Best of the Spectator Book Club: Graham Robb
Nov 6, 2025
Graham Robb, a historian and author known for his engaging takes on British history, joins the discussion to explore his book, The Discovery of Britain. He shares how a bike journey sparked his research into the country's past, weaving personal memories with geography. Robb's groundbreaking findings on Iron Age cartography challenge long-held myths about national identity and pre-Roman roads. He even traces King Arthur's legendary campaigns through deciphered ancient maps, making history come alive in unexpected ways.
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Storm-Age Bicycle Escape
- Graham Robb and his wife cycled from France and improvised a route to Lancaster during Storm Ali using torn map pages.
- That accidental ride sparked the book's concept by revealing Britain's thin geography and historical layers along the route.
Ptolemy Maps Rewritten
- Robb decoded five Ptolemaic maps by adjusting grids and separating sea and land data.
- The northern England map proved astonishingly accurate, pre-dating other maps until the Renaissance.
Anglo-Saxon Transition Was Gradual
- The Anglo-Saxon takeover was gradual and driven by religious propaganda, not a single military invasion.
- Archaeology shows continuity rather than mass population replacement.
