The Fens

Discovering England's Ancient Depths

By: Francis Pryor

Narrated by: Francis Pryor

Whenever I travel somewhere else, in upland Britain, I find the hills and the horizon are leaning towards me, as if trying to cover me over; to blinker my gaze and stifle my imagination. It's always a huge relief to get back to the infinite vistas of the Fens.

The Fens is Britain's most distinctive, complex, man-made and least understood landscape. Francis Pryor has lived in, excavated, farmed, walked and loved the Fen Country for more than 40 years: its levels and drains, its soaring churches and magnificent medieval buildings.

In The Fens, he counterpoints the history of the Fenland landscape and its transformation - the great drainage projects that created the Old and New Bedford Rivers, the Ouse Washes and Bedford Levels, the rise of prosperous towns and cities, such as King's Lynn, Cambridge, Peterborough, Boston and Lincoln - with the story of his own discovery of it as an archaeologist.

©2019 Francis Pryor (P)2019 Head of Zeus

Critic reviews

"Pryor feels the land rather than simply knowing it." (Guardian)

"Francis Pryor brings the magic of the Fens to life in a deeply personal and utterly enthralling way." (Tony Robinson)

5 stars

I adored this. Looking forward to reading more by this author! Great all around. Thank you!

Tells a story like you are in the room

Francis Pryor tells a story about mud and rotten wood and dead grass like it’s the most exciting thing in the world. I’ve loved all of his books. Him narrating is a plus.

Loved it!

while I don't have a desire to live somewhere flat like the fens, it was very interesting and educational. Francis Pryor has a very soothing voice, easy to understand and his enthusiasm is wonderful.