The Country House Revealed: A Secret History of the British Ancestral Home

by Dan Cruickshank

Dan Cruickshank uncovers the secret history of six of Britain's greatest private country houses, each never-before seen on television, and none open to the public
Spanning the architectural history of the country house from the disarming Elizabethan charm of South Wraxall, the classical rigor of Kinross in Scotland, the majesty and ingenuity of Hawksmoor’s Easton Neston, the Palladian sweep of Wentworth Woodhouse with over 300 rooms and frontage of 600 feet, the imperial exuberance of Clandeboye, through to the ebullient vitality of Lutyens’ Marshcourt, the stories of these houses tell the story of the English nation. All are buildings of the greatest architectural interest, each with a fascinating human story to tell, and all remain private homes that are closed to the public. But their owners have opened their doors and allowed Dan Cruickshank to roam the corridors and rummage in the cellars as he teases out the story of each house—who built them, the generations who lived in them, and the families who lost them. Along the way he has uncovered tales of excess and profligacy, tragedy, comedy, power, and ambition. And as these intriguing narratives take shape, Dan shows how the story of each house is inseparable from the social and economic history of Britain. Each one is built as a wave of economic development crests, or crumbles. Each one’s architecture and design is thus expressive of the aims, strengths, and frailties of those who built them. Together they plot the psychological, economic, and social route map of the country’s ruling class in a rich new telling of this island story.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Architecture, British Literature

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2011

About the author

Dan Cruickshank (1949 - ) is a British art historian and BBC television presenter, with a special interest in the history of architecture.

He holds a BA in Art, Design and Architecture and was formerly a Visiting Professor in the Department of Architecture at the University of Sheffield and a member of the London faculty of the University of Delaware. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects, a member of the Executive Committee of the Georgian Group and on the Architectural Panel of the National Trust.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional and fascinating book that explores the history and development of the British country house from the 15th to the 20th century by examining six different houses and their history and the personalities behind them. Exuberant and endlessly fascinating (companion to a superb television series).

[Magpie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharon 2014 glorious book to accompany the bbc series X a delight from start to finish

[Dr Susan Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly a lot of architectural design and features are covered but I was disappointed because I had hoped it would feature more of the 'stately' houses that I knew. Also missing for me is where the building 'stone' for each came from...still plenty of info about the people who desired these giant edifices and those who brought them into being. Wish I had seen the Beeb TV series ...maybe I can find it. Many of the men discussed werefreemasons and/or members of the Royal Society but DC doesn't make that connection...e.g. Wren, Bruce. I shall no doubt dip into it again. Good photographs.