An unsurpassable, visual tour of the greatest pilgrimage sites of Europe, from North to South; East to West.

Pilgrimage in Europe is currently thriving on a scale that simply could not have been envisaged just a few decades ago. Not only are greater numbers of people now emulating the medieval pilgrims who made their way on foot across Europe to the shrines of martyred apostles in Rome (SS Peter and Paul), Santiago de Compostela (St James) and Trondheim (St Olav), but international religious tourism is also thriving and millions each year are now travelling by air, rail and road to Europe’s major pilgrimage churches and famous sites of Marian Apparition such as Lourdes (France) and Fatima (Portugal).

This book covers those key pilgrimage sites as well as many lesser known ones such as the Marian Sanctuary of La Salette in the French Alps, the cave sanctuary of Covadonga in Northern Spain, the majestic twenty-first-century basilica of Our Lady of Lichen in Poland and the Chapel of Grace in Altötting, Bavaria.

It comprises an atmospheric and colourful portrayal of the pilgrimage churches and cathedrals adorned with sculpture, art and iconography associated not only with the Virgin Mary but also the national saints and Early Christian martyrs revered by both Catholic and Anglican faiths alike. En route the reader will see some of the world’s most impressive examples of medieval art and architecture set amidst historic townscapes or spectacular landscapes.

This volume will serve as both an enticement to take to the road, a treasured aide memoire for those who have visited at least some of these iconic places and hopefully, a source of comfort and inspiration for those unable to travel abroad from wherever they live in the world.

An Ice Age cannibal’s skull cup, a hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold, a seventeenth century witch bottle? anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota unearths more than 70 of Britain’s most intriguing ancient places and artefacts and explores the mysteries behind them.

Britain is full of ancient wonders: not grand like the Egyptian pyramids, but small, strange places and objects that hint at a deep and enduring relationship with the mystic. Secret Britain offers an expertly guided tour of Britain’s most fascinating mysteries: archaeological sites and artefacts that take us deep into the lives of the many different peoples who have inhabited the island over the millennia.

Illustrated with beautiful photographs, the wonders include buried treasure, stone circles and geoglyphs, outdoor places of worship, caves filled with medieval carvings, and enigmatic tools to divine the future. Explore famous sites such as Stonehenge and Glastonbury, but also discover:

• The Lindow Man bog body, showing neatly trimmed hair and manicured fingernails despite having been killed 2,000 years ago
• The Uffington White Horse, a horse-shaped geoglyph maintained by an unbroken chain of people for 3,000 years
• A roman baby’s bronze cockerel, an underworld companion for a two-year-old who died sometime between AD 100-200
• St Leonard’s Ossuary, home to 1,200 skulls and a vast stack of human bones made up of around 2,000 people who died from the 1200s to the 1500s
• The Wenhaston Doom painting, an extraordinary medieval depiction of the Last Judgement painted on a chancel arch

Explore Britain’s secret history and discover why these places still resonate today.

Abigail Willis and Clive Boursnell give you privileged access to 20 gardens, from a highly productive working flower farm to very personal private retreats, revealing their history, design and plant collections, in the company of their devoted owners and head gardeners.

In the footsteps of artists and trend-setters from Victorian designers such as Harold Peto to planting visionary, Gertrude Jekyll as well as contemporary pioneer Piet Oudolf, we find a series of beguiling country gardens of different sizes and atmospheres, which have shaped the English identity, and in different ways express the ideals of English life.

The gardens: The American Museum and Gardens, Barley Wood Walled Garden, Batcombe House, The Bishop’s Palace, Common Farm, Cothay Manor, East Lambrook Manor, Elworthy Cottage, Forest Lodge, Greencombe Gardens, Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Hestercombe, Iford Manor, Kilver Court, Midney Gardens, Milton Lodge gardens, The Newt in Somerset, Stoberry House, Westbrook House, and Yeo Valley Organic Garden.

Most of the gardens included here are privately owned and usually open to the public. Meanwhile, all of these landscapes can now be enjoyed through the eyes of the owners themselves.

Tour even more magnificent English gardens with Secret Gardens of the Cotswolds and Secret Gardens of East Anglia.

Since is was bought and transformed by writer Vita Sackville-West and diplomat Harold Nicolson in the 1930s, Sissinghurst has captured imaginations with its  unique and intricate design. From first sight of the Castle Tower to the magic of the world-famous White Garden, this garden of rooms and experiences, memories and emotions is the most evocative of places. Today, it is one the National Trust’s most popular destinations and, under the lead of head gardener Troy Scott Smith, Sissinghurst is influential for its design, its exuberant planting, and its effect on visitors as a complete garden experience. Its fascination endures and matures, captivating with its intimacy, romance and history.

In this definitive book, Tim Richardson explores the power and magic of Sissinghurst, explaining the nuances of its evolution and showing how we can all enjoy it today. With beautiful photography from Jason Ingram and a foreword from leading garden designer Dan Pearson, this is the must-have book for any garden lover.  

With a sock full of rags for a ball, Pelé honed his skills in a poor neighbourhood in Brazil. He believed that, one day, he would lead his country to World Cup victory – and he was right! With Pelé and his super skills on the team, Brazil lifted the trophy three times. Today, he is widely regarded as the greatest footballer who ever lived – and a hero off the pitch, too, using his voice to help the people who need it most. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of The King’s life.

?Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS! ]]> https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/ernest-shackleton/ Tue, 01 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/ernest-shackleton/ Part of the bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, Ernest Shackleton tells the inspiring story of this world-renowned explorer.]]> In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Ernest Shackleton, the fearless Antarctic adventurer.

When Ernest Shackleton was young, he longed for a life of adventure. After a career in the Merchant Navy, he joined a landmark expedition to try to reach the South Pole for the first time in history. Although he had to go home early, he never gave up. His own expeditions set new records for the closest anyone had ever been to the South Pole, and he is remembered now as a courageous and inspirational leader. This exciting book features  stylish and quirky illustrations  and  extra facts at the back, including a  biographical timeline  with historical photos and a detailed profile of the intrepid explorer’s life.
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Little People, BIG DREAMS  is a  bestselling series of books and educational games  that  explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series offers  inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers.  Boxed gift sets  allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games  and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people  who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS! ]]> https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/kites/ Tue, 02 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.bellbookshop.co.uk/product/kites/ David knows that to fit in at Fivehills, he needs a kite. But when he makes one, the other kids of the town aren't too impressed. They say it needs this, then it needs that, then it needs something else? soon David's kite doesn't feel like his any more. But David remembers what his Grandpa said - "Let's see what we've already got. More often than not, we'll find the answer inside" and learns that when you're happy with yourself, friends will follow. ]]>

The day that David moved to Fivehills,
The first thing he noticed was the kites.
Little kites, big kites
Eagle kites, pig kites
Golden Frog kites with car headlights for eyes
Mirror kites singing the sky back at itself?

David knows that to fit in at Fivehills, he needs a kite. But when he makes one, the other kids of the town aren’t too impressed. They say it needs this, then it needs that, then it needs something else? soon David’s kite doesn’t feel like his any more. But David remembers what his Grandpa said – “Let’s see what we’ve already got. More often than not, we’ll find the answer inside” and learns that when you’re happy with yourself, friends will follow.