Book excerpt: Whether it's half-timbered, a mellow Cotswold stone, or Chiltern brick and flint, each traditional English village is unique. Some sit on ancient Bronze Age homesteads, others came into existence only in the last few hundred years. The prettiest of all appear here, surrounded by lovely landscape from Devon to the Lake District to Northumberland. "[A] handsome book...here is unspoiled village after village, beautifully delineated with photographs and well-matched by an informed and understanding text."--House and Garden.