Anglian Annals by Peter Sargent launched at Jarrold Norwich

Anglian Annals, Norwich writer Peter Sargent’s new East Anglian history book was launched at Jarrold Book Department Norwich on Saturday, September 21, along with Peter Sargent’s Moments in Time, a box set featuring his three local history books, A Moment in Time (2017), A Place in History (2018) and Anglian Annals.

Peter Sargent presents 50 more short history stories, in Anglian Annals, which both entertain and inform. Peter explained his research and selection process: “Ideas come to me for stories from all sorts of sources. It can be an item on the news, a random conversation, often a reference in a book or film. In the case of Sir John Hawkwood, who features in Anglian Annals, I came across him while planning a trip to Florence. When I discovered he was born in Essex and was a celebrated mercenary soldier, I decided he had to go in the book. Hawkwood’s impressively large memorial is indeed in the Florence Duomo, and it was worth queuing up to get in and see it.”

“There are a lot of different sources of information, from the internet to works of history,” continued Peter. “I find the main Norwich library in the Forum very useful for original material, and also like to head out in search of obscure memorials in churches and suchlike throughout the region.”

Delve into folklore and legend in Anglian Annals, learning the penalties of upsetting will o’ the wisps, why it was best to stay on the good side of demonic Norfolk eccentric Sir Berney Brograve, and enjoy the return of the saints at Ranworth.

Moving through the Middle Ages, find out what made Yarmouth great and why some of Norfolk’s ports are now inland. Travel to Cambridgeshire to a church that’s truly on the side of the angels.

Then go into the Tudor and Stuart period and ask if Bishy Barnabee – aka Dereham’s Bishop Edmund Bonner – deserved his murderous reputation, and consider the daring career of the Duchess of Suffolk.

In Georgian Norfolk take a walk on the wild side with a mysterious boy from Germany, while raising a glass of (untaxed) rum to the east coast’s dangerous smugglers at King’s Lynn. Passing into the 1800s, spend a day at the Norfolk races, while lamenting the last days of camping.

Anglian Annals, £12.00, published by Paul Dickson Books www.pauldicksonbooks.co.uk is on sale at Jarrold Norwich, Jarrold Cromer, Holt Bookshop, City Bookshop Norwich, Waterstones Norwich, Allthingsnorfolk.com and Amazon.

Peter Sargent’s Moments in Time, rrp £27.00, is on sale at Jarrold Norwich, Jarrold Cromer, Allthingsnorfolk.com and Amazon.

Editorial: Paul Dickson
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