Secret Britain: Unearthing Our Mysterious Past

by Mary-Ann Ochota

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 wonders: 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 discover:
The Lindow Man bog body, showing neatly trimmed hair and manicured fingernails despite having been killed 2,000 years ago
The Uffington White Horse, a horse-shaped geoglyph maintained by an unbroken chain of people for 3,000 years
A roman baby’s bronze cockerel, an underworld companion for a two-year-old who died sometime between AD 100–200
St Leonard’s Ossuary, home to 1,200 skulls and a vast stack of human bones made up of around 2,000 people who died from the 1200s to the 1500s
The Wenhaston Doom painting, an extraordinary medieval depiction of the Last Judgement painted on a chancel arch.

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

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Archaeology, Historical, British Literature, Prehistory, Travel

240 pages, Hardcover

Published September 29, 2020

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

[Chris Steeden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this as a Christmas present and quite delighted I was too. This type of book you need to read in hardcover as it has some lovely photos accompanying the text.

The author is looking at objects and places in Britain where the experts are not quite sure of their original purpose or meaning. A place could be Must Farm in Cambridgeshire which is 3,000 years old whereas an object could be the Saltfleetby Spindle Whorl which has a kind of Viking secret message written into it.

I know that a lot of times when they are unsure as to what its purpose was the fall-back is ritual. I was an avid watcher of Time Team and they really did not like to go with that but in some cases it was probably true.

This book reminds you that Britain’s past is incredible. You forget that living in these technological times just how amazing our past is. I have added more places on my list to visit once I retire. Sometimes I read about one object whereas other times I read a few. It really does not matter. You can treat it like a coffee table book and dip in-and-out. I would say the majority of places and objects I had not heard of but there are some famous ones thrown in like Stonehenge.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

thanks to the publishers and netgalley for a free in return for an open and honest review

this book was very informative about Britain mysterious history written so can be easily understood and the photography outstanding. this book can be read by most people and still enjoy the love of history and our past

[K.J. Charles]

Overview of all sorts of cool prehistoric/ancient to medieval artefacts and sites, lots of pictures. A useful-to-have-around-if-this-interests-you book rather than revelatory; uses "we don't know what this was for" a LOT.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Secret Britain is an amazing book about the British Isles and many unexplained and often mysterious and creepy things. The photography in this book is fantastic and I really enjoyed learning about so many mysterious and unexplained things that have bee discovered and unearthed in the UK.
I'd love to visit some of these places in the flesh!
Each place and piece of history is fantastically described and has at least a page of information about it and some pieces I couldn't pull my eyes away from!

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I'm in Britain I can't help but wonder what lies beneath my feet. Are bumps and mounds treasures? Burial pits? Castles? Walking where others walked thousands of years ago leaves me in awe and very curious.

In her magnificent book, Mary-Ann Ochota tantalizes with fascinating facts and stories and both answers questions and asks questions. Part of the allure of ancients' lives is the perplexing mysteries. When you see photographs of unmatchable intricate gold trinkets and skeletons buried in strange but deliberate positions you ask, why? And how? This book contains mystery after mystery, from 33,000 years ago to 1916.

Much of the focus is on lesser-known sites and objects which had me clinging to every word, not wanting it to end. Though I've been to a few places mentioned such as Avebury, Fortingall, Hadrian's Wall and Tintagel there are so, so many more places I Iong to see as a result of reading this. I hadn't heard of "wifeys", the Ness site on Orkney, recumbent stones in Aberdeenshire, Greenstead Church and countless others.

Why were eagles buried with people? What were carved stone balls for? What did the hooded figures signify? What were Romans thinking when they created cryptic messages in mosaics?

Rituals, spiritualism and magic were often central to life and this book does a superb job of blending every topic seamlessly. The photographs are breathtaking and evocative and the maps and illustrations very helpful. Humans have yet to discover answers to many unsolvable questions but that's appealing. The illustrations and photography allow the reader to envision and build bits of puzzles here and there.

The writing isn't textbook-ish and very easy to read...everything flows so well. I have read another book by this author and now will read all I can find.

Anyone contemplating studying prehistoric and ancient Britain needs to read this. To those attracted to the lure of true mysteries, history and beautiful artifacts, please prioritize this book. It will be amongst the top Nonfiction books for me this year. The subject matter is a favourite of mine and I will definitely buy a hard copy to have on hand.

[Theediscerning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book, succinctly showing us the wonders of the British Isles that we can't fully explain. Standing stone rings, unusual artefacts whose use and/or creators are never to be known of again, and copious other ruins and landmarks – all are here, and the benefits of the book are evident in how many I had never heard of. A highly pictorial stance means some items are dismissed with just a paragraph, but I didn't find those too short – the picture editor has done a great job in both making this book look great and making sure most pictures told the necessary thousand words. None of the entries outstay their welcome (despite perhaps a little too much in the way of speculation), and it was all a bit too much to not book a few grand tours of remote Scotland, etc, to go and see the things and places in the flesh. For a primer to Fortean Britain, this is way up there.

[Tripfiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating and unusual tour of BRITAIN

Our You Tube review: https://youtu.be/nrTgkeUcTSU



This is a fabulous tour around the British Isles in the expert hands of Mary-Ann Ochota. If you love a quick dig into archaeology (pun intended) and history, then this will appeal, looking at aspects of our culture that are downright curious, baffling, interesting and oftentimes wondrous. It is a guidebook to Britain’s quirky and fascinating heritage and you could quite easily set off and visit each site in the flesh.

Of course, in these Covid times, visiting is not really a possibility, so she stresses that many of the sites have websites where you can experience digital resources, like cutting edge 3-D models, aerial films and up-close-and-personal views of some of the most staggering things from Britain’s past. It makes for perfect #armchairtravel!

In the contents she has listed 230+ sites and there is a map so you can see their exact location.

I was drawn to see what was in my vicinity and was delighted to find mention of the Genii Cucullati found at Housesteads. These are cloaked figures that come in threes. It is not known whether they are friend or foe, but the cloaks they wear were quite the thing, a prized export – perhaps something to consider resurrecting come 1st January 2021?

She takes her readers to more familiar and popular sites like the Cerne Abbas Giant in Dorset, Lullingstone Roman Villa and the Uffington White Horse. I have to admit my favourite discovery is on P92 which describes the Guildhall Witch Bottle, discovered in London. It is a 17th Century stoneware bottle, pre-dating the Great Fire of London (1666). It is a tool to protect you from witches and spells and a ghastly fate. Such a bottle would invariably contain bent sharp metal items, like pins and… human urine, some have been found contain all manner of things like nail clippings, hair and belly button fluff. The Guildhall bottle, unusually, had been set alight. It is thought these bottles were sold off-the-shelf to help with witchy induced ailments, like nightmares, great fatigue, depression etc… I wonder, did you just pop them on a shelf in your home and hope that the powers would seep out and offer a cure for your ailments?

A fascinating and wonderful journey, with beautiful photographs, to take you on an unusual tour of Britain.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all things dealing with Great Britain, most especially historical aspects. I felt like this would be the perfect book for me, since during the COVID pandemic, there won't be much travel involved. It makes it an excellent time for an arm chair trip. The book details most sites of the British Isles, and yet, surprisingly, many were not. I would have enjoyed further information about, and more attention given to, Irish sites. This does not however, distract from the plethora of information in the book and the accompanying photographs are wonderful. I definitely recommend this book.

I would like to thank Mary-Ann Ochota, Quarto Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Miranda YEUNG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Britain: Unearthing our Mysterious Past by Mary-Ann Ochota

Well-researched book that brings us back to the old time in the Britain. It comes along not only with a cup of tea and scone, also with many beautiful and colorful photos.

It includes various counties. I recommend to read the one that have been or you are interested in. They all can read as standalone. The book is easy to read and follow, and you will be amazed by the history and mysterious story behind in the Britain!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my copy.

Pub date: March 12, 2024

[Lynsey Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book, and a gateway drug into further investigations of areas/artefacts mentioned herein.

We really do live on an Island full of the most interesting and complex history.

I for one am mostly excited about the composite mummies found in the Outer Hebrides. But that’s the HP Lovecraft fan in me talking.

[Sarah Skerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, what a book. What a marvellous, engaging, beautifully photographed and well-researched book.
I read this book as a review copy, and read it from cover to cover, devouring the narrative, the gorgeous photographs and easy to read layout. This book has so much information, but no so much that it reads like a thesis, so the reader doesn't get bogged down in minutiae of detail, but enough to encourage you to find out more.
I have learned so much, and have recognised places I grew up knowing - Royston Cave and Glastonbury Tor.
For those who like historical context, there's a timeline, and for those who'd like to plan a trip, you have a map provided.
The variety of places and objects is vast, from all corners of Britain, and did I mention the photography at all? It's stunning.
Highly recommended in every possible way.

[Derek Baldwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this sits in the slightly uncomfortable niche between coffee table book and serious archaeology. It fails in the first category because it is text-heavy, and a substantial amount of the photography is (excellent quality) stock images (in particular from Alamy). It falls short in the second category because of repeated lapses into Blue Peter style "explain it nicely" turns of phrase, and far too many twee questions. I read the whole thing by the way, rather than using it as a dip-into resource. (Library copy is why.)

At several points the author stresses that "we don't know the name of this person" (referring to a buried skeleton, for example) and while it is fair enough to frame speculations with ifs and coulds and mights, why would anyone care what the name of a skeleton was? Unless they're only interested in Tudors and the Second World War, because essentially that's all schools in England teach their pupils about history up until about age 12. By which time swathes of kids have likely been alienated by the constant jingoism and worship of Kings and Queens.

Some highlights: I did enjoy the Cerne Abbas giant piece, which displays some welcome humour, and the discussion of ochre and the Paviland cave skeletal discoveries (originally known as the Red Lady, but a youngish man in fact) was one of the more interesting articles. A bit of a bad typo here though, at one point the text reads that the "population of Britain... was probably no more than a couple of hundred." (p.179) The way the text is ordered is interesting too: starting in Orkney and proceeding roughly clockwise around Britain.

I could almost guess which sites were going to come up but it was refreshing to guess wrongly at times, for instance I assumed Cumbria would mention Castlerigg but the site chosen was Swinside. Hadrians Wall is only mentioned very briefly. Too well-known maybe..?.. though quite a lot of the materials/sites discussed would not meet my definition of 'Secret'. Substantial numbers of the sites are orthodox 'English Heritage' type landmarks, and many of the artefacts are available to be seen in mainstream museums. If you want 'Secret' give Porton Down a try, but don't tell them I sent you.

If people are inspired to put the book down and go see the places that is a mission worth backing. A range of different eras is covered too, but no damn Tudors and no glorification of war. Big thumbs up for that.

I had not heard of the author before (I don't watch television) but she is apparently a Time Team regular (which I did use to watch if Francis Pryor was on) so that would partly explain the patronising tone. I'd guess the book was dictated to Dragon NS and not proof-read as carefully as the author claims in the acknowledgements. Cambridge graduate, natch.

Despite my carping this is not a bad book at all and I will try some more of her stuff. If you can get a library or second-hand copy for browsing (the stylistic annoyances would not be as obvious) you could certainly do a lot worse. It's not a bargain at £20 for a new copy though, especially given the preponderance of stock photos and what looks to me like a very brittle binding that may not last very long.

[Venetia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

This book is a brilliant tour around the British Isles and a wonderful introduction to Britain’s history. The introduction instantly hooks the reader, and can be read by people who have no prior knowledge, but is still engaging even if the reader is familiar with the subject. The book is always easy to read even though it includes some specialist or simply obscure terms because Ochota makes sure to provide some sort of explanation, clearly anticipating that not everyone will know what a midden layer is.

The book takes the reader on a comprehensive tour of some of the most interesting and important archaeological finds and sites in Britain. It’s very well laid out, with a useful timeline and map at the front of the book that allows your date to quickly dates sites and finds, and locate them, before moving on to reading about these “secret places” in greater depth. The pictures, too, are absolutely stunning, and if the content of the book doesn’t make a reader want to visit these places, the photos almost certainly will.

Reading this was fascinating, even though I’m quite familiar with a lot of what’s mentioned within. Each section is fantastically described, and there were some finds and places I’d never heard of, and rather than bombarding the reader with historical facts and figures and the wider history of a place, instead, each section tells the story (or stories) of the places and objects there, and focuses on that one site or piece. This makes it easy to read, but it often also connects to the wider history of the place, as well as the beliefs, people, and culture attached to those places and pieces.

Ochota presents interesting and occasionally unique takes and theories as to what certain archaeological evidence might suggest about the history and beliefs of a place, and each theory is well-thought-out and well presented, never leaving the reader scratching their head trying to figure out what she means.

My only, very minor, complaint is the lack of focus on Seahenge, despite the fact that Ochota states in the introduction to the book that it’s an important sight. We have the picture and the caption that goes with it and provides some explanation about the site, but where some sites have two or three pages, Seahenge has only its caption. This, however, isn’t uncommon through the book, as several other sites and finds have little written about them.

Overall, it’s a very interesting and enjoyable read, and a very solid popular archaeology book.

[Pop Bop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Done Right

These sorts of collections run a wide gamut - from cut and paste jobs cribbed from dubious Wikipedia pages to elegant scholarly works. This book fits quite nicely toward the high end of the scale in terms of breadth and content. Of almost equal importance, unlike many otherwise fine books, this volume is loaded with high quality photos, drawings, and diagrams.

It is very frustrating when a book goes into detail about some gorgeous site or item of historical or artistic significance, but leaves you without any illustration beyond maybe a pencil sketch or, worse, a dreamy pastel watercolor impression of the subject. Then it's "off to the internet" to actually look at what you've just read about. That's fine for real research, but deadly if you're mainly looking for an armchair diversion to hold in one hand while you have a comforting dram in the other hand.

Here, the book delivers. If we are going to read about The Ness of Brodgar, then we get an aerial view of The Ness of Brodgar and a ground level view of the Ness of Brodgar. Sometimes we get a schematic or a site plan. The Desborough Mirror is beautiful, so I want to see at least a photo of it while I read. Here, you do. Same for the Westray Wifey. As I say, the book delivers the goods.

And such a selection. There are 75 formal entries, (art pieces, circles, henges, buildings, caves, mysteries), and references to many more. We travel through Scotland, Wales, and England. (Sorry, no Ireland.) I could have used more Wales, but I'm biased so that doesn't count as a criticism.

Pretty pictures, though, aren't enough if the narrative is off. Here we get a text that is congenial, knowledgeable, and a fine balance between academic and popular. This isn't tourist office salesmanship, but rather descriptions that seem sound from a scholarly point of view, yet grounded in a basic appreciation for the strangeness, attraction, and beauty of the subjects. Our author is a cheerful and engaging companion.

So, I'm always a bit hesitant with books like this because you never know what you'll get. This one was delightful and will sit quite comfortably next to my armchair.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Amanda Lavelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
Are you a parent fresh from attempting homeschooling during the pandemic? I certainly am and I really wish I’d had this book with me a few months ago. I used the Summer Solstice and Stonehenge for a history project with my son and he’s become fascinated with medieval Britain as a result. So even though I’ve thankfully handed back the reigns of his education back to his teachers now, I’m delighted to be able to share this book with my son and expand his knowledge and interest. I might add that goes for me also. Sure, we’ve all heard of Tintagel with the King Arthur legends and the Uffington White Horse chalk hill figure, right? But did you know much about Calanais, the Cladh Hallan Mummies, or Must Farm (known as the Pompeii of the Fens)? No, me neither! Isn’t Britain just so rich in history to discover and aren’t we lucky enough to still be able to see these medieval places and objects? This book is visually very appealing with really beautiful photography and some absolutely fascinating facts, written in an engaging and informative manner. I’m definitely considering buying a physical copy of this book to add to our home library as I can certainly see this being used for many homework projects and also to satisfy my son’s love of medieval history.

[Louise Foerster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary-Ann Ochota's SECRET BRITAIN is the perfect deep dive into places and times I know nothing about -- taking me out of my everyday life and into an incredible tour of mysterious sites and artifacts throughout Britain. As an American, I was completely unfamiliar with the countryside and vast riches of a land that has been populated for thousands of years by natives and invaders who left their sacred, their riches, their meaningful marks. Ochota starts this remarkable tour with "When you stop and look, magic happens. The wonders transport you into the secret lives of ancient people." Her deep knowledge and expertise are shared with accessible language that evokes the history, the people, and the times long before us -- I felt like I shared time with a comfortable friend with loads of stories to share. Also in the introduction, Ochota states "Archeology is often focused on the how....But I invite you to explore the more elusive question: Why?" I loved spending time roaming and roving and digging into places I never knew would so captivate, so entrance, and so delight me. This is a remarkable, most enjoyable guide written with all the power and eloquence of a passionate fellow wonderer.

[Annie Leadley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a total joy this Book has been to read, increasing my knowledge about many of our ancient sites & artifacts . When ever we've been out walking deep in our stunning Countryside we've always wondered what secrets to our Past may lie beneath our feet. The Photographs & illustrations add to the beauty & fascination of this book, so for anyone who is interested in our ancient history will enjoy this beautiful book.,which has a been a reading highlight during my eleventh month of medical shielding & Lock Down, so I want to say a huge Thank You to it's author Mary-Ann Ochota.
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[Emily - readingwordafterword · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Britain offers a fascinating look at some of Britain’s oldest archaeological sites & artifacts. It would be beautiful coffee table book for people interested in travel, history, or archaeology. The photographs are simply stunning and the stories about each entry are engaging, well-written, and easy to understand. This is a book that takes you on a journey through Britain. It paints a vivid picture of a place that has been home to many different people & cultures over thousands of years.

Some of my favorites from Secret Britain are:

-The Aberlemno Pictish stones carved by the Picts in 500-600 AD.

-The Iron Age Snettisham treasures, including the magnificent golden torcs, that might have been buried by the Iceni people around the time of Roman invasion.

-The Uffington White horse, the oldest hill figure in Britain, estimated to be around 3000 years old. Absolutely incredible!

Secret Britain was a very interesting book. It provides a great overview of some of the most unique places and discoveries in Britain. It can stand on its own as a history book or be used to supplement further learning.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing the free e-copy of Secret Britain.

[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 fascinatiing title.

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

[Ophelia Sings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, I loved this. I've been stuck indoors a lot lately (haven't we all), and Secret Britain has done a wonderful job of taking me on a virtual tour of the country - and furnished me with a list of things I want to do and see when All This is behind us.

Eminently dip-inable, this lavishly illustrated tome is as much a road trip through the past as it is a tour of the UK. Some sites you will be familiar with, others will be a surprise - but Mary-Ann Ochota makes both come to life with her gorgeous writing.

This book is an ideal introduction to the history of the British Isles - particularly useful if you're homeschooling at the moment, or want to spark a love of history in someone young. But it absolutely isn't just for kids - there's plenty here for everyone to enjoy. The photography is glorious, but it's not a case of style over substance - it's also impeccably researched and informative.

A wonderfully lively, engaging and altogether beautiful book.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a stunning book! A great, informative resource on all things British history, archeology and artefacts. Many of which you will have heard before, some you won’t have and some that really spark the interest and awe about historical events and the people that lived them.

The photos and pictures to accompany the text were great and I loved seeing and learning about the different artefacts that I’ve both come across and many of which weren’t even on my radar! I learnt a fair amount from this book and have a few new ‘must sees’ on my list to go and visit. After this book, I’ll be seeing them with new eyes.

I love learning about history and the archeology behind it all is just so fascinating. Loved this book for delivering the facts and I leave awed in all the history that we’ve managed to decode and gain a snippet into the insights into the past.

Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.

[Sarah Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this through NetGalley, so thank you to them.

Because I read it electronically on a relatively small device, I really didn't get the most of this book. The text is fascinating, but the pictures are incredible, and it was hard to really see these on a phone. This is a big, luscious book, and I'd love to actually hold it. And maybe stroke it.

Ochota takes us on a tour of the British Isles, looking at some ancient (and a few not so ancient) places and artefacts. There are lots of places here I really want to visit, and there were lots of things I hadn't heard before. Sometimes beautiful books are short on actual information, but this one has plenty of factual stuff to chew over, and a great sense of what is strange and wonderful.

[Pete daPixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quite interesting collection of places and artefacts found across the British Isles. An easy read that should appeal to a wide range of ages interested in the history of the British Isles. There is an equally wide age range of subjects dating from 33,000 years, all the way into the 20th century with each item accompanied with explanatory text and some great photographs. Even after archaeological research many of these sites and artefacts remain mysterious and somewhat unexplained, which is perhaps the main fascinating aspect of this collection.
I was particularly drawn to the topics from the Stone Age through the Bronze and Iron Ages, which highlighted to me how many freaky places in these Islands I have yet to visit.

[Sarnchai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Thoroughly Wonderful Tour Through Time

This book is so great in so many aspects.

Organising the story by a short yet thorough overview of numerous artifacts found in Britain makes it very accessible and suitable for a short dabble while you are in a hurry or on the move.

The presentation of these relics are thought provoking and as you keep on reading through the book they change your perspective about the study of history somewhat.

By providing you with the current evidence and asking you some interesting questions, the author brings you along on a tour through the wonderful history of this lovely isle, and with her nicely written prose and description this history is very alive indeed.

Love the book, love the history, and the author.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers - Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion - for giving me access to this book as an EARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Secret Britain is an immensely interesting book with beautiful photographs showcasing items and landscapes marked by history. It is astonishing to see remnants of Stone Age (and later) civilisations just sitting out there in nature, or just around the corner. The United Kingdom is so full of history and it's simply amazing that traces of people long before us are there - and that more is being discovered all the time.

I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for this virus to go away so that I can travel to the UK again without restrictions.

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where my ancient British history nerds at? You want this book- it tells of ancient British artifacts, sites, treasures, and more, with tons of photos to illustrate what's being talked about. The locations are arranged geographically, starting in the North and working around clockwise to come back around to the top again, with a handy map at the beginning with all the locations marked, plus a timeline to help us pin down when things took place. The text is written in an engaging way, that relays the information in a way that's fun and interesting without feeling dry. A great book to snuggle up with on a cold afternoon!

#SecretBritain #NetGalley

[Dave Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A walk through Britain with a particular focus on its archeology. The book uses a lot of photos to help take us on this journey, accompanying these pictures with the stories behind the specific artifact. The artifacts are all generally small, and thus it requires some interest in stories they point to for this book to be worthwhile. If that sort of history is not your thing then this won't be the book for you. It's worth pointing out however that the book keeps the snippets short and digestible. It's meant to be a fun romp through some interesting facets of the landscape and it's rich past.

[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.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great way to travel, archaeology style, from the comfort of your own house. I liked the way the author makes you think about things in a different way. There is so much past hidden beneath our feet, it really helps to make a person think about what could be there. This book shows discoveries and details in Britain, but the concept could work even in your own area. Not every thing has to be huge temples and obvious ruins. Highly recommend this book and author. Definitely will take a copy along if I ever go across the pond.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book with beautiful photographs and written by Mary-Ann Ochota in an entertaining way (no 'dry' history here). Science can tell us so much now about ancient monuments, sites, bones, objects etc. but there are still so many intriguing mysteries. We can only guess at WHY the ancients did what they did and I'm almost glad the truths are lost in the mists of time because I find the speculation so much fun and mysteries are so bewitching. Many of the examples I've never heard of and I definitely want to visit them all!