What do you think?
Rate this book
The Country House: Past, Present, Future: Great Houses of The British Isles
This exciting new book on British country houses offers an unusual and magnificent look at the lifestyle, architecture, and interior design of the country house of the British Isles.
From Brideshead to Downton Abbey , the country house is a subject of fantasy and curiosity, as well as a rich resource to explore the history of great architecture and decoration and the lives of landowners and those who made the houses work. With hundreds of photographs from the National Trust, and others from public and private collections, this visually lavish volume draws back the curtain on important historic homes in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. At the same time it reveals the complex stories of these interiors, both grand and hidden, from great halls, libraries and entryways to the kitchens and stables and gardens. Locations featured include Knole, Cragside, Castle Howard, Chatsworth, Polesden Lacey, Petworth, Bodiam Castle, Blenheim, Longleat, and dozens more.
An insightful essay by renowned British author and historian David Cannadine explores how the idea of the country house has changed over the past forty years. Additional essays reflect on how changing twentieth century values have impacted the country house, with contributions by writers and scholars such as Sarah Callander-Beckett on the private house, Dr. Madge Dresser on slavery and the country house, and Dr. Oliver Cox on the 'Downton Abbey 'effect.' The texts are woven around extensive picture essays, introduced and curated by country house specialist Jeremy Musson, which look at the identity and image of British country houses of all kinds and the stories they contain.
From Brideshead to Downton Abbey , the country house is a subject of fantasy and curiosity, as well as a rich resource to explore the history of great architecture and decoration and the lives of landowners and those who made the houses work. With hundreds of photographs from the National Trust, and others from public and private collections, this visually lavish volume draws back the curtain on important historic homes in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. At the same time it reveals the complex stories of these interiors, both grand and hidden, from great halls, libraries and entryways to the kitchens and stables and gardens. Locations featured include Knole, Cragside, Castle Howard, Chatsworth, Polesden Lacey, Petworth, Bodiam Castle, Blenheim, Longleat, and dozens more.
An insightful essay by renowned British author and historian David Cannadine explores how the idea of the country house has changed over the past forty years. Additional essays reflect on how changing twentieth century values have impacted the country house, with contributions by writers and scholars such as Sarah Callander-Beckett on the private house, Dr. Madge Dresser on slavery and the country house, and Dr. Oliver Cox on the 'Downton Abbey 'effect.' The texts are woven around extensive picture essays, introduced and curated by country house specialist Jeremy Musson, which look at the identity and image of British country houses of all kinds and the stories they contain.
432 pages, Hardcover
Published September 25, 2018
1 person is currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
David Cannadine
70 books75 followersSir David Cannadine FBA FRSL FSA FRHistS is a British author and historian, who specialises in modern history and the history of business and philanthropy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 17, 2019
If you own only one book on British country houses this probably isn't it, depending on what you're looking for. Most books like this, and I own quite a few, spend a few pages and up to several hundred words on each house, organized chronologically or by region. Sometimes they spend time covering developments over time in styles and function, but mostly they are building porn that show beautiful homes. These can be wonderful books. This book is not that.
Instead, this book describes the history of British country houses generally, detailing architectural trends, changing tastes and technologies, and the way that people lived in them, above and below stairs. The Country House is filled with beautiful photos, but they are illustrative of the concept being explained, not spreads showing multiple images inside and outside a particular house. Instead, for example, part of the book talks about kitchens and in that section it shows a variety of examples. In the area that talks about how libraries came to be de rigueur in these homes it shows a number of examples and describes how these evolved over time.
While other country house books touch on function, what it was (or rarely is) like to actually live in these things, this book dives deep. There is far more text than in a typical coffee table book, and that's a good thing. You kind of get the best of both worlds - very interesting explanatory prose and page after page of gorgeous photos.
If you already have books of pictures of your favorite British country houses and are looking for something more meaty, this one will be for you.
Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the subject.
Instead, this book describes the history of British country houses generally, detailing architectural trends, changing tastes and technologies, and the way that people lived in them, above and below stairs. The Country House is filled with beautiful photos, but they are illustrative of the concept being explained, not spreads showing multiple images inside and outside a particular house. Instead, for example, part of the book talks about kitchens and in that section it shows a variety of examples. In the area that talks about how libraries came to be de rigueur in these homes it shows a number of examples and describes how these evolved over time.
While other country house books touch on function, what it was (or rarely is) like to actually live in these things, this book dives deep. There is far more text than in a typical coffee table book, and that's a good thing. You kind of get the best of both worlds - very interesting explanatory prose and page after page of gorgeous photos.
If you already have books of pictures of your favorite British country houses and are looking for something more meaty, this one will be for you.
Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the subject.
April 8, 2019
This book is truly a feast for the eyes. If you're a fan Downton Abbey or just history in general, you should check out this book. Warning, it's a coffee table book so it's enormous. You've been warned.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews