What Happened
This topographical survey documents the rivers of the South and West coasts, tracing them from their damp origins to their meeting with the sea. The writers move methodically through the landscape, pausing at Plinlimmon to observe the 'monarch of hills' and moving down into the Shropshire coalfields, where they note how the 'dirty hand of man' has altered the banks of the Severn. The text combines local lore, such as the cherry-picking traditions of Calstock and the martyrdoms of Wigtown, with detailed descriptions of the castles and abbeys that define the British riverside. It functions as both a botanical record of lush woodlands and a lament for the 'smoke and noise' of growing manufacturing towns.
Key figures
- Severn
The primary river studied, flowing from Plinlimmon through the industrial Midlands.
- Plinlimmon
The mountain source where five different rivers, including the Wye, begin.
- Tintern Abbey
A famous ruins on the Wye celebrated for its medieval architecture.
- Cotehele House
An Edgcumbe family residence of historic interest located near the Tamar.
- Stonyhurst
Stonyhurst College, a former baronial mansion of the Sherburnes, stands near the meeting of the Hodder and the Ribble.
What it's really about
- Industrial Encroachment
- The conflict between natural beauty and the wealth-producing smoke of coalfields.
- Historical Superimposition
- Layering Roman ruins, Norman castles, and modern engineering in one landscape.
Why it's memorable
- The image of Plinlimmon as a father with three heads and five river children.
- A metal bridge span of 120 feet standing amidst the dingy hills of Ironbridge.
Where it lands
The survey concludes by observing how the Firth of Clyde and its surrounding peaks have become a recreation ground for the residents of Glasgow.
For your book club
- How the perception of mountain scenery shifted from 'horrid' to 'glorious' over one century.
- The reliability of 19th-century travel writing in documenting environmental degradation in the Shropshire coalfields.