Villages of vision / Gillian Darley.

"English villages evoke images of serenity, slow and peaceful change, lanes, gardens and cottages… a sense of continuity with the past which is both poignant and reassuring. All over Britain there are, however, villages that were artificially introduced. Their subsequent development may have been natural and organic, but these villages were invented for aesthetic, philanthropic or political reasons; for convenience and for ideals. Bournville and Port Sunlight - two shrines to the optimism of the industrial revolution - and Bedford Park, a London retreat for intellectuals, are examples. There are dozens of other strange or pretty arcadias all over Britain built by conscience-stricken aristocrats, industrialists, by idealists and by landscape gardeners seeking the right effect. The development and growth of these communities is described in this magnificently illustrated and pioneering book, as is the Englishman's desire for 'a place in the country'. A view of rural life that is half sentimental, half very primal - a curious mixture of romance and megalomania, is inherent in all. A complete gazetteer shows, county by county, where such villages can be seen - not as museums but as evolving, living places." -- Provided by publisher.