and ideas were born, where dreams took flight and where men and women now rest from their labours. To tread in their footsteps, to touch and experience some of what inspired and moved them is to capture some of the flavour of their lives and make their stories alive and real. Crammed with facts and information, I Never Knew That About England celebrates the places and people that make the country unique and includes history, legends, firsts, supremes, unusuals, inventions, birthplaces and gossip. You’ll be able to visit the bridge where Pooh and Piglet played Poohsticks and see where Alfred burnt the cakes. In a small village in Bedfordshire you can visit the graveyard where Long John Silver and Wendy rest. These stories will bring any place that you visit to life (keep one copy in the car and one in the house!) and enable you to discover the rich and surprising history of England.