When I saw the new titles published by Landmark I largely ignored them as
simple reprints of old titles with a few extra pictures, a mistake that
needs rectifying.

Lead Mining in the Peak District, Edited by T D Ford and J H Rieuwerts,
paperback 207pp, a new modern style has been used in the production with
shaded blocks for page numbers, coloured pages to highlight evidence and
details, plus it is full of superb colour pictures and not the usual surface
remains. For the first time in a Mining publication there are a multitude of
Colour photos of existing underground features and the explorers, these sort
of photos generally restricted to Caving Publications and the odd video.
Paul Deakin's skills as Photographer both surface and underground have been
used to the full extent and bring to the armchair reader the opportunity to
visit site most will never reach.

The book is not just a picture book but is well structured and broken down
into districts, each with well produced maps and underground plans. Not only
is it good to read but also provides a very useful guidebook to anyone
wanting to explore both the surface and underground mining remains in the
area. My copy will have pride of place on the bookshelf. At £9.95 the book
is very good value for money.

The Copper and Lead Mines around the Manifold Valley, Lindsey Porter and
John Robey, hardback 269pp,the book looks at these mines in North
Staffordshire abandoned over 100 years ago the same modern approach has been
used again except only one colour photo is used on the cover, it is well
produced and contains a lot more information than the original and black and
white photos are used throughout to good effect.Prehistoric hammers and an
antler pick have been found on the Ecton Hill site which in its heyday was a
fabulously rich enterprise The book is intended as a collectors item and
surely will be sought after in years to come at £19.95 it is good value for
a book of this quality of production. (Incidentally I still have 3 copies
left of the original produced in 1972 available at £7.95)


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