Rural Britain

In 1860, Francis Frith began to take photographs of popular tourist destinations round Britain so holidaymakers could take home souvenirs of their visit. Over the next 50 years he and his team of photographers took thousands of photographs for Victorian tourists to paste into their albums. From churches to windmills, castles to carts, nothing was missed by the camera, and the resulting archive is not only a record of a century of social change, but a glimpse into Britain's past. Through this remarkable collection of pictures, the story of the countryside unfolds. Brought up to date by contemporary photographs, Rural Britain Then & Now tells the fascinating story of rural life and will be enjoyed by lovers of the countryside past and present.