A HEREFORDSHIRE man has written about his love for the house and the village he calls home.

'A Home for all Seasons' is the first book by cultural historian Gavin Plumley, who lives in Pembridge, near Leominster.

Mr Plumley appears frequently on BBC Radio 3, has written for newspapers and magazines worldwide and gives talks at leading museums and galleries.

The book is an intimate portrait of making a home, and the history of the area, through his account of living in a rural cottage.

Mr Plumley always considered himself very much as an urban being.

He had, after all, lived in Oxford and London since growing up in Wales.

This changed when he met his husband Alastair. Together, they bought Steppes House, a three storey cottage in Pembridge, and it was love at first sight.

Mr Plumley said: "The minute I saw the village and the house, it felt like home and I knew this was where we were meant to be."

The intention of writing a book wasn't in Mr Plumley's mind until a chance question gave him an idea.

He said: "It was an insurance salesman who started me off by asking me how old the building was.

"I had to find out the answer in order to insure our fabulous new home.

"When I started finding out about the history of the building, including bringing in archeologists and going to the archives centre in Hereford, I realised the answer to that simple question was fascinating and I needed to explore it further."

The book explores the history of the cottage, the history of Pembridge, it's folklore and it's characters.

It's a look back through the ages of the people who lived in the village, going back to the 16th century when the house was built and the people who live there now, documenting things that have changed, and the things that have remained the same.

Mr Plumley said: "Pembridge is a beautiful place with lots of interesting characters and it has been fascinating learning more about them."