Having worked for Historic England and its predecessor organisations for over forty years, Elain Harwood (1958–2023) was an immensely well-respected lecturer, tutor, tour guide, author and latterly, Senior Architectural Investigator. After Elaine's death in 2023, Alistair Fair was invited to come on board as editor of this book, using Elaine's manuscript as the basis of the present text, though with some important changes. Currently a Reader in Architectural History at the University of Edinburgh and a widely published specialist in the history of twentieth-century British architecture, Fair introduces the book in this blogpost, explaining the wider significance of the so-called 'New Towns' and the timeliness of the book's present publication.
Building for the Atomic Age: 70 years since the Calder Hall reactors began generating electricity
Building for the Atomic Age: an industrial archaeology of the United Kingdom’s nuclear industry by Wayne Cocroft was published by Historic England and Liverpool University Press in February 2026. 2026 also marks 70 years since the Calder Hall reactors began generating electricity for the national grid. This heavily illustrated book for the first time presents … Continue reading
A Celebration of Irish Women in England
In Ireland, 1st February is St Brigid's Day, honouring St Brigid of Kildare and marking the beginning of spring. The holiday is also used to celebrate Irish women. Here, author of Irish Emigration to England Explored through Buildings, Samantha Lyster, discusses the impact Irish women had on English architecture. St Patrick’s Day is a fixture … Continue reading
The 2026 Free Issues: Read a free issue of each journal
We are pleased to share the 2026 Free Issues. Each year, we make one issue from each of our journals free to read, showcasing the range of disciplines, approaches, and scholarly communities represented across the Press.
A walking tour of Collecting Stories
Join Katy Hooper, Special Collections Librarian at the University of Liverpool and editor of recent publication Collecting Stories: The Cultural Collections of the University of Liverpool, on a walking tour around the University of Liverpool campus to see many of the items featured in this new book in real life. Collecting Stories: The Cultural Collections … Continue reading
