Somerset, one of England's most rural counties

Somerset, one of England's most rural counties, has for centuries depended on agriculture for much of its income. At the time these photographs were taken, much of the county was suffering a downturn in agricultural output. A series of disastrous harvests in the 1880s and the loss of the corn laws contributed to this decline. The poverty and hardship on the land forced many to seek alternative employment in the town.

This book looks at this county as it was a century ago. Some of the best old photographs available have been collected together and reproduced here, in sepia, with an accompanying text made up of extracts gathered from contemporary writing from all over the county.

Thus, some evocative sights of old Somerset, from the seaside at Weston Super Mare to the elegance of Georgian Bath, are brought to life in these pages.