Secret Britain: Unearthing our Mysterious Past

by Mary-Ann Ochota

"A cornucopia of our weirdest and most wonderful archaeological sites and artefacts. They make you feel proud to be a citizen of these gloriously intriguing isles."  Sir Tony Robinson

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

Genres: Nonfiction, History

240 pages, Paperback

Published March 12, 2024

About the author

Mary-Ann Ochota writes about archaeology and anthropology, and you can also find her presenting on TV and radio. She's presented cult show Time Team, has romped round the UK with Clive Anderson on Mystic Britain on Smithsonian Channel, and explored Life After Chernobyl for Discovery.

She's presented radio documentaries for BBC Radio 4 and the World Service on subjects as diverse as deep ocean geology, the history of sound recording and dark tourism.

Mary-Ann is a hiking ambassador for the British Mountaineering Council, a loo-minary for the charity Toilet Twinning and a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Find her on twitter and instagram @MaryAnnOchota.

Reviews

[Carrie Brownell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun. If you like archeology and curio cabinets, this book is going to be a real treat. I discovered it at the Pitt-Rivers Museum and ordered it after returning home from travels.

Secret Britain is well designed, full of gorgeous photos of landscapes and long-lost treasures from Britain's past. Ochota gives brief explanation of the importance and relevance of various finds. I think she does a masterful job at keeping the reader both entertained and well-informed. She definitely sparks a curiosity about the past.

A lovely read! Highly recommend.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book if you enjoy history and archeology. The focus is on the many sights in England where ancient artifacts have been discovered and can be seen. I was tickled that I have been to some more famous places like Stonehenge, Uffington White Horse and the world’s largest stone circle at Avebury. But there are so many more that caught my eye when I have a chance to return. I was surprised the book is full of color photos of the different sights, artifacts, churches, bogs and ruins. Most come with a couple pages of information on the history or why the find is important.

This is the kind of book you can jump around and or read straight through. I did like that they list the county of the sights but not being from England I would have appreciated a map to see what was near places I may be traveling. This is well written and researched and I found it very informative. Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion for the temporary ARC and I am leaving an honest review.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book but 4 stars as far too short…I would have liked to have seen the Lewis chess pieces included.

[Rachel N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much of the history we learn in Britain centres around just a few periods - perhaps the Romans, the Norman Conquest, the Tudors, World War II - and little attention is paid to much else. This book is a wonderful guide to opening your eyes to the history of all periods that surrounds us, focusing on more ancient sites that are often overlooked and taking us back through thousands of years.

The photographs throughout are beautiful and enticing and have made me really want to visit many of these sites - I actually live near a few I haven't visited and the same will be true for most people as it covers the whole country. It's a lovely book to dip into, with each object given a few pages and pictures to explain its importance, and the text written to be interesting to newcomers or those with more knowledge already. The balance of pictures and words is perfect - pictures big enough to give you the chance to see the object/site properly and enough text to explain what you're seeing. This is a book to come back to again and again and one that encourages you to explore our country more fully.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

#SecretBritain #NetGalley

[Fin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly fascinating!

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret Britain by Mary-Ann Ochola is everything I crave in an anthropological and archaeological book...and more. Ochola details a splendid variety of known and lesser-known sites, artefacts, places and objects from thousands of years ago to 1916, each with breathtaking photography. She asks us to question not only the whats and hows but also the whys which remain mysterious and elusive to this day. I have had the honour to experience several in person, all thrilling, evocative and thought provoking.

The introduction reeled me in immediately as the author perfectly captures the beautifully satisfying feeling of walking on centuries of history. Anywhere in Europe makes me wonder who was there before me and how they lived. The more we learn and discover the more we realize we need to know! The book is riddled with gems of discoveries such as the pristine Desborough Mirror, the Isbister tomb with a bit of a tricky entrance, Pictish Roadside cross-slab, ancient Fortingall Yew, rock art, monoliths, decoy chambers hiding secrets, tree Seahenge, pagan and Christian symbols, pottery holding uneaten food, leather purse clasp, medieval Tintagel, towers and tors and a gorgeous gold cape. And that is just the beginning! The timeline is immensely useful.

Whether you are just dipping into Britain's captivating secrets or are already knowledgeable, this book has your name on it. It will satiate your history itch yet will cause you to do further research and seek out adventures. After reading this, my mind feels smarter and inspired! My to-do list in Britain just grew yet again.

My sincere thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this spectacular book!

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully illustrated title will be enjoyed by those who are interested in the British Isles, history, archaeology and more. It is a beautifully photographed and wide-ranging tile.

The author begins with an introduction, a timeline and a map. She follows this with the many places where she is interested in “unearthing our mysterious past,” as the title of the book notes.

There are so many places included. To name some there are the Tomnaverie Recumbent Stone Circle, Seahenge, Must Farm, Snettisham Treasures, the Dagenham Idol and Stonehenge. The geography includes Kent, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Moray and many more locations. The first object featured is the Westray Wifey which is over 5,000 years old and was found on Orkney. There are so many more to follow.

This book can be dipped into or read in its entirety. I very much enjoyed the time that I spent with this fascinating title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-galley. All opinions are my own.

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Secret Britain" is a superbly researched, impeccably photographed guide to ancient relics and archeological sites. Mary-Ann Ochota writes life and breathes feeling into these ancient people and the artifacts they left behind. While I, at least, have often imagined those ancient people as unsophisticated or unintelligent, "Secret Britain" acts as an important reminder that the people of ancient Britain had full, meaningful, and exciting lives, trading with cultures all across the world, building extraordinary and complicated henges and buildings, and executing intricate and delicate metalwork.

Each entry of this book is as fascinating and carefully written as the last, creating the ultimate guide to ancient Britain for anyone who cares to uncover the mysteries of the past. A sincere thanks to NetGalley and to Quarto Publishing Group for an Advanced Reader's Copy of "Secret Britain" in exchange for an unbiased review. This is a surefire hit for the travel lover in your life.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know a book is really good when I realize I know someone in my personal life i need to gift it to. This book is amazing, with great pictures and stories about artifacts that have been found throughout Britain. But it's so much more! As an American, and as someone who grew up reading British fantasy, this book really brought out why it's possible to feel such a sense of magic when looking at real places. These locations really seem haunted, in a good way.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me read this ARC. And honestly, I'm planning on reading it again when I have more time, and stopping after every section to go online to look at videos of people walking around the areas. It's the next best thing to being able to visit.

[AnnieM · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most interesting aspects of taking a trip to Europe and the UK is the incredible history. There are Roman ruins, artifacts from the Iron Age, etc. A trip the British Museum of London sparked my curiosity and interest which compelled me to read this book. There is a timeline of the various periods and events with many of the events tied to an artifact and photo in the book. There is even a map showing where in the UK all of these artifacts can be found./or originated from. Concise descriptions work well for the non-archeologists which I appreciated. A really fascinating book that has piqued my interest to explore outside of London next time I visit.


Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful and informative book! The images are beautiful, and it gives a good beginners guide to some of the less well known archaeological sites of England, Wales and Scotland, as well as one or two of the better known.

What might look like a pile of rocks is revealed to instead be important Neolithic or Mesolithic archaeology. Some of the objects in the book give a tantalising glimpse into a life forgotten.

The writing is easily understood and not too technical, it is phrased in an easy to understand way.

The only thing that would have been extremely useful is if the entries were numbered to correspond with the maps at the beginning of the book.

[JCS · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book makes reference to 75 historical sites, many with an unexplained or uncertain past. The sites are referenced on a map of the British Isles and there is a time line to help with the chronology. The oldest thing mentioned is 33,000 years old and the youngest is from 1916. Each site is explained and has plenty of great photographs to illustrate them. There are some wonderful things, many I had not heard of. The Rollright Witch was of particular interest as I have visited the Rollright Stones but did not know about the witch. Thank you to Net Galley for anarchy in exchange for an honest review.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating look at some of Britain’s many ancient sites, with excellent photographs backing up the stories (historical and legend) of these places. I’m an American but have been fortunate enough to visit several of the sites Ms. Ochota includes in Secret Britain; her writing is engaging, descriptive and gives glimpses into the ancient history and modern-day science of these sites. If I were in Britain, this book would live in my car, ready to be hauled out at the first sighting of one of these special places.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great primer on really old British history. I, for one, would keep a copy of this on hand for travel planning (what can I say, I love history).

Aesthetically, it is full of wonderful pictures of the locations and relics (and body, in the case of the Lindow Man or bones, in the case of Cladh Hallan mummies). The one detraction the overall formatting the font size. It’s quite small.

All in all, a great book to have on hand for fans of ancient history of the British variety.

Many thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for providing a free copy to review.

[Rob Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is both a guide to the material ancient history of Britain as well as a guide to visiting sites throughout the archipelago that comprises Great Britain. The photo reproductions of artifacts are stunning. There is a wonderful timeline at the beginning that covers the sweep of British history (and prehistory). Mary-Ann Ochota provides answers to objects where there are answers, and lets the mystery be with the still material mysteries. It's brilliant armchair travel as well as a wonderful guide to keep in the car when you're motoring!

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me want to hop on a plane to England, rent a car and drive to all of these incredible sites.

The author does a great job describing the various spots and provides a history lesson on when they were built and who possibly built them.

She provides her own theories regarding the use of the sites but always say that no one really knows for sure.

**ARC provided by Edelweiss+**

[Louise Foerster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to dig, to explore a country I've visited only once, see for myself the sites and consider the mysteries of SECRET BRITAIN by Mary-Ann Ochota. I loved every moment of this entrancing, deeply researched, vivid guide, pondering the wonders of places and objects with no one to tell their stories but an incredibly accomplished and engaging guide in Ochota. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

With thanks to the author and netgalley for allowing the pleasure to review Secret Britain

Secret Britain is a lovely book of ancient British isles and its artifacts. The illustrations are also excellent. Makes me want to take a year out and travel around looking for these.

I just wish I could have had a physical copy of the book, because I’m sure some of the wonder of the book was lost in the e copy.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Britain is a beautiful book about Britain unearthing more than 70 of Britain's most intriguing places and artifacts, while exploring the mysteries behind them. The photos in this book are breath-taking and I enjoyed learning about places I've been fortunate to visit, and others I still want to. Great book for anyone interested in British History, and the mysteries thereof.

Thank you NetGalley for a DRC of this book!

[Ruhika · Rating 4 out of 5]

When picking it up, I had no idea what I was getting into. Britain's history is a subject that I had little idea about. But boy, was I wrong? I love how the author makes it accessible and easy to understand the topics spoken about. A truly well-written nonfiction historical book which I will highly recommend.

[Asphyxiac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reference book on Britain’s magical relics and sites of interest (in the same vein as DK’s informative offerings) with genuine archaeological rigor. I read the book in a digital format on my iPad and appreciated the beautiful color photos. The print quality in the digital edition is excellent. I’m planning a trip through the UK in autumn of 2024, and found the book handy for planning our route.

[Sylvia Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book that explored the history of Britain. Photographs were wonderful and contributed to the enjoyment

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Bibliohiker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This was an interesting and insightful read about British relics. Britain has so many interesting relics that have come to light over the years. To see what’s been found and try to imagine how people lived back then.

[Beth Younge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like this book and thought it'd be a good gift for those interested in British history. I thought the layout of the pages was done well and found the writing to be accessible and interesting. This book taught me about things I hadn't known before and thought it definitely left an impression on me.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.