WELCOME TO
IAN YEARSLEY'S
BOOKS
Creativity in Fiction - Accuracy in Non-Fiction -
Honesty in Poetry
Books about, or inspired by, Essex (England)
For more information scroll down or select from the menu above
About Ian Yearsley
BACKGROUND
Ian Yearsley was born in Ingatestone, Essex (England) in 1965. He moved with his family to Southend-on-Sea in 1972 and began his writing career as a journalist with the Leigh Times newspaper there in 1988. He has since gone on to write for numerous other newspapers and magazines, and to publish over 20 books and maps in the local history, fiction, poetry and language genres.
Virtually all of Ian's books are about, or inspired by, the county of Essex. He has an MA in History from the University of Essex and is a long-standing member of the Society of Authors.
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Ian also writes songs - you can listen to his 2024 electronic dance music album, "Polymath", for free on SoundCloud
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What’s New?
21 JUNE 2025: SUMMER CRAFT MARKET, COGGESHALL, ESSEX
Celebrate the longest day of the year by visiting Simply Events'
Summer Craft Market at the Village Hall in Coggeshall, Essex.
Always a great event, with lots of interesting stalls,
it runs from 10am to 4pm on 21 June 2025.
Entry is free and there is plenty of car parking alongside the hall.
Full details here: Next Event - Simply Events
A HISTORY OF ASHINGDON & SOUTH FAMBRIDGE
A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF THE NEIGHBOURING VILLAGES OF ASHINGDON AND SOUTH FAMBRIDGE IN SOUTH-EAST ESSEX, THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED AND COVERING OVER 1,000 YEARS OF HISTORY.
ISBN: 978-1782229773
Publisher: Paragon Publishing
Published: January 2023
Available in paperback from Amazon and The Book Depository.
SECRET CITY OF SOUTHEND
A LOOK AT SOME HIDDEN ASPECTS OFÂ SOUTHEND-ON-SEA, INCLUDING STREET NAMES, BOUNDARY MARKERS, BOULEVARDS, SURVIVING SECOND WORLD WAR STRUCTURES, 1960S/1970S REDEVELOPMENT, BLUE PLAQUES AND MUCH MORE.
ISBN: 9781398111547
Publisher: Amberley Publishing
Published: September 2022
Available in paperback from Amazon and Waterstones.
AN ESSEX QUIZBOOK
ESSEX IS A REMARKABLE COUNTY WITH A FASCINATING HISTORY, BUT HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW IT?
THIS FUN, EASY-TO-USE BOOK CONTAINS 500 QUIZ QUESTIONS IN 50 ROUNDS WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ESSEX.
ISBN: 978-1782228547
Publisher: Paragon Publishing
Published: June 2021
Available in paperback and kindle versions from Amazon. Also available in paperback from Blackwells, The Book Depository and Waterstones.
SINGLE-CONTEXT WORDS: A STUDY OF A QUIRK OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DID YOU KNOW THAT ASPERSIONS ARE ALWAYS CAST, UMBRAGE IS ALWAYS TAKEN AND THE ONLY THING THAT'S MADDING IS A CROWD? THIS BOOK EXPLORES A HITHERTO UNEXPLORED ASPECT OF LANGUAGE AND WOULD BE IDEAL AS A GENTLY HUMOROUS REFERENCE BOOK, AN EDUCATIONAL WORK OR AN AMUSING, QUIRKY GIFT BOOK.
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ISBN: 978-1782227786
Publisher: Paragon Publishing
Published: September 2020
Available in paperback from Waterstones, Blackwells, Amazon and The Book Depository, or from any good bookshop by quoting the ISBN above. A Kindle version is also available.
OLD ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPS: WESTCLIFF-ON-SEA (1921)
A REPRINT OF THE LARGE-SCALE ORDNANCE SURVEY MAP OF WESTCLIFF-ON-SEA FROM 1921, WITH A DESCRIPTIVE, HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION BY IAN YEARSLEY
ISBN: 978-1787212442
Publisher: Alan Godfrey Maps
Published: June 2019
Available online and from any good bookshop by quoting the ISBN above
OLD ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPS: LEIGH-ON-SEA (1921)
A REPRINT OF THE LARGE-SCALE ORDNANCE SURVEY MAP OF LEIGH-ON-SEA FROM 1921, WITH A DESCRIPTIVE, HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION BY IAN YEARSLEY
ISBN: 978-1787212435
Publisher: Alan Godfrey Maps
Published: June 2019
Available online and from any good bookshop by quoting the ISBN above
OLD ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPS: SOUTHEND (TOWN CENTRE) 1921
A REPRINT OF THE LARGE-SCALE ORDNANCE SURVEY MAP OF SOUTHEND TOWN CENTRE FROM 1921, WITH A DESCRIPTIVE, HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION BY IAN YEARSLEY
ISBN: 978-1787212251
Publisher: Alan Godfrey Maps
Published: March 2019
Available online and from any good bookshop by quoting the ISBN above
OLD ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPS: SOUTHEND SEAFRONT 1921
A REPRINT OF THE LARGE-SCALE ORDNANCE SURVEY MAP OF SOUTHEND SEAFRONT FROM 1921, WITH A DESCRIPTIVE, HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION BY IAN YEARSLEY
ISBN: 978-1787212268
Publisher: Alan Godfrey Maps
Published: March 2019
Available online and from any good bookshop by quoting the ISBN above.
DRACULA - THE ESSEX CONNECTION!
AN EXPLORATION OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN BRAM STOKER'S 'DRACULA' NOVEL AND THE ESSEX VILLAGE OF PURFLEET
ISBN: 978-1782225782
Publisher: Paragon Publishing
Published: March 2018
Available online via Amazon in Paperback and Kindle editions, The Book Depository and Waterstones, or from any good bookshop by quoting the ISBN above.
RETURN TO CANNOW'S END
A DILAPIDATED OLD FARMHOUSE GIVES UP A SUCCESSION OF SECRETS IN THIS SEQUEL TO
"THE CURSE OF CANNOW'S END"
ISBN: 978-1-78222-534-8
Publisher: Paragon Publishing
Published: September 2017
Available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle editions, or from any good bookshop such as Waterstones, by quoting the ISBN above
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THE BATTLE OF 'ASSANDUN' (1016)
A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE ESSEX BATTLE
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ASHINGDON
Free from Ashingdon Parish Council or e-mail me for a PDF version
Published: June 2016
Battle of 'Assandun' Commemoration Campaign
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SOUTHEND IN 50 BUILDINGS
A HISTORY OF SOUTHEND-ON-SEA,
TOLD THROUGH FIFTY OF ITS BUILDINGS
LOOKING FOR A LOST LEIGH LOVE
A MAN TRIES TO FIND THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE FROM HIS SCHOOL DAYS IN LEIGH-ON-SEA
ISBN: 978-1-78222-313-9
Publisher: Paragon Publishing
Published: October 2014
Available in Paperback and Kindle from Amazon and in Paperback from The Book Depository or from any good bookshop, quoting the ISBN above
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THE BLACKWATER SAGA
A VICTORIAN RIVERSIDE ROMANCE SET NEAR MALDON
ISBN: 978-1-78222-294-1
Publisher: Paragon Publishing
Published: September 2014
Available in Paperback and Kindle from Amazon and in Paperback from The Book Depository or from any good bookshop, quoting the ISBN above
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THE CURSE OF CANNOW'S END
A NOVEL BASED AROUND THE WITCHCRAFT LEGENDS OF THE VILLAGE OF CANEWDON
ISBN: 978-1-90864-510-4
Publisher: Melrose Books
Published: October 2012
Kindle & Kobo Editions: January 2013
Available in Paperback, Kindle and Kobo editions, or from any good bookshop, quoting the ISBN above, or see the YouTube video taster
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RAYLEIGH: A HISTORY
A HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF RAYLEIGH IN ESSEX
ISLANDS OF ESSEX (2ND EDITION)
A HISTORY AND DECRIPTION OF ESSEX'S ISLANDS
ESSEX EVENTS
A BOOK ABOUT SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN ESSEX'S HISTORY, SUCH AS WAR, FLOODS, FIRES AND OTHER DISASTERS
HADLEIGH PAST
A HISTORY OF HADLEIGH IN ESSEX
INGATESTONE & FRYERNING: A HISTORY
A HISTORY OF THE TWIN PARISHES OF
INGATESTONE AND FRYERNING IN ESSEX
DEDHAM, FLATFORD & EAST BERGHOLT: A PICTORIAL HISTORY
A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE VILLAGES OF
DEDHAM, FLATFORD AND EAST BERGHOLT
ON THE ESSEX-SUFFOLK BORDER
ISLANDS OF ESSEX (1ST EDITION)
THE ORIGINAL EDITION OF 'ISLANDS OF ESSEX'
Get in Touch
Please use the form below if you wish to contact me. Please note that I am no longer giving talks, as I have a number of writing projects that I need to focus on.
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MESSAGES FROM ANYONE OFFERING TO MAKE CHANGES TO MY WEBSITE OR SELL ME ANY SERVICES WILL BE IGNORED. AS WILL MESSAGES THAT SAY "PLEASE GET BACK TO ME" WITHOUT GIVING ANY CONTEXT.