Counting Sheep

Sheep are the common thread that runs through the history of the English landscape. Our prosperity was once based on sheep, and this book tells a story of wool, money, and history, of merchants, farmers, and shepherds, of English landowners and how they gained their freedom, and above all, of the land. Sheep have helped define our culture and topography, influencing everything from accent and idiom to architecture, roads, waterways, social progress, and wealth. With his eye for the peculiar, Philip encounters the native breeds that thrive in this country; he shares stories about each breed, meets their shepherds and owners, learns about their past, and confronts the present realities of sheep farming. Along his journey, Philip meets the people of the landscape and their many trades: the mole catchers, the stick makers, the tobacco rollers, and the clog makers. He explores this artisanal heritage.