Borrowed from Hull Central Library, the above book makes very interesting reading. Published in 2014 it deals with landscapes encountered by the author, not as the sub-title suggests, all lost landscapes. However, the author’s approach makes it all the more meaningful because he connects the areas with his biography, with the landscape and geology central to these reflections. I like his style, a style we could all adopt.
Mr. Neald grew up in a house on a valley side with partial views over Swansea Bay (not an area I am familiar with in any way). His family had connections with mining and the region was dominated by the coal mines of the Rhondda valley and their communities. He became very fond of one area of quarries while growing up and occasionally returned in later life. While growing up many of his adventures figured around an area of quarries near his home, and later he discovered that this strata was a band of non-coal rock, unlike most of the areas around. He also had family connections with the village of Aberfan and would have been in the primary school on the day the spoil heap sank down had not his parents moved to Swansea Bay somewhat earlier.
So the young Mr. Neald grew up thinking about landscape, bedrock and the like and was fortunate to be able to study Geology at A level while at the secondary school.
This idea of relating ones developing years to the landscape one found while growing up interests me. I thought I might do a couple of blogs on my take on this issue. If you are willing to take an interest with me go to the Scottish Libraries Historic O.S. maps website and, as a starting point, find the 1inch to one mile sheet for central Norfolk, sheet 66. the left hand quarter shows a section of the Fens, and dotted around are the towns of Kings Lynn, Swaffham, Downham Market and Watton (the last one I never visited as a child). Find the village of Boughton.
(to be continued)