It is hard to imagine that the busy townscape of South London was once a great wood, stretching almost seven miles from Croydon to Deptford or that, scattered through the suburbs, from Dulwich to Norwood, a number of oak woodlands have survived since before the Norman Conquest.

These woods were intensively managed for a thousand years, providing timber for construction, furniture and shipbuilding, and charcoal for London's blacksmiths, kilns and bakeries. Now they afford important green space, a vital habitat for small mammals, birds and insects. In The Wood That Built London, historian C.J. Schuler draws on a wealth of documents, historic maps and environmental evidence to chart the fortunes of the North Wood from its earliest times: its ecology, ownership, management, and the gradual encroachment of the metropolis.

About the Author

C.J. Schuler is the author of three illustrated histories of cartography: Mapping the World, Mapping the City and Mapping the Sea and Stars and co-author of the best-selling Traveller's Atlas. Writers, Lovers, Soldiers, Spies: A History of the Authors' Club of London, 1891-2016 was published in November 2016, and Along the Amber Route (Sandstone) in 2020.

He has also written on literature, travel and the arts for The Independent, The Independent on Sunday, The Tablet, The Financial Times and the New Statesman. He was chairman of the Authors' Club from 2008 to 2015.

FOREWORD AUTHOR

Rachel Lichtenstein is a British artist, writer and curator who is internationally known for her books, multi-media projects and artworks that examine place, memory and Jewish identity. The author of many books, including Estuary: Out from London to the Sea, she is co-director of the Centre for Place Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Reviews

'In this meticulously researched yet accessible work, historian C J Schuler brings to life a largely forgotten slice of the capital's topography.'

* Geographical Magazine *

'A gentle and beautifully produced book... Skilfully alternates between pastoral and archival archaeology.'

* The Tablet *

'Deeply rewarding'

'Timely and informative'

'An engaging reflection on what we've already lost; but more importantly, it's a vital reminder of what we still have alongside us.'

'Meticulously researched and hugely enjoyable.'

'A beautifully illustrated and richly researched exploration of the relationship of humanity and nature.'

* Historia magazine *

'Magnificent... Will be the defining work on the Great North Wood for a long time to come.'

* Woodlands.co.uk *



Book Information
ISBN 9781914518164
Author C.J. Schuler
Format Paperback
Page Count 336
Imprint Sandstone Press Ltd
Publisher Sandstone Press Ltd
Weight(grams) 255g
Dimensions(mm) 195mm * 130mm * 20mm