Welcome

May I welcome you to the website for The Westcott Chronicles, which I began writing over twenty years ago.

My expedition into creative writing commenced, when I nervously booked my first course at The Arvon Foundation in Devon – a starting point I would strongly recommend for any would be writer – read about my route to authorship in their 50^th Anniversary Celebration: I owe much to Joanne Harris, one of my tutors there.

From the start I set out to create a story with a strong plot, strong characters and strongest of all, the Bath setting – a celebration of the lives, loves, properties and business in the City. Most importantly, behind every word written in the books are thousands more researched, and where possible verified, to discover hitherto unknown, and untold, fascinating truths about Bath and its citizens. To my delight, this recipe in my first two novels appears to work well, with sales now over 25,000 copies and the strong interest in the future publication of the third book of ‘The Chronicles’.

Check out ‘From the Author’s desk …’ monthly for my thoughts and insights, together with answers to the questions from visitors to Bath often from all over the world.

The Books

An Unfolding Soul

The city of Bath is unique. Much of it built during the reigns of four kings called George over a period of only one hundred years. Its three thousand ornate Georgian buildings form the heart of one of the most complete and beautiful cities in the world. But for how much longer? As the 1960’s unfolded, great social upheaval was matched by potential destruction from developers and change in the city. Perhaps, even more devastating than the bombs of the Luftwaffe twenty years earlier.

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Go Swift and Far

Born in the wartime German raids on Bath in the Spring of 1942, an orphan boy, alone and destitute, is determined to survive. The city is immersed in a cycle of greed, abuse of privilege, corruption and demolition as it struggles out of post-war gloom and austerity. Demolish and rebuild or preserve and protect at all costs? The boy, now a man, is bent on success and wealth, whatever the personal sacrifice and cost to England’s finest Georgian city.

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"Be you a resident, visitor or tourist, where best to start but with the perfect street map of Bath by James Hillman found in the front of every book. This allows the reader to follow in the footsteps of the characters and their locations throughout the City. What else can you expect from an author, fascinated by maps since childhood, who qualified as a chartered surveyor over sixty years ago."

Douglas Westcott

Reviews

“Extraordinarily interesting for many different reasons …These books made our stay in Bath an even more exciting experience … As a university lecturer in English Literature I am fascinated with contemporary stories of life in Bath … I could not put the book away. Ian’s life is such a captivating story.”

Ewa Welnic – Bydgoszcz, Poland

“Westcott has done it again, masterfully capturing the essence of magnificent Bath”

Jenny Lippett

“Douglas Westcott’s ability to take history and make it interesting, dynamic and personal makes An Unfolding Soul the most enjoyable of reads!”

Steve Travis – Mercer Island, Washington USA

‘A great yarn. Douglas Westcott is a natural storyteller who very successfully weaves Bath’s history into a page turning tale.’

Michael Symons

Book three coming soon

Welcome

The Books

An Unfolding Soul

Go Swift and Far

January 2025 From the author’s desk…

December 2024 From the author’s desk…