About the Author

Maurice Abney-Hastings was born in Nottingham, brought up in Leicestershire and spent 15 years in Hampshire, but for the past 20 something years has resided in rural Warwickshire. All the towns in which he has lived are the same sort of size as Ashthorpe Magna, and his writing conveys his deep knowledge and love of English country life.

He was educated at Becket School, Nottingham, University of Southampton, School of Navigation and the British School at Athens, and in the earlier part of his life was connected with the sea both as a Navigation Officer and subsequently with the boating industry. In recent years he has been involved with university research projects, and for some time was a Research Fellow at the University of Warwick.

The Court Leet of Ashthorpe Magna is at the centre of the arguments in the town. Maurice has experience of his local Court Leet and was in fact Low Bailiff from 2004/5 and is shown here (seated in the front row on the right, with the funny hat!).

He has previously written for many publications, largely on marine matters, but his previous book The Pernod Book of Pétanque became the "English Bible" for the thousands in this country enjoying the French sport of Boules. More recently he wrote and presented a one-hour programme for UK Style, again set in France.

He lists his interests as wine, beer, boules and travel and all of these aspects stand out in Ashthorpe Magna!