Three books. One world. Bring your imagination.
The world of Peckles-Wood Shire is just beginning with Broken Sanctuary. Start your adventure, meet its people and creatures, uncover its history. And bring your imagination along—this is where the fun starts.
If you fancy an adventure with epic consequences, join Lee as a story unfolds in November 1885—the tale the world missed.
Times were hard, the world was changing, and staying in Peckles-Wood Shire was a choice few took. One such family, the Whitakers, would soon be changed forever.
A race of animals once thought to be myths are racing against time with the unlikely help of eight children and three adults.
Welcome to Peckles-Wood Shire! Our journey takes place on the Whitaker Farm, right during the chaotic days of the Industrial Revolution. Strange things are happening. The skies are still dark from the giant eruption of the Krakatoa volcano, and old legends from Northumberland are coming alive. On this farm, spooky stories about “brags” and “good folk” might be much more than just stories…
These interactive maps and pages are your gateway into an unforgettable journey! Click on the trails to meet the Whitaker children, track the animals, and see Peckles-Wood Shire come alive. Don’t forget to grab your free loot—like craft files, T-shirt designs, and 3D printing treasures—to bring the Peckles-Wood Shire right into your home. And remember, even though the book comes out on November 5, 2026, this adventure is just getting started!
Start your Adventure here ↴
Discover the Schoolhouse, 1885
Imagine only going to school twice a month. The Whitaker kids did exactly that in 1885, traveling miles through the wild to grab their secret lessons. Come along to see more of their mysterious bi-weekly journey!
Meet Catapracht, 1885
Meet Catapracht
“I am not wild. I am not worldly-wise. I am simply Catapracht.”
A Drake from the Beginning, when Purelings walked beside humans as companions. Then humanity left the Sanctuary—and everything changed.
👕 Bring the Shire to Your Shirt — Free Transfer Image.
Visit Catapracht's page to download your free print.
Meet Catapracht and discover what happened. →
Abundant Waterfalls and Streams
The hills and valleys around Hexham were filled with streams, burns, cascades, and waterfalls, especially after heavy rain. Water rushed through rocky channels and wooded valleys, creating countless little falls and pools. Some were well known, while others were simply part of the countryside that local people knew from experience.
For the Whitakers, these waterways were part of the landscape they traveled through every day—a place to pause, explore, and perhaps discover something hidden among the rocks and trees.
Way to go — You've found Molly's Hagstone. Download the 3D Maker File Here.
Great Stone Bridge, 1885
Completed in 1793, Hexham's great stone bridge carried people, horses, carts, and travelers across the River Tyne. By 1885, its nine stone arches had already carried generations of people into and out of town.
The Whitakers did not cross this bridge on their trips to and from home. Their home lay on the other side of Hexham, so their journey took them through the town without needing to cross the Tyne.
For other travelers, however, the bridge was an important gateway into Hexham—and a reminder that the river shaped how people traveled through the countryside, in 1885.
Remember, Remember
To an American, Guy Fawkes Day—also called Bonfire Night—might sound a little like the Fourth of July mixed with Halloween. Every November 5, people across Britain have gathered around bonfires and fireworks to remember an event that happened more than 280 years before the Whitaker children were born.
But it began with a plot that could have changed British history. Visit the celebration
Keep your eyes open along the journey. Free Maker Files are hidden throughout Peckles-Wood Shire waiting to be discovered. Download them, print them, and bring a physical piece of 1885 to your desk.
The bonfires are burning in Hexham → . Are you ready for a rowdy celebration? Let’s go.
Copyright © 2026 Lee Wimmer & Hightower Publications. All rights reserved.
The Illustrator’s Vision—The maps and illustrations of Peckles-Wood Shire are inspired by the real landscapes, places, and traditions of Victorian Northumberland. Created for The Chronicles of Peckles-Wood Shire, they blend historical research with imagination to bring the world of Broken Sanctuary to life and invite young explorers to step into the Whitaker family’s adventure of 1885.