Cool Britannia Author:Adam Watson, Iain Cameron Cool Britannia Snowier times in 1580-1930 than since — Global warming and climate change have become headline news in recent years. Climate, however, has always changed. Thick ice covered most of Britain in the last Ice Age, and prehistoric man thrived during a warm climate after the ice melted. In a later warm period the Vikings farmed in Greenl... more »and, but then came the cold of the Little Ice Age for several centuries up to the mid 1800s. Climatologists in the 1900s noted some old writings that told of more snow in northern Europe then, including Britain.
For this authoritative new book, the most experienced observer of British snow patches has combined forces with the keenest recent enthusiast who has stimulated many new voluntary observers. A factual review, it gives more evidence of a colder snowier Britain in the 1580s to early 1900s than since 1930. The most comprehensive historical account yet published for snow patches on British hills, it also collates for the lowlands much evidence that was previously unpublished or in obscure, little-known sources. The authors recount a few past extraordinary cases of severe snow affecting British folk, even in lowland southern England. Their verbatim quotations from early writers give a remarkably live impression, so that readers feel they are out in the cold with these pioneers of long ago.
The modern scientific evidence is clear that the cool centuries described by the authors for Britain also affected the rest of Europe and indeed all other continents across the globe. Hence this book will be of interest to many readers far beyond Britannia.« less