A fine suburban dwelling, a grainy 18th century map and allusions to an internecine civil war are the catalysts for this sweeping social history which tells the fascinating and turbulent story of multiple families who have occupied the same space down the generations. In A Short History of Newton Hall, Chester by Chris Fozzard we witness great acts of heroism and self-sacrifice, crushing personal and material loss, deep relationship entanglements and intrigues, and uplifting displays of nurture and affection, against a backdrop of ceaseless social and political change, military conflict and colonial expansion. The house, which we look into and look out of, is the one abiding constant, even to this day.

This richly researched and illustrated book may be accessed, enjoyed and absorbed by anyone with an interest in history on a local, national or global scale. It is about real people, unified by a single place, and how they survived and co-existed through the ages.