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Building Britain
Websites
Architecture.com
www.architecture.com
One of the world's most extensive built environment portals which features events listings, general information on architecture and RIBA's other activities, including awards, education and competitions.
Birmingham Back to Backs
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/…
Birmingham's last surviving court of back to back housing has now been fully restored by the Birmingham Conservation Trust and the National Trust. Check out the website to find out about taking a guided tour.
Blenheim Palace
www.blenheimpalace.com
Official website of the Oxfordshire stately home with lots of information on the history of Blenheim and when to visit.
Burford – Gateway to the Cotswolds
www.britainexpress.com/…
Tourist site that looks at the architecture of this Oxfordshire village, including St John's Parish Church. The site has photographs and tourist information and gives an historical overview.
The Castle Lover's Guide
www.channel4.com/…
Excellent guide that lists all the best castles to visit around Britain, with information and contact details. There's even a list of the most romantic to get married in.
Demolition
www.channel4.com/life/microsites/D/demolition/
Channel 4's campaign to find and demolish Britain's worst building.
Dover Castle
www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/castles/dover%20castle.htm
British heritage site that offers an historical overview of the castle and has information on over 200 castles in the British Isles.
English Heritage
www.english-heritage.org.uk/default.asp
Simon Thurley, chief executive of English Heritage, is the presenter on this programme. Their website has tons of information on the architecture and archaeology of Britain, plus an extensive list of other heritage related organisations.
Ironbridge Gorge Museums
www.ironbridge.org.uk
Built between 1777 and 1779, the Ironbridge in Shropshire has been a symbol of the Industrial Revolution for over 200 years. The website has information on this enchanting valley and the working museums that can be visited there.
Risky Buildings
www.riskybuildings.org.uk/docs/intro.html
This website is the companion site to the Twentieth Century Society's website and features an illustrated and documented list of the buildings thought to be under most threat at the moment. Good photographs and detailed accounts of the buildings.
Stately Homes
www.statelyhomes.com
Comprehensive information to help plan a visit to or event at one of Britain's stately homes, gardens, castles and other historic properties and houses. The site is easy to navigate and has a map of the UK to help locate specific areas of interest.
Time Travellers Guide to Stuart England – Fire
www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/fire/
In September 1666, much of London vanished in The Great Fire. This website tells the story of the fire and its legacy, including the architectural changes to the city.
Trellick Tower
www.guardian.co.uk/gallery/image/0,8543,-11004251730,00.html
Nice little guide to listed buildings from The Guardian – with photographs of Trellick Tower and others.
Books
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 Castles of England, Scotland and Wales by Paul Johnson (Cassell, 2000)
Together, England, Scotland and Wales retain one of the most impressive and biggest collections of castles anywhere in the world. This is a historic guide to these ancient buildings, with over 100 illustrations.
Buy it »
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 Daily Telegraph Guide to English Parish Churches by Robert Harbisum (Aurum Press, May 2005)
The author has selected over 550 parish churches, chosen as often for their simplicity and the beauty of their settings as for architectural grandeur, or the quality of their stained glass, stonework of monuments.
Buy it »
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 England's Thousand Best Churches by Simon Jenkins (Penguin, 2001)
Fascinating compendium illustrated with photographs, the author scours the hills and dales, cities and hamlets for England's best churches and comes up with some old favourites, welcome inclusions and surprising additions.
Buy it »
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 Hudson's Historic Houses and Gardens: Castles and heritage sites 2005 (Norman Hudson, 2004)
With over 2000 entries and over 1000 colour photographs, Hudson's has become a legendary publication, described by the British Tourist Authority as 'the bible of the stately home visitor to Britain'.
Buy it »
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 Religion and Society in Early Modern England edited by David Cressy and Lori Anne Ferrell (Routledge, 1996)
This sourcebook covers the interplay between religion, politics, society and popular culture in the Tudor and Stuart periods.
Buy it »
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 Secret Cold War Nuclear Bunkers by Nick McCamley (Pen and Sword Books, 2002)
A book of Cold War archaeology, describing the steel and concrete evidence of a 50-year war-that-never-was. Bunkers feature greatly, from the US central government bunkers to the thousands of tiny, five-man posts that litter the British countryside; all served one ultimate purpose, the protection of the paranoid US administration from nuclear attack.
Buy it »
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 A Vision of Britain: A personal view of architecture by HRH Prince Charles (Doubleday, 1989)
Charles' personal plea for urban development that preserves what he sees as the unique character and tradition of British towns and cities.
Buy it »
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