4to., First Edition, with coloured frontispiece, fine photographic plates lightly toned in sepia , numerous illustrations in the text and large folding map in pocket at end; original red boards, upper board lettered in gilt, black cloth back lettered in gilt, upper board faded at edges, joints lightly rubbed else a very good, bright, clean copy. Bright copy of the first impression of the second of GWR's three great themed travel guides of the mid-1920s (the others being JBeer's Cathedrals and Oman's Castles). Although greatly popular and many times reissued, copies of the original editions in this condition are actually quite elusive. Following the success of Beer's 'Cathedrals' in the previous year, M R James was commissioned to take a break from both palaeography and ghost stories to write the present, even larger, work. Unlike its predecessor, this volume was issued only in hardback, and a second impression was needed within six months. The series concluded with Oman's 'Castles' in the following year. See Wilson, p.93.
