Although mammoths and straight-tusked elephants once roamed Britain before extinction, and there is reference to Roman war elephants being used, the first elephant explicitly recorded arrived in 1255 as a gift to King Henry III. The creature was kept in the Tower of London and was a source of wonder and entertainment – the role the elephant would play in Britain from that time on.

In this book author Barclay Price takes the reader on a engrossing exploration of the animal’s associations with Britain through the ages. He charts medieval views of the first elephants seen, the early menageries and circuses and performing elephants to famous elephants such as Jumbo in Victorian London, elephants in popular culture and representations in public sculptures and paintings. With unusual tales and fascinating facts, this well-researched history will introduce readers to the captivating history of elephants in Britain up to the twenty-first century.