Review of ‘Northern Derbyshire : Snapshots in Time’, by Tom Bates

This review is by Julie Bunting, and was published originally in The Peak Advertiser, the Peak District's local free newspaper, and is reproduced with Julie's kind permission.

Tom Bates celebrates his irrepressible love affair with the county of his birth with this new title from New Age Poetry Press. Having spent one-third of his life writing about this 'magical centre of England' which he holds so dear, he has now brought together all his years of research and explorations for 'Snapshots in Time'.

He guides the reader in and out of the Peak District with thoughtfully chosen themes covering matters great and small. Writing of the unimaginably distant past, the author explains how it is that our Derbyshire scenery largely owes its appearance to volcanoes and coral reefs. He moves forward in time to consider the settlement of the region in chapters as diverse as stone circles and sacred sites, mineral exploitation, and even the Policing of Derbyshire, while present day observations range from local infrastructure to concerns about global warming.

A 150-page itinerary then provides an armchair tour of some 50 towns and villages north of an imaginary line through Cromford, from today's thriving market centres to tiny unspoilt hamlets in the hills, all combining, says Tom Bates, to 'leave indelible impressions upon the senses of all who come to enjoy the good fortune of their acquaintance.'

Northern Derbyshire - Snapshots in Time was launched at Newbold Library, Chesterfield, on Thursday 22 November 2007.

Review by Julie Bunting