English History: Strange but True

English History: Strange but True

Under the Sumptuary Laws of 1363, merchants were forbidden to wear pointy shoes in excess of 6½in in length.One of Henry VII’s most prized possessions was the preserved leg of St George, a gift from Louis XII of France.In February 1789, George III pursued a best-selling lady novelist in a high-speed chase through Kew Gardens.This book contains hundreds of ‘strange but true’ facts and anecdotes about English history. Arranged into a miniature history of England, and with bizarre and hilarious true tales for every era, it will interest and delight readers everywhere. Richard Smyth spent several years as an editor before becoming a freelance writer and researcher.  He writes regular articles for magazines including History Today , as well compiling that publication’s monthly crossword. He also sets the questions for the BBC’s Mastermind .