A History of Britain in 21 Paintings

An entertaining, illuminating tour of British history filled with delightful stories, witty anecdotes and an abundance of remarkable paintings – Terry Deary * author of A History of Britain in Ten Enemies *
A champion of British heritage in full voice… Join the most enthusiastic of tour guides, Alice Loxton, as she highlights the profound visual histories to be found in every corner of the land. – Luke Sherlock * author of Forgotten Churches *
Alice Loxton has a brilliant talent for digging out history’s most extraordinary stories and bringing them to life. This is a fascinating journey through Britain’s past, told in her characteristically engaging and witty style. Coming to the end, you are left wanting 21 more! – Jack Chesher * author of London: A Guide for Curious Wanderers *
A glittering jewel-box of a book. From exquisite Dark Ages gospels to a sacred white horse, from the fogs of Claude Monet to LS Lowry’s football visions, via Queen Elizabeth’s rainbow and the unearthly light and science of Joseph Wright of Derby, Alice Loxton guides us not only through national history, but also the amazing stories of the nation’s most enduring art-works and their preservation. Delightful, engaging, packed with surprising by-ways and endlessly illuminating. – Sinclair McKay * author of Dad’s Army *
Alongside landscapes by artists such as Monet, Lowry and Turner, Alice Loxton uses ancient manuscripts, medieval maps, church wall paintings and even pub signs as windows onto our island’s past. Along the way, she brings to life not only the people who created these works but also the conservators and custodians who have cared for them. Warm, curious and full of wit, this is a history of great scope, brought vividly to life and delivered with considerable panache. It’s a book that will make you look at Britain and the artworks that tell its story in a completely new way. – Andrew Ziminski * author of Church Going *
A delightful romp through more than one thousand years of British art and history – Elizabeth Goldring * author of Holbein: Renaissance Master *
Absolutely brilliant! Loxton triumphs again with this dazzling history of Britain and its art. Fascinating, superbly researched, beautifully written, this is a majestic book – Kate Williams * author of Regina: A New History of Women and Power *
A sumptuous, glittering treasure trove of a book laced with clarity and warmth – reading this is like being led through an art gallery by a friend, stepping into history through the portals of the paintings and objects she reveals. Brilliantly and lightly told, filled with wonder and endlessly enjoyable, Alice Loxton is a national treasure like the paintings she uncovers. – Emily Hauser * author of Mythica *
Loxton brings the past to life with wit, wonderment and an irrepressible curiosity. History has never been such fun! – Ruby Gray * historian and presenter (@too.long.didnt.readd) *
Full of warmth and humour, A History of Britain in 21 Paintings is a jewel box of historical narratives and the ideal book to press into the hands of friends and family members alike – Flora Carr * author of The Tower *

Alice Loxton is a bestselling author, historian, and presenter. She is passionate about bringing history to new audiences and has worked with organisations including the National Trust, the Royal Academy, English Heritage, the National Gallery, Tate, the King’s Foundation, and 10 Downing Street.

Loxton judged the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 2025 and the Art Fund Museum of the Year Award in 2026. She is the author of three bestselling books, including:

• Eleanor: A 200-Mile Walk in Search of England’s Lost Queen, for which she was a winner of a Somerset Maugham Award.
• Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives, which was named Blackwell’s Book of the Year in 2024.

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