How We Built Britain

This is the story of Britain told through its buildings and the people who built them. Join David Dimbleby on his colourful chronological journey through the nation's architectural landscape: to towering fortresses, timber-framed barns, magnificent palaces, railway viaducts, music halls, suburban homes and tower blocks. He climbs to the top of the light-flooded Ely Cathedral, a looming vision of Norman conquest and domination; he explores Harvington Hall in Worcestershire, riddled with hidden passages to conceal Catholic priests; he delves into Manchester's network of sewers, constructed to flush away the polluted waters of disease; and he takes a quizzical look at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, the symbol of devolution.Tying in with the hit BBC1 series and generously illustrated with specially commissioned colour photography and over 100 historic images, this book reveals how these structures originated in the experiences and beliefs of the British people, and how they hold the key to who we are.