Britain in 1846 was a nation in the grip of dramatic change.

As the Industrial Revolution reached its height, people were flooding from countryside to city; the railways were spreading; starvation and destitution existed alongside immense wealth and power, generating profound social tensions.

And seismic change was afoot in the world of politics. Parliament's repeal of the protectionist Corn Laws eroded the powers of the landowners and ushered in an age of free trade that would form the basis of Britain's future wealth and industiral prosperity.

Stephen Bates paints a kaleidoscopic portrait of a pivotal year in British history – and of a society on the cusp of modernity.

'A graceful, well researched book ... a salutary reminder of the importance of 1846' BBC History.
'A splendid achievement, the author has an eye for the big picture' Catholic Herald.
'A fast-moving, descriptive narrative, covering all aspects of Victorian life' The Tablet.

Stephen Bates has worked as a journalist for the BBC, the Telegraph, the Mail and, for 23 years, as political correspondent at the Guardian. He is the bestselling author of Church at War and God's Own Country.