Famous Shropshire poem gets a photographic remake with county images
A new full colour photographic edition of A Shropshire Lad has been published to mark the 50th anniversary of the Housman Society.
Ludlow-based publisher Merlin Unwin Books commissioned top county photographer John Hayward to take stunning images to match each line in the iconic A. E. Housman poem.
A spokesperson for Merlin Unwin Books said: "The enduring appeal of this lyrical English poem, first published in 1896, lies in its exploration of the universal themes of loss, nostalgia and love.
"Certainly its international popularity today is undiminished."
They add: "The rural landscape of the beautiful Shropshire countryside, from the bucolic Clun valley to the bleak hills of Stiperstones, is sympathetically captured by one of Shropshire’s finest photographers, John Hayward."
They say this is the only photographic edition of A Shropshire Lad in which the county's stunning landscapes, which have scarcely altered since Housman’s day, have been matched with the stanzas on each page.
"John Hayward has a huge following for his photographs via his agency Shropshire and Beyond.
"He lives near Shifnal and can be spotted before first light carrying his heavy cameras up Shropshire hills, towers and battlements in all the remote corners of the county to get the best images."
A Shropshire Lad by A.E. Housman has been published with 128 pages and is priced at £20.
