Our nation's story told through 100 of the most important sites - from Stonehenge to the Gherkin

From battlefield to sacred building, from castle to cottage, from the Bridgwater Canal to Blackpool Pier, acclaimed historian John Julius Norwich tells the political, cultural, social, religious and economic story of England through one hundred key places you can still visit today. Part narrative history, part exploration of our national heritage, his wide-ranging selection of sites will stimulate, entertain, inform - and certainly provoke - a debate about the most significant moments in English history.

"'Lively and engaging... succeeds in conveying the complex texture and endless fascination of English history'" - David Cannadine, Financial Times

"'Lavishly illustrated, beautifully designed, entertaining and witty'" - Guardian

"'This beautifully written and sumptuously illustrated book sets out to tell the history of England through its landscape and architecture . . . John Julius Norwich is the perfect guide to these national treasures. He's urbane, amusing and extraordinarily well-informed'" - Mail on Sunday

"'An intriguing book, with an accessible style and lots of titbits from Emperor Hadrian's unusual beard to Huguenot origins of Brick Lane Mosque in London'" - The Times Books of the Year

"'A highly readable tome . . . each mini history is told with relish'" - Woman's Weekly

"'Enthralling . . . Take it on a "staycation' and be astonished afresh over architectural delights'" - Lady