At a time of increased pressure for new urban development where there is a focus on either objectbased architecture or the rolling out of developerdesigned suburban sprawl there is a concern that the lessons learned about the creation of a general attractive townscape or streetscape have become forgotten or obscured. Featuring 26 of the most attractive and interesting historic town centres this book analyses key routes and the urban or visual incidents along them and explains why they might provoke different sensations of joy interest or containment for the inhabitant or passerby. Each of the town studies includes two historical maps one created by John Speed in the C16th which explains the general overall layout of a town its shape size defensive walls and river crossings and the other a first edition OS map from the late C19th which reveals the extent that medieval arrangements have survived or not.