A portrait of old-fashioned life in the English countryside, with profiles of a beekeeper, a farrier, a master thatcher, and more. This unique book offers an evocative look at the lives of twelve English countrymen, spanning from the Edwardian period right through to today—and the skills and trades, some forgotten or seemingly obsolete, that allowed rural communities to grow and thrive with a culture of resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and harmony with nature. From Ernest Sharp the thatcher to George Ranger the farrier; and from John Furzey the beekeeper to Bill Thomson the hurdle maker, experience the working and home lives of these colorful characters in the idyllic—but hardworking—English countryside.