Stan Beckensall's Books

In this latest book the prolific Stan Beckensall returns to his principal specialism, Britains prehistoric rock art.

A unique perspective on the landscapes of Northumberland

A lavishly illustrated guide to an outstandingly beautiful area of one of Britain's most popular visitor attractions.

Lavishly illustrated full-colour book exploring the landscape and geology of Northumberland.

An engaging insight into Northumberland's hidden heritage

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Hexham has changed and developed over the last century.

We all must die, and how society deals with the disposal is fascinating in the way it reflects the beliefs of the people of the time and ways in which they honor or do not honor the dead. Having excavated prehistoric burials, the author weighs carefully the evidence of what people might have thought of the dead through the way they buried them and what was put into the graves. These excavations were done mainly with the help of young people, and the way that this has been organised in order to get the maximum information has been an essential part of the task. The author provides much detail of this that makes it more interesting and personal. Burial customs change, so the book includes a section on events such as the Black Death and cholera to show how such catastrophes change people's minds and customs. The present problem of burial has been highlighted as it was then by the horror of an invisible disease, the effects of which we have to cope with. In the past the causes of the disease, when discovered, led to Public health inquiries into the causes, and to improvements in some burial grounds. The traditional burial in “God's little Acre' around a church provides with much information about people through their headstones and other monuments – something accessible to all who visit our churches today, and examples from Northumberland give a typical range of what we find there.

Stan Beckensall traces the nature of Northumberland's coastal castles and their roles in the lives of the people of the area.

A unique perspective on the landscapes of Northumberland

An engaging insight into Northumberland's hidden heritage

An accessible exploration of England's prehistoric past through the clues set in stone by our ancient ancestors. Stan Abbott explores Britain's neolithic remains, including Castlerigg and Long Meg and her Daughters. In Ring of Stone Circles, Stan Abbott sets out to explore one part of England for the visible clues to our mysterious past from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages: stone circles and standing stones, in Cumbria—the Northern English county that boasts more of these monuments than any other. Here, the country’s tallest mountains are ringed by almost fifty circles and henges, most of them sited in the foothills or on outlying plateaux. But why were these built? We may never have a definitive answer to this question, but by observing and comparing sites, a greater understanding emerges. Were some circles built for ritualistic purposes, or perhaps astronomical? Were they burial sites, or simply meeting places? Join Stan Abbott as he searches for the hidden stories these great monuments guard—and might reveal if we get to know them.

Stan Beckensall's enthusiasm for rock art makes him the ideal author for this guide to the abstract motifs and symbols spread across the landscape. Here he focuses on detailed regional surveys carried out in Northumberland, Yorkshire, southwest England and Wales, Galloway, Argyll, Tayside, the Highlands and Grampians, and on rock art associated with standing stones, stone circles, burial monuments and rock shelters. The history of recording and studying the art is discussed, and a good collation of examples and descriptions are given that will form a useful companion to the more speculative discussion of the interpretation of the motifs put forward by others.

Stan Beckensall traces the nature of Northumberland's coastal castles and their roles in the lives of the people of the area.

In his latest book on the county, Stan Beckensall explores what place names and field names mean, and how they can reveal an intimate part of our local history by linking us to the land they sign and socialise. Northumberland has a rich legacy of such names which can best be appreciated by close familiarity with the landscape. If you find these examples intriguing, you will enjoy the book: Grimping Haugh, Jill's Arse, Little Sloshes, Boggle Hole, Shovelbread and Blowbutts. The text explores a series of sites which demonstrate how place names are derived, and change over time. This study is well supported by a wide range of illustrations ranging from photographs and documents to maps. The detailed research undertaken by the author helps to ensure this is a comprehensive guide to the origins of places within Northumberland.

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Hexham has changed and developed over the last century.

Stan Beckensall, popular local author and a recognised expert on the history of the area, provides a unique look at Northumberland using aerial photographs.

Situated in the picturesque Tyne Valley in a landscape marked by Hadrian's Wall, Hexham is a town steeped in ancient history. This illustrated guide contains 130 archive images accompanied by captions that explore the heritage of the medieval market town of Hexham.

Grossbritannien/Irland - Wandmalerei/Wandkunst - Frühbronzezeit (BrA - BrB1) - Endneolithikum - Northumberland.

Book's by Stan Beckensall

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