What a depressing book: Britain's Lost Cities by Gavin Stamp

I bought a book the other day - Britain's Lost Cities, by Gavin Stamp (ISBN 13: 9781845135232) - and what a depressing book it is.

Britain's Lost Cities - Gavin Stamp

I've always assumed that much of what is missing in modern streetscapes happened over the last forty years or so, or during the Wars in the case of Great Britain and Europe. But, it turns out, much of the destruction was even earlier.
This book chronicles much of what has gone from the British streets, and how it came to be. The car is to a large extent responsible - while the railways had cut through the cities in Victorian times, they had a relatively small footprint compared to more modern dual carriageways and ring roads. By the 1930's, businessmen and planners where already drawing new plans for centuries old places, and much of the demolition had begun in earnest.

World War II of course provided the perfect excuse - a small amount of damage would be enough to excuse the immediate demolition of a building...

... and post World War II, the need for new housing and "reconstruction" would lead to more destruction still. (In places like Bristol they would demolish what was left standing rather than build where there rubble had been cleared).

This book chronicles it all, complete with many hundreds of historic photos, and leads you back to a time long gone. A very worthwhile read, particularly at just a smigeon over $25 NZ from the bookdepository, including freight.