Early in the 20th century, geographers devoted a lot of time attempting to draw boundaries around geographical regions. Their failure was a reminder of the impossibility of drawing sharp lines around areas which gradually merge into their neighbours. Mid Anglia comprises the new counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire; its prosperous acres also broadly correspond to those occupied by the ancient Saxon kingdom of the Middle Angles. As such, the'region contains the best assemblage of Saxon churches in England; the college buildings of Cambridge; and many fine post-medieval buildings such as Wimpole Hall and Kirby Hall. Author Christopher Taylor, the eminent landscape historian, has written a fascinating account of Mid Anglia's formation and growth since prehistoric times. This volume is one of a series of four National Trust Histories which seeks to illuminate'the'landscapes of today by looking at the natural and human influences which have forged their distinctive characters.