THE ENGLISH GATE [Northumberland]

F[rederick]. Alex. Wills (The Vagabond)

Published by North-East Publications, 14a Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1947

About this Item

First impression of the true first edition. No date. Circa 1947. Illustrated with sixteen black and white full-page plates including frontispiece showing: Old Border Bridge, Berwick-on-Tweed', twenty area black and white maps to each chapter, and four maps to the front and rear free endpapers and pastedowns (all plates and maps and plans present as called for). ***With a two-page foreword by A. Kerr Clarkson. ***Very good in orange cloth-covered boards with black titles to spine. Black and white map illustrated front and rear free endpapers and pastedowns showing: Celtic Northumberland, Roman Northumberland, Saxon Northumberland and Norman Northumberland respectively. Edges of boards rubbed and slightly faded. Head and tail of spine bumped and creased. Small area of fading to top edge of rear board. Fore-edge and top edge of text-block and prelims very slightly foxed. Interior pages clean. Spine tight. No inscriptions. ***In a very good colour illustrated dustwrapper that has not been price-clipped, showing publisher's price of 15/- net. Edges of dustwrapper creased, nicked and rubbed. Very small loss and small tears to corners of dustwrapper. Chip and associated creasing and tiny tear to top edge of rear panel of dustwrapper. Shallow loss to head and tail of spine. Very small chip to middle of spine of dustwrapper. Tiny closed tear and tiny chip to bottom edge of rear panel of dustwrapper. Very small chip to top edge of front panel of dustwrapper. Dustwrapper slightly rubbed and discoloured (being plain white background). 218mm x 162mm. 242 numbered pages plus one-page epilogue plus index plus two-page selection from the Castles, Bastles and Pele Towers which formed the Northern Gate to the rear. ***Chapters: 1. Tyne and Derwent Dales; 2. The Dales of Allen; 3. Gilsland and South Tyne; 4. North Tyne; 5. In Heartbreak Valley; 6. Along Dere Street; 7. Roman Redesdale; 8. The Cheviots; 9. Around a Celtic City; 10. Tiptoe Through Till Valley; 11. The Silvery Tweed; 12. Berwick to Holy Island; 13. The Smuggleries; 14. The Vale of Aln; 15. The Valley of the In Yore Folk; 16. Upper Coquetdale; 17. Lower Coquetdale; 18. Vales of Wansbeck and Pont; 19. Saxon Shore; 20. Great North Road. ***'This is a book packed with facts, which are always interesting, and opinions advanced as facts, which are often exciting. The Vagabond has great literary courage. He assails the experts on such subjects as the Wall, and the Roman civilisation in Britain, with cheerful certainty and a knobbly verbal cudgel. ---***---The James Adler illustrations bring an obviously skilful artist's illuminating pen to the decoration of the pages. Newcastle Journal and North Mail. (Review quote from inside of front of dustwrapper blurb). ***First impression of the true first edition, with all maps and plates present as called for, especially hard to find in its original fragile 1940s dustwrapper in complete condition. Only five copies listed on Copac, three copies listed on WorldCat. Of interest to the local historian. Uncommon. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Seller Inventory # 3886

Bibliographic Details

Title: THE ENGLISH GATE [Northumberland]

Publisher: North-East Publications, 14a Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne

Publication Date: 1947

Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: James Adler

Condition: Very Good

Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good

Edition: First Edition