Books

Garden Cities

 

Author - Sarah Rutherford

Publisher - Shire Library - 2014

 

 

Garden Cities: the phrase is redolent of Arts and Crafts values and nineteenth-century utopianism. But despite being the culmination of a range of influential movements, and their own influence, in fact there were only ever two true garden cities in England - far more numerous were garden suburbs and villages. Crystallised in England by social visionary Ebenezer Howard and designed in many cases by Barry Parker and Raymond Unwin, the concept arose from industrial settlements like Port Sunlight, and also from the American City Beautiful movement. Designed to promote healthy and comfortable individual and community life, as well as commerce and industry, they remain instantly recognisable. This book is a beautifully illustrated guide to the movement and to the communities which are its legacy. Sarah Rutherford has an MA in the conservation of historic parks and gardens and a PhD. She was Head of the English Heritage Historic Parks and Gardens Register and is now a freelance consultant, creating conservation plans.

 

 

 

 

British Architectural Styles: An Easy Reference Guide

 

Author - Trevor Yorke

Publisher - Countryside Books - 2008

 

 

Here is a compact and useful guide, filled with detailed and original drawings, to help put a date to the variety of period buildings we see around us. It covers an immense range of structures and styles from 1500 to 1950. In addition, there is a glossary of architectural terms and a historical time chart. The book will prove an invaluable companion whether visiting grand houses open to the public or simply strolling around the streets of villages, towns and cities.

 

 

 

 

London's Metroland

 

Author - Alan A. Jackson

Publisher - Capital Transport Publishing - 2006

 

 

The Metropolitan Railway's aspirations to provide a new route between London and Birmingham took it through much undeveloped land north-west from London. It sought passengers for its services by setting up an estate company to contribute to new housing development along the line. The areas of suburban London, and beyond, that neighboured the route of the Met were given the name 'Metro-land' by a creative mind in the railway's publicity office in 1915. The name was in continuous use until the railway was taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933 and is still part of Londoners' vocabulary today. This book is about the development of Metro-land from green fields to houses and shops. It looks at the ways in which both the Met and private developers encouraged people to move out from districts closer to central London to 'Live in Metro-land'.

 

 

 

 

 

The Industrial Revolution Explained:

Steam, Sparks and Massive Wheels

 

Author - Stan Yorke

Publisher - Countryside Books - 2005

 

 

The English Industrial Revolution was a triumph of ingenuity and invention. New sources of power, better manufacturing methods and expanding transport systems brought fantastic changes affecting every walk of life. Man and machine worked side by side to produce iron, coal and cotton cloth on a scale never before imagined.

 

In this easy-to-follow and carefully researched book, Stan Yorke explains the machines and processes that helped to create our industrial world, using drawings and diagrams by his son, Trevor. Four major industrial areas are examined: the waterwheel as a source of power in mills and foundries; the steam engine which made power available to a variety of manufacturing industries; the mechanisation of textile production making cloth for all a reality; and iron, which revolutionised bridge construction and made the railways possible.

 

There are now over 500 museums related to industry in the British Isles and information on where to find them is contained in the book.

 

 

 

 

English Canals Explained

 

Author - Stan Yorke

Publisher - Countryside Books - 2003

 

 

The English canal network becomes increasingly popular and widely used each year. The main aim of this book is to explain how everything works - from locks and lifts, to tunnels and towpaths. Stan Yorke, a life-long narrow boat enthusiast, explains in an easy-to-understand manner the story of the canals. In this he is ably assisted by his son Trevor's superb drawings and diagrams. The book is divided into three clear sections. The first describes the history of the canals, the second looks at their structures and features, and the third suggests special sites of interest around the country, which can be visited by foot or by boat.

 

 

 

 

Milton Keynes: Image and Reality

 

Author - Terence Bendixon

Publisher - Granta Editions - 1991

 

 

An in-depth insight into the planning and implementation of the new city of Milton Keynes, with quotes from the planners involved.  This fascinating book explains how the Development Corporation transformed a piece of North Bucks countryside to a metropolis in 25 years.  Captivating insights into the roller-coaster ride that is planning from scratch and the challenges faced by MKDC from financing the project to the conundrum of how to hang doors on CMK shopping centre, make this an essential read for anyone interested in Milton Keynes or town planning.

 

 

 

Housing and the Urban Environment: A Guide to Housing Design, Renewal and Urban Planning

 

Author - Barry Goodchild  Publisher - Wiley-Blackwell 1997

 

Looking ahead to the next decade, this book examines the kinds of dwellings likely to be needed, and considers key housing issues, including quality, design standards, urban–growth management, and a renewal of public housing. It provides a review of theory, research findings and trends for students and practitioners in the fields of housing management, town planning, urban studies and architecture.

 

 

 

 

 

Foundations in Urban Planning - Ebenezer Howard: Garden Cities of To-Morrow & the Garden City Movement Up-To-Date Paperback

 

Authors - Ebenezer Howard, Ewart Culpin, Thomas C Myers Jr

Publisher - Createspace Independent

Publishing Platform 2010

 

 

Ebenezer Howard's iconic "Garden Cities of To-Morrow," published in 1902, spawned an international movement for the creation of Garden Cities in the early twentieth century and serves as a foundation text for modern planning theory. Contemporary planning efforts such as New Urbanism and Smart Growth look to Howard's concepts for inspiration, and this volume introduces fundamental ideas such as green belts and lays the foundations of Transit-Oriented Development. Also included in this new edition is the Garden Cities and Town Planning Association's follow-up work "The Garden City Movement Up-To-Date," published in 1913, fifteen years after Howard's first edition. This update provides valuable information, including plans and photographs, of the early years of the movement for Garden Cities like Letchworth and Hampstead. Supplemental information such as "missing" diagrams from Howard's earlier edition "To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform" and up-to-date financial figures are also included in this volume. This work, one of the "Foundations of Urban Planning" series, is required reading and deserves to be included in any urban planner's or architect's bookshelf.

 

 

 

 

 

3 Curly Wurlys & 106 Roundabouts

 

Authors - Lee Scriven, George Webley (Foreword)

Publisher - LJS Publishing

 

 

Milton Keynes is very unique and unlike any other major new town or city created in post-war Britain.  One of the many reasons for its indifference and originality is not only the aesthetic architectural splendour, but also the driving passion of its original planners and residents.

Lee Scriven provides fascinating personal and hilarious tales of the burgeoning era of the early 1970s, and the incredible growth and success of MK. It remains the best selling book on Milton Keynes and once you’ve read it you’ll know why.