Heart of Albion
1989–2019
Thirty years of publishing
Publishing frighteningly good books since 1989
Heart of Albion, 2 Cross Hill Close, Wymeswold, Loughborough, LE12 6UJ
01509 881342
New
Although not a Heart of Albion publication, we are most happy to promote David Lea's detailed study of Swithland Slate headstones. The photographs are, frankly, amazing. Nowt wrong with the background information and discussion either!
The PDF can be downloaded for free: Swithland Slate Headstones but please note it's over 80Mbytes so maybe slow on less-than-ideal web connections.
Not just books and e-books but now videos too!
'HOAP' was once an acronym for 'Heart of Albion Press' – although the 'Press' was dropped around twenty years ago. Now it is an acronym for 'Heart of Albion Productions'.
The first six videos from Heart of Albion Productions, all by Bob Trubshaw, went online in April 2018 – more will follow later in the year. Three of the videos are based on the book Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland:
- Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland: Part 1 Standing stones
- Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland: Part 2 Ancient crosses
- Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland: Part 3 Holy wells
Three other videos relate to the medieval carvings of Leicestershire and Rutland and Project Gargoyle
- Introduction to the Medieval Carvings of Leicestershire and Rutland
- Understanding Leicestershire and Rutland's Anglo-Saxon and Romanesque Carvings
- Introduction to Project Gargoyle
All these links can also be found on Bob Trubshaw's YouTube Channel
Discovering the Wolds published September 2017
Noble Prospects: a history of the Hamiltons published December 2017
The free PDFs Rethinking Anglo-Saxon Shrines and Dream Incubation have been revised.
One of Heart of Albion's earliest booklets – Around Foxton: Memories of an Edwardian childhood by Sarah Dallaston – is now available as a free PDF. Anyone who knows Foxton Locks in south Leicestershire will be intrigued by this account of life there a century ago.
The fourth and fifth volumes of Beatrice Walditch's 'Living in a Magical World' series are now available:
The Twilight Age series
A series of books shedding new light on the 'Dark Ages'.
- Continuity of Worldviews in Anglo-Saxon England free download (revised edition)
- Souls, Spirits and Deities free download (revised edition)
- Continuity of Anglo-Saxon Iconography free download
- Minsters and Valleys free download
- Rethinking Anglo-Saxon Shrines free download (NEW revised edition)
- How Anglo-Saxons Found Their Way free download (revised edition)
- The Especially Sacred Grove free download (revised edition)
Recent
- Enchantment is All About Us
- Everything is Change
- Learning from the Ancestors
- Knowing Your Guardians
- Listening to the Stones
- Sign of Good Birth: A history of the Tates
- Pilgrimage in England: A concise overview free download
- Dream Incubation free download
- Meet the Dragon: An introduction to Beowulf's adversary free download
- Runes and Clog Almanacs free download
- Runebok free download
- Bringing Them Home: The story of the lost sons of Wymeswold
- Mothers' Union Banners: A neglected British 'folk art' free download
- How to Write and Publish Local and Family History Successfully free download of opening chapter
- Days and Rites: Popular customs of the Church
- Beyond the Henge: Exploring Avebury's World Heritage Site
- You Don't Just Drink It!: What you need to know – and do – before drinking mead
Free downloads
For a short time all five books in Beatrice Walditch's Living in the Magical World series are available as free PDFs
- Enchantment is All About Us
- Everything is Change
- Learning from the Ancestors
- Knowing Your Guardians
- Listening to the Stones
- Continuity of Worldviews in Anglo-Saxon England
- Souls, Spirits and Deities
- Continuity of Anglo-Saxon Iconography
- Minsters and Valleys
- Rethinking Anglo-Saxon Shrines
- Pilgrimage in England: A concise overview
- Dream Incubation
- Meet the Dragon: An introduction to Beowulf's adversary
- Runes and Clog Almanacs
- Runebok
- Mothers' Union Banners: A neglected British 'folk art'
- How to Write and Publish Local and Family History Successfully free download of opening chapter
- Through the Eye of the Skull: The metaphysical relocation of self in ritual narratives
- The Process of Reality
- Creating the Paranormal
- Phantom Black Dogs in Latin America
- How Anglo-Saxons Found Their Way
- The Especially Sacred Grove
- Research in Geomancy 1990–1994: Readings in sacred space
- Alternative Approaches to Folklore 1969–1996
Folklore
- Runes and Clog Almanacs S.W.Partington (free download)
- Mothers' Union Banners: A neglected British 'folk art' Bob Trubshaw (free download)
- Phantom Black Dogs in Latin America Simon Burchell [free download]
- Mars Bar and Mushy Peas – Urban legend and the cult of celebrity Paul Screeton
- English Holy Wells – A sourcebook Jeremy Harte
- Holy Wells in Britain – A guide Janet Bord
- Explore Vampires Bob Curran
- Horn Dance or Stag Night? Folklore and myth in the age of blogs Bob Trubshaw
- Howls of Imagination – Wolves of England Paul Williams
- Cures and Curses – Ritual and cult at holy wells Janet Bord
- Over Nine Forests – Folk beliefs and practices from Lithuania to the Urals K.M. Koppana
- The Enchanted Land – Myths and legends of Britain's landscape Janet and Colin Bord
- Mystery Big Cats Merrily Harpur
- A Bestiary of Brass Peter Heseltine
- Crossing the Line: trespassing on railway weirdness Paul Screeton
- Explore Dragons Richard Freeman
- Explore Phantom Black Dogs edited by Bob Trubshaw
- Explore Fairy Traditions Jeremy Harte
- Explore Folklore Bob Trubshaw
- Footprints in Stone Janet Bord
- Masterworks – the arts and crafts of traditional buildings in northern Europe Nigel Pennick
- Ghosts and Hauntings in and around Leicestershire Andrew James Wright
- Leicestershire Legends retold by Black Annis
- Snake Fat and Knotted Threads – an introduction to traditional Finnish healing magic K.M. Koppana
- Alternatives Approaches to Folklore Jeremy Harte (free download)
- Research in Geomancy Jeremy Harte (free download)
Mythology
- Lost Islands – Inventing Avalon, Destroying Eden Kevan Manwaring
- Explore Alchemy Cherry Gilchrist
- The Princess Who Ate People – The psychology of Celtic myths Brendan McMahon
- Taliesin's Travels – A demi-god at large Michael Dames
- The Enchanted Land – Myths and legends of Britain's landscape Janet and Colin Bord
- Explore Mythology Bob Trubshaw
- The Myths of Reality Simon Danser
- Ymir's Flesh – North European Creation Mythologies Alby Stone
Cultural studies / social history
- Invizikids – The curious enigma of 'imaginary' childhood friends Mike Hallowell
- Flying Saucerers – A social history of UFOlogy David Clarke and Andy Roberts
- Sacred Places – Prehistory and popular imagination Bob Trubshaw
- Stonehenge – celebration and subversion Andy Worthington
- The Myths of Reality Simon Danser
- Creating the Paranormal Bob Trubshaw free download
Religion
- Explore Shamanism Alby Stone
- see also Anglo-Saxons
Archaeology
- Beyond the Henge: Exploring Avebury's World Heritage Site Bob Trubshaw
- Singing Up the Country: The songlines of Avebury and beyond Bob Trubshaw
- Sacred Places: Prehistory and popular imagination Bob Trubshaw
- Stonehenge – celebration and subversion Andy Worthington
- Masterworks – the arts and crafts of traditional buildings in northern Europe Nigel Pennick
- Crete Reclaimed Susan Evasdaughter
Anglo-Saxon / Old English studies
- Continuity of Worldviews in Anglo-Saxon England Bob Trubshaw free download
- Souls, Spirits and Deities Bob Trubshaw free download
- Continuity of Anglo-Saxon Iconography Bob Trubshaw free download
- Minsters and Valleys Bob Trubshaw free download
- Rethinking Anglo-Saxon Shrines Bob Trubshaw free download
- Minsters and Valleys Bob Trubshaw free download
- Meet the Dragon: An introduction to Beowulf's adversary Bill Griffiths free download
- A User Friendly Dictionary of Old English Bill Griffiths
- Beyond the Henge: Exploring Avebury's World Heritage Site Bob Trubshaw
- Surrey Place-Names Gavin Smith
- Understanding Leicestershire and Rutland Place-Names Jill Bourne
- How Anglo-Saxons Found Their Way Bob Trubshaw free download
- The Especially Sacred Grove Bob Trubshaw free download
Medieval carvings and monuments
- A Bestiary of Brass Peter Heseltine
- Explore Green Men Mercia MacDermott with photographs by Ruth Wylie
Revised and expanded 2nd edition - Hunky Punks – a study in Somerset stone carving Peter Poyntz Wright
- Good Gargoyle Guide – medieval carvings of Leicestershire and Rutland
Bob Trubshaw - Interactive Gargoyles and Grotesque Carvings of Leicestershire and Rutland
Bob Trubshaw - Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland Max Matthews
Local history
Leicestershire and Rutland local history
Nottinghamshire/Bedfordshire local history
Warwickshire local history
- Low Seams and High Vistas Albert Fretwell
Wiltshire local interest
- Beyond the Henge: Exploring Avebury's World Heritage Site Bob Trubshaw
- Singing Up the Country: The songlines of Avebury and beyond Bob Trubshaw
- Sacred Places: Prehistory and popular imagination Bob Trubshaw
- Stonehenge – celebration and subversion Andy Worthington
Heart of Albion Press was founded in 1989 by Bob Trubshaw to publish Leicestershire and Rutland local history. By the mid-1990s titles had diversified into archaeology and mythology. In September 2002 Heart of Albion launched Explore Books, a series of books providing accessible overviews of the latest academic thinking relating to folklore, mythology and social history. In June 2004 a further imprint, Alternative Albion was launched to promote titles with more overtly counter-culture interest.