From Neolithic Britain to the 21st Century, animals have proved an important part of British lives from sports and wars to pets and food production. Which animals were made extinct and which have been reintroduced? What caused the Black Death? Which king passed a law that encouraged everyone to hunt animals in the wild? Why was the pit pony essential for coal-mining? All these questions and many more are explored in this fascinating account of Britain’s history through animals.

The book is part of ‘A history of Britain in 12 …’, a series which examines 12 items that are key to British history from the Stone Age to present day. The series helps students understand chronology and the idea of continuity and change. By focusing on different objects, it also encourages the reader to understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources and to gain knowledge of the methods of historical enquiry.