11 JANUARY 1913, Page 25

Soma TOPOGRAPHICAL Boos.—The Annals of Hampstead. By Thomas J. Barratt

3 vols. (A. and C. Black. 26 5n net.)—Of the outer districts of London none has a richer local history than Hampstead. Literary and artistic memories form its most important parts, and ample justice has been done to the record by Mr. Barratt in these finely produced volumes. Hampstead already owes much to Mr. Barrett, who has been among the keenest champions of the "open spaces" which are its chief glory, and the debt is now greatly increased.—Three new volumes have been published of The Victoria History of the Counties of England. These are the fifth volume of the history of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, edited by Mr. William Page, the third volume of the history of the county of Bedford, also edited by Mr. Page, and the fourth volume of the history of the county of Surrey, edited by Mr. H. E. Malden. The history is published by Messrs. Constable and Co., and is issued only to subscribers.

We may mention at the same time the interesting and well- illustrated Memorials of the Cathedral and Priory of Christ in Canterbury, by C. Eveleigh Woodruff and William flanks. (Chapman and Hall. 16s. net.)—Mr. Woodruff is honorary librarian to the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury, and Mr. flanks is Canon Residentiary. Their intimate and sympathetic knowledge has produced a most valuable and scholarly study of the cathedral and its history. The book contains a number of drawings by Mr. Louis Weirter.—A. more popular form of topography is represented by Old English Towns : Second Series, by Elsie M. Lang (Werner, Laurie. 6s. net).