{"product_id":"fringed-with-mud-and-pearls","title":"Fringed With Mud \u0026 Pearls","description":"\u003c!-- Hook --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn English River's Story, Told With Wit and Wonder\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c!-- Tagline --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIan Crofton's captivating journey along the River Thames\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003c!-- Access Your Content --\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"border: 2px solid #ddd; padding: 16px; border-radius: 6px; background: #f9f9f9; margin-bottom: 20px;\"\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"font-weight: bold; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAccess Your Content in Seconds\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003col style=\"margin-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eComplete your purchase on our store.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eDownload \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/pages\/the-grey-hill-app\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Grey Hill App\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (free).\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eLog in using the same email from checkout.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eYour ebook will appear instantly in your library.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003c\/ol\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"font-size: 14px; color: #555;\"\u003eAll content is securely delivered through our app and not offered as a Shopify download.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003c!-- About the Ebook --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Ebook\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\nOne of the Daily Telegraph's 20 Books Perfect for Travel Scotland has its rugged Hebrides; Ireland its cliff-girt Arans; Wales its Island of Twenty Thousand Saints. And what has England got? The isles of Canvey, Sheppey, Wight and Dogs, Mersea, Brownsea, Foulness and Rat. But there are also wilder, rockier places – Lundy, the Scillies, the Farnes. These islands and their inhabitants not only cast varied lights on the mainland, they also possess their own peculiar stories, from the Barbary slavers who once occupied Lundy, to the ex-major who seized a wartime fort in the North Sea and declared himself Prince of Sealand. Ian Crofton embarks on a personal odyssey to a number of the islands encircling England, exploring how some were places of refuge or holiness, while others have been turned into personal fiefdoms by their owners, or become locations for prisons, rubbish dumps and military installations. He also describes the varied ways in which England's islands have been formed, and how they are constantly changing, so making a mockery of human claims to sovereignty.\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003c!-- Why You'll Love This Ebook --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy You'll Love This Ebook\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eTravel through history, geography, and culture along England's most iconic river\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eEnjoy Ian Crofton's engaging, anecdotal storytelling on every page\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eDiscover unexpected stories from the river's source to its mouth\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eRead another celebrated title from Birlinn Ltd - Independent Scottish Publisher\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003c!-- About the Author --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\nIan Crofton's books exploring the interplay of landscape, nature and history include Walking the Border: A Journey between Scotland and England, rated by both The Guardian and Trail magazine as 'excellent'. His Fringed with Mud and Pearls: An English Island Odyssey was described by the BBC’s Countryfile as 'really engaging', and by Coast magazine as 'a fascinating study about what it means to exist on the fringes'; it was selected by the Telegraph as one of their top twenty travel books of 2021. Upland: A Journey Through Time and the Hills was published in May 2025.\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003c!-- Publication Details --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePublication Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e Birlinn Ltd\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e 06 May 2021\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrint Length:\u003c\/strong\u003e 288 pages (Ebook edition)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN (Ebook):\u003c\/strong\u003e 9781788852982\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ebook\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003c!-- FAQ --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow do I access my ebook?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDownload \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/pages\/the-grey-hill-app\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Grey Hill App\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e and log in using the same email you used at checkout. Your ebook will appear instantly in your library.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I read it online?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — you can also access your purchases via our online reader at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reader.thegreyhill.com\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ereader.thegreyhill.com\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eI can't see my ebook — what should I do?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTap the refresh button in the app or online reader. If it still doesn't appear, ensure you're logged in with the same email used at checkout. If issues continue, contact us and we'll help right away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I gift this ebook?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — you can purchase a Grey Hill Gift Card here: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/products\/the-grey-hill-gift-card\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBuy a Gift Card\u003c\/a\u003e. The recipient can redeem it on our store, and the ebook will appear in The Grey Hill App.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Birlinn Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57250642035061,"sku":"9781788852982","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0921\/5662\/5269\/files\/9781788852982.jpg?v=1780585341","url":"https:\/\/thegreyhill.com\/products\/fringed-with-mud-and-pearls","provider":"The Grey Hill","version":"1.0","type":"link"}