The story in one page
Dan and Una act out Shakespeare in a Sussex garden until they summon Puck, the last of the People of the Hills. This ancient sprite grants the children access to the layered memories of the landscape, where they host a series of unexpected visitors. They meet Parnesius, a Roman centurion tethered to the Great Wall; Sir Richard, a Norman knight navigating a volatile post-Conquest England; and Hal, a master smith managing local grievances. These figures appear not as myths, but as talkative professionals discussing trade, border defense, and the physical labor of holding a territory together. As the siblings cycle through these accounts, the distinction between the modern farm and the deep, sedimented history of the soil gradually thins until Puck finally retreats for good.
Who's who
- Dan and Una
Siblings who meet historical figures brought by a fairy
- Puck
Ancient spirit who acts as a guide to British history
- Parnesius
Roman centurion tasked with holding the Wall against invaders
- Sir Richard
Norman knight struggling to navigate the politics of Pevensey
- Old Hobden
Local countryman whose family has worked the land forever
What it's really about
- Heritage
- The sense of living upon layers of accumulated history.
- Duty
- The burden of protecting borders and maintaining civil order.
Why it's memorable
- A centurion describing the boredom and terror of defending the Great Wall.
- The sound of a giant bull splashing through the brook near the garden.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
The children forget their supernatural encounters as they mature, leaving Puck behind. They end the summer singing, unaware that the fairy has vanished from their lives forever.
For your book club
- The contrast between a child's summer play and the grim reality of military history.
- How the landscape functions as an archive of wars and civilisations.