By Celia's Arbour

By Celia's Arbour by Walter Besant and James Rice was first serialised in 1877 in The Graphic magazine. Besant, who grew up in Portsmouth, directed his not inconsiderable talent into a tale full of lyrical and precise description of the Portsmouth of his childhood. Rich, vivid and strongly psychological in content, it gives an extraordinarily broad view of Portsmouth society in the mid-19th Century. It places the walled and heavily fortified town at the heart of world events that seem to touch its inhabitants only obliquely, yet they ultimately affect every aspect of their lives. International wars, conspiracies and espionage form the backdrop for the lives of Laddy, Leonard and Celia, whose lives and friendship are explored in this fascinating Victorian novel.

This volume has been completely reset and edited, and includes a preface by Dr Alison Habens, lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Portsmouth, who gives modern readers a fresh insight into the setting of this beautifully written novel.