1This is the story of Britain's model villages: miniature worlds that have captivated garden guests and paying public since the early twentieth century. This history of these small-scale utopias covers their early growth as playthings of the wealthy, their blossoming into fairylands on seafronts during the post-war holiday boom, and of many model villages' gradual decline from toy-towns to ghost towns. But it is also the story of how diligent modelmakers, artists and crafters have carried on in the sheds, gardens and workshops of Britain to build small - yet think big. Today we still delight in their miniature marvels, and this book explains why. This book is part of the Britain's Heritage series, which provides definitive introductions to the riches of Britain's past, and is the perfect way to get acquainted with model villages in all their variety.