WE ALSO WRITE (and sell) BOOKS !
"ABBOTSBURYSketched in Mist & Sunlight"
Nigel Melville
Signed copies available from Wheelwrights at £4.50 post free ~ or ask your local bookshop for a copy - unsigned !
The first book about Abbotsbury village for nearly 20 years, and the only one to cover its history from the earliest days (is a Stone Age settlement early enough ?) right up to the celebrations for the Millennium.
There's gossip ~ about the Abbots, their debts, their shady land deals, and their lady friends ~about the villagers and their smuggling ~ about the American soldiers who were billeted here before D-Day ... There's curiosities ~ like the unexpected things you can do with bits of a swan ~ like the prayer you can say in St Catherine's Chapel if you want a husband ~ like one illuminated manuscript from the Abbey that went on show in New York before being bought for a seven-figure sum by Paul Getty, and another that all the experts thought had disappeared without trace sixty years ago. But there's also some solid history ~ what was it like to live in the huge Abbey that once dominated the village ? ~ why have so many artists settled here ? ~ and what does the future hold for this unique little community ?
Written in a light and chatty style, "ABBOTSBURY, Sketched in Mist & Sunlight" could be just the souvenir you've been looking for. But I wrote it, so I might be biassed !
Nigel Melville
"CRAFTS FOR ALL ABILITIES"
Sue Melville
An A4 paperback published by Search Press. Also available at Wheelwrights at £7.95 ~ also signed ! ~ or we can post it to you for £9.00
Written from her experience of running craft groups in residential homes, Sue's book includes projects that can easily be tackled inside an hour by anyone, regardless of their skills or any limitations to their abilities.
There's something here for everyone in two dozen projects using paper, card, fabric, clay, salt dough and wool. Every project is illustrated with colour photos, and there's lots of basic advice on how to get started.
Armed with this book, you can make greetings cards or calendars, papier mache bowls or napkin rings, lavender bags or dried flower pots.
(After 10 successful years, Sue's book is now out of print, and we're one of the few places still stocking it.)
"GREETINGS from ABBOTSBURY"
Paul Atterbury
Postcard Press ~ £7.00
We sell this fascinating anthology of postcard views of Abbotsbury, gathered from the huge collection built up by our neighbour Dave Stevens: his pictures tell the story of the village since the invention of the camera, and cover every aspect of life here ~ farming, fishing, the beginnings of the tourist trade by train and charabanc ~ as well as the changing scene and the celebrations of the day, from Coronations and Jubilees through to the more local festivals of Garland Day and the meets of the Cattistock Hunt.
"ABBOTSBURY ~ the "Appreciation" revisited
Nigel Melville
In 1973, the Ilchester Estate, facing hard choices for the future of Abbotsbury, commissioned a firm of architects to prepare a developmentplan for the village. The result was "An Appreciation of Abbotsbury", including a building-by-building photographic record of the entire village.
In 2006, thirty years on, I've taken fresh photographs of the same buildings, and tried to find out their history since 1973 and before then. There are a few surprises ~ far from the "unchanging Abbotsbury" of the visitors' guides, a third of the village houses have been built in the last thirty years, and many more have changed their use or their appearance.
Thanks to a grant from "Awards for All", the book is available free of charge to Abbotsbury residents, and is on sale here in Wheelwrights for only £3.00.
Order a copy of any of these books on line ! Click on the wheel.
As well as these three very local titles, we always carry copies of John Meade Faulkner's "Moonfleet", a tale of smuggling set along the Chesil Beach and the Weymouth cliffs, three adventure stories by local author Jack Elwin, set in this area during the Civil War, and a constantly changing selection of Shire Press titles.
Back to our home page
Check out our tearooms
And our new gift shop
Read all about the millennium banners ...
... the Millennium Kneelers
... the Strangways Hall Quilt project
and now the grand piano cover for the church
More information on Abbotsbury and what happens here 
Sketched in Mist & Sunlight"
Nigel Melville
Signed copies available from Wheelwrights at £4.50 post free ~ or ask your local bookshop for a copy - unsigned !
The first book about Abbotsbury village for nearly 20 years, and the only one to cover its history from the earliest days (is a Stone Age settlement early enough ?) right up to the celebrations for the Millennium.
There's gossip ~ about the Abbots, their debts, their shady land deals, and their lady friends ~about the villagers and their smuggling ~ about the American soldiers who were billeted here before D-Day ... There's curiosities ~ like the unexpected things you can do with bits of a swan ~ like the prayer you can say in St Catherine's Chapel if you want a husband ~ like one illuminated manuscript from the Abbey that went on show in New York before being bought for a seven-figure sum by Paul Getty, and another that all the experts thought had disappeared without trace sixty years ago. But there's also some solid history ~ what was it like to live in the huge Abbey that once dominated the village ? ~ why have so many artists settled here ? ~ and what does the future hold for this unique little community ?
Written in a light and chatty style, "ABBOTSBURY, Sketched in Mist & Sunlight" could be just the souvenir you've been looking for. But I wrote it, so I might be biassed !
Nigel Melville
"CRAFTS FOR ALL ABILITIES"
Sue Melville
An A4 paperback published by Search Press. Also available at Wheelwrights at £7.95 ~ also signed ! ~ or we can post it to you for £9.00
Written from her experience of running craft groups in residential homes, Sue's book includes projects that can easily be tackled inside an hour by anyone, regardless of their skills or any limitations to their abilities.
There's something here for everyone in two dozen projects using paper, card, fabric, clay, salt dough and wool. Every project is illustrated with colour photos, and there's lots of basic advice on how to get started.
Armed with this book, you can make greetings cards or calendars, papier mache bowls or napkin rings, lavender bags or dried flower pots.
(After 10 successful years, Sue's book is now out of print, and we're one of the few places still stocking it.)
"GREETINGS from ABBOTSBURY"
Paul Atterbury
Postcard Press ~ £7.00
We sell this fascinating anthology of postcard views of Abbotsbury, gathered from the huge collection built up by our neighbour Dave Stevens: his pictures tell the story of the village since the invention of the camera, and cover every aspect of life here ~ farming, fishing, the beginnings of the tourist trade by train and charabanc ~ as well as the changing scene and the celebrations of the day, from Coronations and Jubilees through to the more local festivals of Garland Day and the meets of the Cattistock Hunt.
"ABBOTSBURY ~ the "Appreciation" revisited
Nigel Melville
In 1973, the Ilchester Estate, facing hard choices for the future of Abbotsbury, commissioned a firm of architects to prepare a developmentplan for the village. The result was "An Appreciation of Abbotsbury", including a building-by-building photographic record of the entire village.
In 2006, thirty years on, I've taken fresh photographs of the same buildings, and tried to find out their history since 1973 and before then. There are a few surprises ~ far from the "unchanging Abbotsbury" of the visitors' guides, a third of the village houses have been built in the last thirty years, and many more have changed their use or their appearance.
Thanks to a grant from "Awards for All", the book is available free of charge to Abbotsbury residents, and is on sale here in Wheelwrights for only £3.00.
Order a copy of any of these books on line ! Click on the wheel.
As well as these three very local titles, we always carry copies of John Meade Faulkner's "Moonfleet", a tale of smuggling set along the Chesil Beach and the Weymouth cliffs, three adventure stories by local author Jack Elwin, set in this area during the Civil War, and a constantly changing selection of Shire Press titles.
Back to our home page
Check out our tearooms
And our new gift shop
Read all about the millennium banners ...
... the Millennium Kneelers
... the Strangways Hall Quilt project
and now the grand piano cover for the church
More information on Abbotsbury and what happens here
The first book about Abbotsbury village for nearly 20 years, and the only one to cover its history from the earliest days (is a Stone Age settlement early enough ?) right up to the celebrations for the Millennium.
There's gossip ~ about the Abbots, their debts, their shady land deals, and their lady friends ~about the villagers and their smuggling ~ about the American soldiers who were billeted here before D-Day ... There's curiosities ~ like the unexpected things you can do with bits of a swan ~ like the prayer you can say in St Catherine's Chapel if you want a husband ~ like one illuminated manuscript from the Abbey that went on show in New York before being bought for a seven-figure sum by Paul Getty, and another that all the experts thought had disappeared without trace sixty years ago. But there's also some solid history ~ what was it like to live in the huge Abbey that once dominated the village ? ~ why have so many artists settled here ? ~ and what does the future hold for this unique little community ?
Written in a light and chatty style, "ABBOTSBURY, Sketched in Mist & Sunlight" could be just the souvenir you've been looking for. But I wrote it, so I might be biassed !
Nigel Melville
Written from her experience of running craft groups in residential homes, Sue's book includes projects that can easily be tackled inside an hour by anyone, regardless of their skills or any limitations to their abilities.
There's something here for everyone in two dozen projects using paper, card, fabric, clay, salt dough and wool. Every project is illustrated with colour photos, and there's lots of basic advice on how to get started.
Armed with this book, you can make greetings cards or calendars, papier mache bowls or napkin rings, lavender bags or dried flower pots.
In 2006, thirty years on, I've taken fresh photographs of the same buildings, and tried to find out their history since 1973 and before then. There are a few surprises ~ far from the "unchanging Abbotsbury" of the visitors' guides, a third of the village houses have been built in the last thirty years, and many more have changed their use or their appearance.
Thanks to a grant from "Awards for All", the book is available free of charge to Abbotsbury residents, and is on sale here in Wheelwrights for only £3.00.
As well as these three very local titles, we always carry copies of John Meade Faulkner's "Moonfleet", a tale of smuggling set along the Chesil Beach and the Weymouth cliffs, three adventure stories by local author Jack Elwin, set in this area during the Civil War, and a constantly changing selection of Shire Press titles.
"CRAFTS FOR ALL ABILITIES"
Sue Melville
An A4 paperback published by Search Press. Also available at Wheelwrights at £7.95 ~ also signed ! ~ or we can post it to you for £9.00
"GREETINGS from ABBOTSBURY"
Paul Atterbury
Postcard Press ~ £7.00We sell this fascinating anthology of postcard views of Abbotsbury, gathered from the huge collection built up by our neighbour Dave Stevens: his pictures tell the story of the village since the invention of the camera, and cover every aspect of life here ~ farming, fishing, the beginnings of the tourist trade by train and charabanc ~ as well as the changing scene and the celebrations of the day, from Coronations and Jubilees through to the more local festivals of Garland Day and the meets of the Cattistock Hunt.
"ABBOTSBURY ~ the "Appreciation" revisited
Nigel Melville
In 1973, the Ilchester Estate, facing hard choices for the future of Abbotsbury, commissioned a firm of architects to prepare a developmentplan for the village. The result was "An Appreciation of Abbotsbury", including a building-by-building photographic record of the entire village.
Back to our home pageCheck out our tearoomsAnd our new gift shopRead all about the millennium banners ...... the Millennium Kneelers... the Strangways Hall Quilt projectand now the grand piano cover for the church