The Little Book of Essex

<p><strong>Did you know?</strong></p><ul> <li> <p>In the eleventh century, Edward the Confessor banished nightingales from the royal palace at Havering-atte-Bower because their singing disturbed his devotions.</p> </li> <li> <p>In 1913, Benny Hucks of Stansted Mountfitchet was the first person to perform a loop-the-loop in an aircraft.</p> </li> <li> <p>On Boxing Day 1946, Hatfield Heath villagers challenged local German and Italian POWs to a football match – and lost 11–0.</p> </li> <li> <p>Brentwood was the first town in Britain to install CCTV.</p> </li> </ul><p><strong>A compendium of frivolity, a reference book of little-known facts and a wacky guide to one of England’s most colourful counties, <em>The Little Book of Essex</em> is packed full of entertaining, bite-sized pieces of historic and contemporary trivia that come together to make essential reading for visitors and locals alike.</strong></p><p>Dip in randomly, or read consecutively – there are no rules. Be amused and amazed at the stories and history of Essex’s landscape, heritage, buildings and, above all, its people.</p>