Stephen Butt: 20 books

The 1970s was a decade of change. Supermarkets began to take over from traditional stores, high-rise office blocks appeared on the skyline, and Leicester’s first shopping centre replaced familiar Victorian shops and hotels. It was a time of industrial unrest. The lights went out as coal stocks diminished....

Nineteenth century visitors to Ashby entered a world of make-believe, thanks to Sir Walter Scott's romantic hero, Ivanhoe. They flocked to the town in their thousands to bathe in the spa waters which were brought in by train and canal, and to relax in the shadow of the impressive castle ruins. A thriving...

Leicester History Tour is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this East Midlands city. Local author Stephen Butt guides us through the streets and alleyways, showing how its famous landmarks used to look and how they’ve changed over the years, as well as exploring its lesser-known places...

The city of Leicester can boast a long and distinguished history and has been at the very heart of the country’s political and economic development for over two millennia. Evidence of Roman occupation remains at the Jewry Wall and Cardinal Wolsey lies buried in Leicester Abbey, but the jewel in...

From its origins as a major Roman settlement to its current status as one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the UK, Leicester has a proud and distinctive identity. This extraordinary history is embodied in the buildings that have shaped the city. Leicester in 50 Buildings explores the history...

For the people of Leicester, the 1960s was a decade of great social and economic change. It was to see a revolution in social attitudes reflected in the popular music of the time, in fashion, and in the print and broadcast media. Life changed for everyone. Railway stations closed as the motor vehicle...

At the beginning of the 1950s, Leicester was an industrial city picking itself up from the debris of the Second World War. Compared with nearby Coventry, Leicester has been a relatively safe place, but the effects of the Blitz were still very evident in New Walk and in the residential areas of Highfields...

The famous seaside resort of Weston-Super-Mare has long been a popular destination for holidaying families. Ever since Isambard Kingdom Brunel's railway was opened in 1841, visitors have flocked to the town from Bristol, the Midlands and further afield, while mining families from South Wales crossed...

Rutland is at the very heart of England. It is England's smallest historic county, less than twenty miles in distance from north to south or east to west, a patchwork of incredibly picturesque and peaceful villages. At its centre is Rutland Water, by surface area the largest reservoir in the country...

There is a history of Leicester that is hidden from view, or simply not recognised today because it is so familiar. There are Norman and medieval arches below landmark buildings, mosaics beneath the Central Ring Road and the remains of the town's first railway station just minutes away from a major...

Leicester Through Time is a unique insight into the illustrious history of this part of the country. Reproduced in full colour, this is an exciting examination of Leicester, the famous streets and the famous faces, and what they meant to the people of Leicester throughout the 19th and into the 20th...

Until the railways arrived, Westonsuper- Mare was a town without a history. From a little fishing village with just a handful of houses, Weston grew into a major seaside resort, and this happened rapidly in just under one hundred years. After a period of decline, it has recreated itself, successfully,...

Famous for pork pies and Stilton cheese, and its magnificent cathedrallike parish church, the wider and older history and heritage of Melton Mowbray is illustrated in this book. The lost medieval stone crosses, the town's connections with the little Saxon and Danish villages clustered along the valley...

From Verecunda, a girl in love with a Roman gladiator, who etched his name on a love token, to the footballer and television presenter Gary Lineker, and popular fashion consultant Gok Wan, it is characters such as this that have contributed to Leicester's long and exciting history, and sent its name...