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The History of the Countryside by Oliver Rackham is a study of landscapes in the British lowlands from prehistory down to the present. He traces the history of hamlets, medieval farms, lonely moats, footpaths, woodlands, wood pasture, fords, field hedges, and other aspects of the countryside. Rackham then dwells into their origin, their extent at various times, their present status and future prospects. There are also chapters on highways and bridges, and even on animals that abounded in ancient times but have since then become extinct.
Rackham has undertaken a comprehensive study, going into details even upto individual trees. He has drawn information from a broad range of sources and material, and his inclusion of personal experiences has served to enrich the voluminous scientific and statistical data present in the book. He separates myths from facts and backs up broad claims and generalizations with detailed case studies.
The book makes an interesting read for anyone interested to know more about England.