New Book: The Folklore of the Staffordshire Moorlands

The dramatic and ominous scenery of the Staffordshire Moorlands lends itself to the fantastical. A millennia of erosion has created great escarpments, deep gorges and secret ravines, lined by wild expanses of heather and creeping morasses of sphagnum bog. Amongst these habitats are a whole network of ancient packhorse trails and holloways, linking together the isolated villages of the area. Over the last two decades Byron Machin has amassed a plethora of folktales, legends and superstitions. From Lud’s Church to Thor’s Cave these fascinating and sometimes terrifying tales are presented, along with a detailed guide to all the locations and stunning photographs.

This brand new book, the first thorough account of the Folklore of the south-west Peak District in several decades is 192 pages in length, A5 in size, with matte card colour cover and black and white illustrations throughout. The book is priced just £12 and is available direct from me (with free post and packaging!) or from Picture Book in Leek.

The Stone Circles of the Peak District

The Peak District is not only Britain’s most beautiful national park, but also the richest in terms of its prehistoric heritage. In this detailed field guide Byron Machin takes to the vast moorlands to explore all of the henges, stone circles and ringcairns of the Peaks. Each site is explored in detail, with locations, photographs, plans and excavation histories.  From Arbor Low to the Nine Ladies every site is included, along with extra information on those sites which have been sadly lost, and those which never were.

In a detailed introduction, the prehistory of Britain is discussed and the evolution of these prehistoric ritual monuments is explained. Also explored are a variety of other sites including chambered cairns, long barrows and rock art. Finally a specially created series of guided walks take in the most breathtaking ancient sites. The first edition of 'The Stone Circles of the Peak District' was a full colour A4 limited edition and has now sold out.

SECOND EDITION Now Available!

The second edition has been produced in a handy A5 field guide size. It has laminated matte card covers and 194 pages, filled with maps and black and white photographs. The book is priced just £12 and is available in book shops throughout the Peak District. You can also order direct from me below, and i offer FREE postage and packaging. All books will be shipped in a bubblewrap-lined jiffy bag. Sorry but i do not ship internationally.

New Documentary: Wild Peak

WILD PEAK: A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF THE WILDLIFE & WILDFLOWERS OF THE PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK

The Peak District is England’s most beautiful National Park. Its unique geology and rich human history has led to the creation of an intricate series of habitats, home to very special wildlife and wildflowers. In Wild Peak local naturalist and historian Byron Machin uses over a decade of his own wildlife footage to take you through the cycle of seasons and reveal to you its hidden landscapes. Along with intimate portraits of everyone's favourite mammals including Hares, Badgers, Foxes and Water Voles you will also see rare insects, birds and a whole plethora of unique wildflowers which adorn the highest crags to deepest gorges. But this is not just a dry natural history film, Byron also includes aspects of folklore, archaeology, history and literature to bring the Peak District to life in a way never revealed on film before.

DVD PAL, Region Free, 137 Minutes. £10 + £1.50 P&P (UK Only - Overseas please contact me!)

Now available in a variety of good shops in the Peak District, or direct from me using the PayPal button below:

 

(Release Date 01/05/17 - All preorders posted 29/04/17)

Seven Stones Publishing

Seven Stones Publishing is a little independent, non profit-making small press where everything vanishes more quickly than the Spring Snow! 

The press is run by Byron Machin and every item is hand-crafted in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

For continuous update's on my activities simply add me on Facebook or send me an e-mail and i can add you to my mailing list.

You can see clips from my old and latest documentaries at:
https://www.youtube.com/user/byronmachin.

Reviews of my recent documentaries:

“This film is the result of a life-long love of the moorlands and its landscapes” – The Sentinel

 

“It’s an appealing video to watch. It’s interesting and informative, and Byron has something of Professor Brian Cox about him; enthusiastic about his topic, and similarly youthful and keen. Anyone with an interest in the Peak District should give it a go!” – The Sandbach Chronicle

“A passion for archaeology and education is the inspiration behind this documentary ... a hard-hat to follow!” – The Buxton Advertiser

 

“The Teacher in Machin throws in plenty of drawings and diagrams but this is no classroom text and after the basics are covered he heads of underground into places that are clearly dangerous and physically demanding” – The Crewe Chronicle

 

“Filming in mines obviously brought a number of challenges for Byron, but it provides for experiences we will never forget” – The Matlock Mercury

 

“Filmed in the open air and down caves, and wind and darkness are not friends of amateur film-makers, but this only adds to the atmosphere of the documentary” – The Congleton Chronicle

OUT OF PRINT

The following books and dvd's are now no longer-available.

Documentaries:
(2004) The Prehistory of the Peak District [60 mins]
(2004) Philip Gardiner's Forbidden Knowledge Conference [90 mins] {Presenter}
(2006) Leek's Mysterious Double Sunset [40 mins]
(2012) Blood, Sweat & Stone: A History of Mining in the Peak District [120 mins] 
(2015) Stories in Stone: A Landscape History of the Peak District [480 mins - seriously!]

Books:
(1998) Leek, The Peak & The Staffordshire Moorlands
(2008-2010) The Mines of the Peak District, An Explorer's Guide [4 Volumes]
(2009) Legends of the Frith, Folk-Tales of the Staffordshire Moorlands
(2010) The Stone Circles, Standing Stones & Chambered Tombs of West Penwith
(2011) The Lost Stone Circles of Shropshire
(2011) The Stone Circles of the Peak District
(2012) The Mist Covered Mountains of Home, A Photographic Portrait of the Peak District

[Nb. Older posts, no longer of relevance are deleted]