A MINSTER Lovell stalwart has written a new history of the West Oxfordshire village.

Graham Kew, who has lived in Minster Lovell since he was five, has packed the book with historical tales, maps, walks, a photo feature and ghostly legends of the village.

Mr Kew has written Discovering Minster Lovell with historian Stanley Jenkins, who published a book on Witney last year.

Mr Kew, 70, wrote a first edition of the book in 2002 but said the latest edition – published on Wednesday – was the “full comprehensive history”.

He said: “I left it quite a few years and didn’t cover the whole of the village in the first book. I had only looked at Old Minster Lovell.”

In particular, the new book devotes chapters to the Chartist cottages, which were built in 1847.

Chartism was a working-class movement for political reform in Britain between 1838 and 1848, which took its name from the People's Charter of 1838.

He said: “Only a few of the original Chartist cottages, which range from two to four acres, remain now. It’s an incredible story.”

According to Mr Kew, about half of the original 80 Chartist cottages still exist, but only about 20 are recognisable in their existing form.

As well as the Chartist section, highlights of the new book include an elaborated selection of ghostly legends, three poems by villagers and an extensive photo feature.

Several ghostly legends are attached to the picturesque medieval ruins of the village’s manor house.

Mr Kew’s book also has profiles and stories about local residents living in the village and their ancestors.

Witney historian Mr Jenkins helped to provide a more formal history in the book.

He said: “It’s not widely known, but Minster Lovell seems to have been heavily settled from the Celtic time onwards. Graham knows the village intimately and has accumulated a great knowledge of the villagers.”

The book is available to buy for £9.99 and can be bought from Waterstone’s in Oxford, the Spar shop and post office in Minster Lovell and Madhatter bookshop in Burford.