If you dig 14 miles of tunnel under London, you're going to uncover more than earth. The mighty Crossrail project certainly has. Its numerous shafts and excavations have revealed long-lost treasures from all eras of the city's settlement. A new series of books looks at the various excavations across London.
The first two volumes concern Stepney and the area around Bow Creek. The Stepney dig uncovered a moated mansion house from the Tudor period. The Docklands book, meanwhile, has an industrial bent. Bow Creek was the location of the Thames Iron Works, an important shipbuilding centre, which also gave rise to West Ham United.
Both books are generously illustrated, including plenty of maps. They're geared to a general audience, sparing us the technical details that often fill archaeological reports. These are just the first two volumes of a 10-part series, published over the next year and a half.
Get them from MOLA for just £10 each.
