For over 250 years Shugborough Hall's Shepherd's Monument has fascinated visitors with its mysterious design and its enigmatic cipher. And though the secret of the Shepherd's Monument inscription may have died with its creator, Thomas Anson, it has been the subject of both rational conjecture and radical conspiracy theories for generations. In this book, Dave Ramsden explores a compelling new theory regarding the inscription by studying the ideas expressed in Thomas Anson's other artwork, his library collection, his social circles and the candid writings of his peers. In over ten years of research, Ramsden has unearthed persuasive material that points to a conclusion also borne out by the most detailed technical decryption of the cipher ever produced. The mystery is very real, the solution believable, and the conclusion is but another beginning.