Offering a portrait of English village life a century and more ago, this book aims to capture the simplicity and charm of rural existence through the pictures and drawings of artists such as Helen Allingham, William Mulready and Richard Redgrave. The commentary and captions, which include extracts from the work of contemporary writers and poets, give background information and details about practices and pastimes that have today all but vanished. The rhythm and stability of traditional village life in the 19th century are portrayed through the respectable toils of the artisan, the aristocratic pretensions of the local gentry and the restless underworld of itinerant tinkers, gypsies and entertainers.