Robert Bevan-Jones's Books

The Ancient Yew

A History of Taxus baccata

By: Robert Bevan-Jones

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The Ancient Yew

A History of Taxus baccata

By: Robert Bevan-Jones

The gnarled, immutable yew tree is one of the most evocative sights in the British and Irish language, an evergreen impression of immortality, the tree that provides a living botanical link between our own landscapes and those of the distant past. This book tells the extraordinary story of the yew’s role in the landscape through the millennia, and makes a convincing case for the origins of many of the oldest trees, as markers of the holy places founded by Celtic saints in the early medieval ‘Dark Ages’. With wonderful photographic portraits of ancient yews and a gazetteer (with locations) of the oldest yew trees in Britain, the book brings together for the first time all the evidence about the dating, history, archaeology and cultural connections of the yew. Robert Bevan-Jones discusses its history, biology, the origins of its name, the yew berry and its toxicity, its distribution across Britain, means of dating examples, and their association with folklore, with churchyards, abbeys, springs, pre-Reformation wells and as landscape markers. This third edition has an updated introduction with new photographs and corrections to the main text.

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Page Count

376

Publisher

Oxbow Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1911188127

ISBN 13

9781911188124

Poisonous Plants

A Cultural and Social History

By: Robert Bevan-Jones

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Poisonous Plants

A Cultural and Social History

By: Robert Bevan-Jones

The botanical history of Britain and North West Europe has a dark and a light side. Plants have been used as weapons to harm people, taken deliberately as addictive drugs and also employed as tools in witchcraft and used as magical amulets. Yet many of these same plants have been medicinally vital to numerous European communities; as the author notes, frequently the only difference between a benevolent medicine and a poison is dosage. In this book, which is richly illustrated with modern colour photographs and illustrations from herbals, Robert Bevan-Jones brings together a wealth of documentary and archaeo-botanical sources to discuss the cultural, social (and anti-social) role of the fifty most significant species of poisonous plants and fungi found in Britain, either as natives or as introductions. An introductory essay puts into context the development of British society's knowledge of toxic plants: the 'cultural botany' applied in Britain today has evolved over thousands of years, absorbing information from European texts and importing useful plants from Europe, such as the mandrake. The book's central A to Z section - from aconite to yew - then informs the reader about the history and uses of 43 species of poisonous plants, especially those that have a documented history of medicinal usage. Four important fungi species - death cap, liberty cap, fly agaric and ergot - also have separate essays. As well as the plants' histories and appearance, their chemical constituents receive coverage; these give them powerful and diverse properties, which demand our admiration and respect. The book aims to add to the knowledge offered by field identification guides, and help reduce the risk associated with accidental ingestion. Case histories are given in as much detail as possible and the information will hopefully help the reader understand the properties of plants they may encounter, either in an archaeological, botanical or horticultural context. Most of these plants can yet be found growing in woodlands, parks, botanical gardens, roadsides, waterways, churchyards and abbey sites. This is an essential book not only for botanists and historical ecologists, but also for anyone interested in the toxic plant traditions of Britain and Europe.

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Page Count

351

Publisher

Windgather Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1909686220

ISBN 13

9781909686229

The Classic Serial on Television and Radio

By: Robert Giddings,Keith Selby

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The Classic Serial on Television and Radio

By: Robert Giddings,Keith Selby

The classic serial, invented by BBC Radio Drama sixty years ago, survived and adapted itself to television, the arrival of colour and the global market in what has become a flood of classics with all channels competing for ratings and overseas sales. This richly detailed book traces these developments and analyses the genre's response to social, economic, technical and cultural changes, which have re-shaped it into the form we recognise today. The book contains considerable interview material with performers and media professionals.

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Page Count

253

Publisher

Springer

Published Date

ISBN 10

0230596290

ISBN 13

9780230596290

Poisonous Plants

A Cultural and Social History

By: Robert Bevan-Jones

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Poisonous Plants

A Cultural and Social History

By: Robert Bevan-Jones

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351

Publisher

Windgather Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1909686220

ISBN 13

9781909686229

The Ancient Yew

A History of Taxus baccata

By: Robert Bevan-Jones

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The Ancient Yew

A History of Taxus baccata

By: Robert Bevan-Jones

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Page Count

376

Publisher

Oxbow Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1911188127

ISBN 13

9781911188124

Book's by Robert Bevan-Jones

The Ancient Yew

The Ancient Yew

Poisonous Plants

Poisonous Plants

The Classic Serial on Television and Radio

The Classic Serial on Television and Radio

Poisonous Plants

Poisonous Plants

The Ancient Yew

The Ancient Yew

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