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We'd like to say a massive thank you to Jon Woolcott for giving such a brilliant talk last night on his book 'The Tattooed Hills'. It was a fascinating look at the chalk figures of England, particularly those a little closer to home in Dorset. Thanks also to everyone who came along last night, it was great to get such an engaged audience asking some really interesting questions. And thanks also to The King's Arms Hotel for hosting us on the evening. Even if you missed the event, you can get a copy of Jon's book in our shop so make sure you take a look the next time you're visiting or check out our review on the website (spoilers - we loved it!) We've got lots more events planned, so do check our website for details or sign up to our monthly newsletter, Skylarking, to be the first to find out about what we having coming up over the next few months. Find your next great read with Teasel & Skylark Books! #teaselandskylark #independentbookshop #dorchester #dorset #dorchesterbookshop #authorevents #thetattooedhills #chalkfigures
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When Little Toller published a new edition of The Icknield Way by Edward Thomas (with an introduction by me...), I fell a bit in love with the cover artwork - the luminous beauty that is 'The Icknield Way’ (1912) by Spencer Gore. With the help of @edljennings Sydney connections, we brought the book to the painting, on the other side of the world, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Big thanks to Ed's friend Ben, who I've never met, but who made this possible!
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A little later than we’d like (blame the bank holiday), here are our bestselling books for August. We always love seeing what catches your eye from one month to the next, and this top ten is a lovely mix of familiar favourites and fresh newcomers. And yes, Jonathan Thomson is right at the top of the heap once again. We sell countless copies of this brilliant, deeply practical manual online, and like to imagine each one inspiring its own small-scale rewilding project up and down the country. So, what’s next on your reading pile? Spill the tea…
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I’ve curated a new exhibition which features in this year’s Somerset Art Weeks Festival ‘Unspoken Somerset’ collects work from 25 Somerset Art Works Members who reflect on the influence of writing on their practice in Somerset. Responding to the 2026 Festival theme of ‘Cultural Connections’, this exhibition explores how we connect to the landscape and each other through the written word - whether through poetry, prose, research, or journaling. The starting point for this was ‘In Pursuit Of Spring’, an exhibition I co-curated with Emma Tuck at Black Swan Arts in Spring 2021. This explored Edward Thomas’ book of the same name, bringing together 50 contemporary responses to Thomas’ journey by bike through Somerset in Spring 1913. I’ve always been interested in the use of writing as a prompt or inspiration, as well as the way it can shape an idea in ongoing research. My image was a direct copy of one of Thomas’ photographs in the Little Toller Edition of the book, something I will elaborate on at another time. This has remained one of my favourite projects to date, not just because of the subject but because of the way the curation reflected something of hope at such a challenging time. It felt sensitive yet politically charged. And also the opportunity to work with some great people at Black Swan Arts, with the involvement of @littletollerbooks @dorsetjonw You can read more about In Pursuit of Spring on Somerset Art Works’ website Events/In Pursuit of Spring Somerset Art Weeks Festival 19 Sept - 4 Oct Venue 18, The Musgrove Gallery, Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton Image: In Pursuit of Spring/Kilve Priory, Graphite on Bristol Board, 13x17 cm
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The post you have all been waiting for... Our Winstone’s Sherborne July top ten bestsellers are… The Correspondent – Virginia Evans @virginia.l.evans The Eights – Joanna Miller @joannamillerauthor The Forever Summer – Lulu Taylor @misslulutaylor The Artist – Lucy Steed @lucysteeds The Folklore of Trees – Aidan Meighan @aidan_meighan The Tattooed Hills – Jon Woolcott @dorsetjonw The Names – Florence Knapp @florenceknapp_ Raising Hare – Chloe Dalton @chloedaltonuk Ripeness – Sarah Moss @picadorbooks Honey – Imani Thompson @_imani_thompson_
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It’s been an age since we gave you a rundown of our bestselling titles, so here they are for July. It’s a list that is no doubt influenced by your holiday reading choices, even though, as a niche, nature-focused bookshop, we might not offer the usual selection of poolside sizzlers. Regular viewers will notice the absence of a fancy reel with whizzy transitions like we used to do in the olden days. It all seems a bit too hot for that at the moment, tbh, and at least this way you get to learn something about the books as you swipe. (Not going to give up the banging tunes that show our age, though. Not on your nelly.) Are any of these on your summer reading list? Do tell!
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Did you know Dorset's famous chalk king was once the subject of rumours, royal intrigue and even a Challenge Anneka makeover? In this month's magazine, Dorset writer @dorsetjonw uncovers the myths behind the Osmington White Horse and George III, from tales of a distraught designer to a frantic community restoration involving cub scouts, helicopters and 200 tonnes of limestone. Read an extract from The Tattooed Hills in our August issue, out now.
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If you’d like some summer reading suggestions, then here’s twelve that I really enjoyed. Bit late with June’s selection, and a bit early for August! #bookworm #bookstagram #summerreading
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Give us a week or two on our favourite off-grid island and we’ll plough through a small mountain of books. Here’s a selection of what we read this year, some nature writing and some not. Have you read any of them? And more importantly, what’s coming with you in your suitcase or rucksack this year? Curious to see everything we got through between us? Tap the link in our bio to find the full list over on our @bookshop_org_uk page.
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Join us with author Jon Woolcott @dorsetjonw for an illustrated talk taking in some of the fascinating stories of the chalklands. @quartobooksuk The evening will explore Jon's latest book: 'The Tattooed Hills' - a journey through Britain’s chalklands, uncovering the stories, symbolism and shifting meanings of the mysterious figures carved into our hills. Across southern England and beyond, the land bears the marks of centuries – white horses, giants, crosses, badges, even a lost panda – cut into the chalk and exposed to the sky. In The Tattooed Hills, Jon travels to these remarkable sites, exploring their history and the deep cultural roots that link landscape to identity. Part travelogue, part cultural history, Woolcott examines how these figures – sometimes ancient, sometimes surprisingly recent – reflect our collective imagination, and how their interpretations have changed over time. Once emblems of pride or remembrance, they have become mirrors of our shifting values and contradictions. From Iron Age hillforts to modern regimental carvings, The Tattooed Hills brings together archaeology, folklore, art, literature and music to reveal the evolving story of Britain’s chalk landscapes and the people who shaped them. Beautifully written and steeped in a sense of place, Woolcott visits many of England's Chalk figures, delving into their mysteries, including The Westbury White Horse, the Long Man of Wilmington, The Cerne Abbas Giant and the Uffington White Horse. A captivating exploration of landscape, culture and belonging, The Tattooed Hills reveals how the chalk beneath our feet connects us to our past and continues to shape who we are today. #thetattooedhills #londonevent #chalkfigures
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📚✨ To celebrate the National Year of Reading, author Jon Woolcott @dorsetjonw shares the books that inspired The Tattooed Hills. “While many of the dusty old books and maps I consulted while researching and walking the chalklands for The Tattooed Hills are long out of print, these are some of the important books which made me see and understand the British landscape differently and informed my book. They're also fantastic reads!” 📖 Jon's reading list: • On Gallows Down — Nicola Chester • The Bridleway — Tiffany Francis-Baker • Romantic Moderns — Alexandra Harris • Pagan Britain — Ronald Hutton • Land of the White Horse — David Miles • The Perfect Golden Circle — Benjamin Myers • Five Rivers Met on a Wooded Plain — Barney Norris • The Wild Rover — Mike Parker • Sun Horse, Moon Horse — Rosemary Sutcliff • In Pursuit of Spring — Edward Thomas • On Silbury Hill — Adam Thorpe • The Hard Way — Susannah Walker Have you read any of these? Which landscape or nature books would you recommend? Let us know below 👇 The Tattooed Hills is out now. #GoAllIn2026 #NationalYearOfReading2026
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Jon Woolcott's podcast with Nature Talks With Humans blew me away. What a fantastic conversation we had. @dorsetjonw is incredibly knowledgeable and his feel for the land is intuitive and beautiful. Not only will this wonderful podcast give you that cosy feel-good feeling, it is food for thought, too. Jon is author of The Tattooed Hills @quartobooksuk and Real Dorset @serenbooks ...and he works for @littletollerbooks ! Enjoy this fabulous podcast episode on Nature Talks With Humans:) xx #nature #podcast #dorset
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