Country Relics: An Account of Some Old Tools and Properties Once Belonging to English Craftsmen and Husbandmen Saved from Destruction and Now Described with their Users and their Stories

H. J. Massingham (1888-1952) was renowned as a prolific writer on matters relating to the British countryside. In this volume, which was originally published in 1939, Massingham provides a rich and detailed description of traditional agricultural husbandry and the rural crafts inseparable from it. Written in consultation with various practitioners of these crafts, the text reveals a subtle interrelationship between man and nature based on centuries-old processes. Rather than taking a nostalgic approach to these processes, Massingham regards them as the sensible alternative to the ‘scientific agriculture’ of mechanised farming. Numerous illustrations are included alongside the descriptions of various crafts. This is a fascinating volume that will be of value to anyone with an interest in British agriculture, traditional crafts, and the history of land use.