A History of England in 100 Places: Irreplaceable

Functional or fanciful? Or both? In a gloriously illustrated book, Irreplaceable: A History of England in 100 Places, the industrial buildings have a distinctive beauty that challenges more familiar settings like Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, and Chatsworth, the Dukes of Devonshire country house built in the seventeenth century. The selection displayed is extraordinary: generous, humble, innovative, unique, and always exemplary. The images show quintessentially England places, none more so than Lords Cricket Ground, the Bronte Parsonage, and the juxtaposed homes in London of George Frideric Handel and Jimi Hendrix.

The book opens invitingly with a preface by Bethany Hughes whose own interest lies in the travel section. Readers must avoid being overwhelmed by the photographs to give well-deserved attention to Philip Wilkinson’s background descriptions on every page.

The first chapter addresses sciences and discoveries ranging from the stone house and hut belonging to Edward Jenner whose seminal research led to conquering smallpox to the Calder Hall nuclear power station. Travel and tourism, homes and gardens, and sport and leisure dovetail into each other. The scope of fine arts, the poignancy of buildings now destroyed, the celebration of faiths religions; all reveal the country’s historic wealth.

The splendor of the story invites readers to find a way to visit the places represented and enjoy them where they stand.