Shadowlands: A Journey Through Lost Britain

Shadowlands is a book by historian Matthew Green that explores the forgotten history of Britain's lost cities, ghost towns, and vanished villages. It is a beautifully written and original account of how these places met their fate and how they have left their mark on our landscape and imagination. The book has been shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize and praised by critics for its insightful and compelling exploration of Britain's past.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 06 April 2023
Publisher: Faber & Faber

The Times Top 10 Bestseller Shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize!






Drowned. Buried by sand. Decimated by plague. Plunged off a cliff.


This is the forgotten history of Britain's lost cities, ghost towns, and vanished villages: our shadowlands.






A beautiful book, truly original. . .


It is a marvellous achievement.






IAN MORTIMER, author of The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England, said, "Well researched, beautifully written, and packed with interesting detail."






CLAIRE TOMALIN said, "An exquisitely written, moving, and elegiac exploration. . . Green's passion and historical vision bursts from the page, summoning up the past in surround sound and sensual prose."






CAL FLYN, author of Islands of Abandonment, said, "Consistently interesting. . . Green's passion and historical vision bursts from the page, summoning up the past in surround sound and sensual prose."






Historian Matthew Green travels across Britain to tell the forgotten history of our lost cities, ghost towns, and vanished villages. Revealing the extraordinary stories of how these places met their fate - and exploring how they have left their mark on our landscape and our imagination -




Shadowlands is a deeply evocative and dazzlingly original account of Britain's past.






An eloquent tour of lost communities.






PD SMITH, Guardian, said, "A haunting, lyrical tour around the lost places of Britain."






CHARLOTTE HIGGINS, author of Under Another Sky, said, "A miraculous work of resurrection, stinging in a perpetual present."






IAIN SINCLAIR, author of The Gold Machine, said, "Beautifully written."






SUNDAY TIMES said, "Startling."






FINANCIAL TIMES said, "Splendid."






THE HERALD said, "Compelling."






HISTORY TODAY said, "Excellent."






THE SPECTATOR said, "Fascinating."






DAILY MAIL said, "Accomplished."






CAUGHT BY THE RIVER said, "Outstanding."






MIRROR said, "Accomplished."

Weight: 298g
Dimension: 198 x 129 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780571338030
Edition number: Main