Nature's Great Masterpiece

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A01=Barclay Price
Animal Care & Pets
Animal Sciences
Animals
Author_Barclay Price
Category=JBFU
Category=NHTB
Cultural History
Elephants
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eq_history
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_new_release
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eq_society-politics
History & Criticism
Social & Cultural Anthropology
Social History
Social Issues
Sociology

Product details

  • ISBN 9781398125872
  • Weight: 306g
  • Dimensions: 165 x 234mm
  • Publication Date: 15 May 2026
  • Publisher: Amberley Publishing
  • Publication City/Country: GB
  • Product Form: Paperback
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Although mammoths and straight-tusked elephants once roamed Britain before extinction, and there is reference to Roman war elephants being used, the first elephant explicitly recorded arrived in 1255 as a gift to King Henry III. The creature was kept in the Tower of London and was a source of wonder and entertainment – the role the elephant would play in Britain from that time on.

In this book author Barclay Price takes the reader on a engrossing exploration of the animal’s associations with Britain through the ages. He charts medieval views of the first elephants seen, the early menageries and circuses and performing elephants to famous elephants such as Jumbo in Victorian London, elephants in popular culture and representations in public sculptures and paintings. With unusual tales and fascinating facts, this well-researched history will introduce readers to the captivating history of elephants in Britain up to the twenty-first century.

Barclay Price is the author of 'The Chinese in Britain' and 'Beastly Edinburgh' for Amberley, along with numerous articles for journals and magazines, and is the author of Running a Workshop, published by the Crafts Council. Before retiring he was a senior arts administrator and served on the board of Creative Scotland - Scotland's arts council. 'The Chinese in Britain' developed from his discovery that Britain's first Chinese immigrant lived in Scotland and expanded to cover other stories from across the United Kingdom.

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