England’S Military Heartland

This is the first book to portray what it's like to live next to a British Army base. England's military heartland investigates the sprawling military presence on Salisbury Plain, listening to a wide range of voices from both sides of the divide.

Targeted for expansion under government plans to reorganise the UK's global defence estate, this 'super garrison' offers unexplored opportunities to explore the impact of the military footprint in a particular place. But this is no ordinary environment.

In addition to the world-famous site of Stonehenge, the grasslands of Salisbury Plain are also home to rare plants and wildlife. How does the army share responsibility for conserving this unique landscape as it trains young men and women to use lethal weapons? Meanwhile the material traces of the colonial past inscribed on historic roads and buildings are a reminder of the legacy of perpetual war.