WINDSOR of the North by Benjamin Furnival, Ross Features International, £9.

Benjamin Furnivals's research traces the history of Brougham Hall, near Penrith, and the parish in which is stands, through 4,500 years, a history described by the author as ' vibrant, bright and dazzling at times'.

Mr Furnival makes no claims to have compiled a complete history, rather a collection of highlights, stories and cameos presented in an entertaining read.

The area studied includes three henges, one longbarrow, two Roman roads, one Roman fort, one Norman castle, one Medieval Hall, two Cromwellian chapels and a battlefield - the ideal setting for an entertaining and readable historical account.

The author weaves into his story the makeup of the parish from pre-Roman times to the present day, along that route touching on pre-history, the Roman empire, the Saxon and Norman invasions, the Dark Ages and the Jacobite Rebellion.

The renowned battle of Clifton Moor was fought beneath the battlements of Brougham Hall in 1745 and a protracted legal battle of epic proportions have characterised moves to restore the building to its former glory.

Windsor of the North does more than just chronicle a family - it provides a fascinating narrative through British history of which the Broughams and their house are an integral part.