Book Description

Book Description

Book Description

No visitor to Britain—past or present—should be without this glorious guidebook. England’s Thousand Best Houses is a panorama of an ancient heritage, a compendium of a thousand delightful country houses from all periods—all of which are open to the public.

Breathtaking Blenheim Palace, the monumental jewel of Oxfordshire . . . the Duke of Devonshire’s opulent Derbyshire seat of Chatsworth . . . the extraordinary baroque vision of Castle Howard in Yorkshire . . . lesser known gems like Little Morton Hall—all of these celebrated houses come to life and mingle with the yet-to-be discovered. England’s Thousand Best Houses is a must-have for readers from veteran architects to armchair travelers and anyone embarking on an exploration of the stately treasures scattered throughout England. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Book Description

Following on the great successes of recently published books on the Great Houses of England, of Wales and of Scotland, here in the same lavish format is a book on the manor houses of England.These smaller scale houses, often of more ancient origin than the "great houses," are scattered all around the country, and range from simple Norman halls to picturesque Tudor manor houses and handsome buildings from the reign of the Stuarts.This is domestic architecture, rather than palaces built to impress the visitor with their owners' power and wealth, and as such they are far more closely related to modern life.Not only is this book redolent in history, but it will suggest architectural and decorative ideas to those building a traditional home.While most of the great houses have now been sold by their original owners, most of the manor houses are still privately owned and lived in as a home.His book covers 40 manor houses in all, each one is beautifully illustrated by specially commissioned photographs and accompanied by a lively, readable text that describes the families that created these marvelous houses. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

With fascinating and descriptive information and insights
The collaborative effort of writer and British country estates expert Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd and architectural photographer Christopher Simon Sykes, Manor Houses Of England is a stunningly visual and informatively descriptive showcase of great and historic works of British country manor house architecture. Manor Houses Of England is illustrated throughout with full-color photographs on almost every two-page spread and filled from cover to cover with fascinating and descriptive information and insights about the history, construction, use, and present-day status of each these majestic buildings depicted. Very highly recommended for armchair travelers and architecture buffs, Manor Houses Of England is the next best thing to taking a personally guided, on-site tour of these awe-inspiring buildings.

ANGLOPHILES REJOICE!
Anglophiles have cause to rejoice with the publication of this rich tribute to England's stately homes. Over 300 color illustrations present both exteriors and interiors in their somewhat faded but nonetheless unparalleled glory.

For many of us the term "manor house" needs some explanation. "A 'manor' is a specific English territorial unit, originally of the nature of a feudal lordship. But a "manor house," while traditionally the seat of the lord of the manor, has come to be regarded as a romantic synonym for a small country house, particularly of the late-medieval Tudor and Stuart periods."

Forty houses were selected from more than 300 possibilities to be presented in this spectacular volume. Each is a rarity not only in appearance but in essence. Steeped in history, each evokes in the viewer visions of chivalry, romance, and mystery.

Presented in chronological order the homes trace the development of England's architecture from the early days of monasticism to the Victorian era. All are currently habitable.

We find that medieval manor houses, minimally, had a Great Hall with several wings crossing it for bedrooms and storage areas. Largely unfortified, these manor houses depended upon moats and gatehouses for safety.

The dawn of the Tudor age brought the Renaissance style to England with homes, as today, built primarily for show. The 18th century saw great Palladian house which later underwent extensive renovation.

"Manor Houses Of England" is a keepsake volume with spectacular photographs accompanied by a fascinating text that includes stories of the families who built these houses.

- Gail Cooke

Beautiful coffee-table book.
Wonderfull photos showcasing proud & stately English homes. You will enjoy trying to pick out which house you'd choose to live in. Sometimes I liked the interiors better than the exteriors & vice-versa. I would have prefered the authors chose only 20 houses (instead of 40) but gave twice the amount of coverage to each one. Although it is a charming book, I rate it only 4 stars because of the following: The need for more in-depth history & info for each house; a map of Britain with locations of the homes would help; I would have liked to see even basic floorplans (there are none); some homes profiled have only a couple of interior photos & one or two external shots.
Having said that, however, it is a great book , just a little too pricey for me. ... Read more

Book Description

The Great Houses of London is an account of extraordinary buildings, most of which no longer exist, of such great designers as Robert Adam, and if the enormously rich English aristocrats grandees who commissioned these houses.When Queen Victoria remarked to her neighbor, the Duchess of Sutherland, "I have come from my house to your palace," she was by no means exaggerating.The palaces of the nobility were second only to churches in architectural and aesthetic significance, and defied comparison with the châteaux of France or the palazzi of Venice.Filled with astonishing French and English furniture, generally equipped with a large private picture gallery to display priceless paintings bought on the Grand Tour, staffed by between 50 and 60 servants, these houses expressed the taste and aspirations of a single person, and usually one rich and powerful enough to have his own way.A distinguished designer, large rooms for entertaining formally, an imposing façade to impress passers by and visitors were the background for the endless balls and costume and garden parties, and formal dinners that made the dazzling London "Season" one of the high points for European royalty and society from June through August.This book, the only publications on a fascinating subject, covers some 40 major home and 100 lesser ones, starting in the 13th century in the walled city of London and moving on to the then suburbs of Bloomsbury, Holborn, Soho, Piccadilly and St. James, finishing in Park Lane from which the aristocrats were driven by the noises of motor traffic.This is a book that will fascinate architects, decorators, Anglophiles and social historians. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very informative
Don't be put off at first by the black and white photos. This book has some color photos, and I was at first hesitant to purchase this book because it seemed to be mostly black and white photography.
However, once I began to read this book, all thoughts about photos went out of my head! This book is informative, intelligent and thorough. The author has studied his subject very well, and writes in a clear and easy to follow manner. I really do find the floorplans to be an invaluable tool towards understanding the buildings the author is describing.
I am currently using this book as a research tool for my novel, but I did buy this book just for the love of the subject and I was not disappointed.
I would recommend this book again and again to anyone with a love of history and architecture.

This will become a fixture on your nightstand
Mark Girouard, an architectural historian, has traced the roles of form and function in England's Great Houses in this densely illustrated, sensitively written book. Floor-plans, innumerable photographs and drawings (many of homes now destroyed), and portraits pepper the text, which is readability itself.

The book follows a chronological path from the Mediaval Household to the present day. The text isn't dry at all. Delicious details abound: Bess of Hardwick pacing her Great Chamber of Hardwick Hall, waiting for the royal visit that never came in the instantly-dated house she'd built for this very purpose, ... The origin of the phrase "backstairs intrigues" (both political and sexual).... the slow but persistant birth of the aristocratic ideal of "privacy"--and how it affected dining halls....the rise of the great dilettante libraries (and the rooms to house them).....and the advent of the freakish innovation of indoor plumbing (and a picture of the Duke of Wellington's elaborate WC) are just a few tidbits.

Mr. Girouard doesn't neglect the "downstairs" portion of a Great House, because he's interested in the whole institution as a functioning unit. Some of the most intriguing photos are of beloved servants' portraits, and the almost Shaker-like beauty of a working kitchen or laundry. Included, also, is a printed "Summary of Livery Men's Duties, Etc., Etc.", of Hatfield House, and darned if it doesn't sound like instructions for empoyees at an indifferent New York hotel!

This book is a delicious retrospective, and will make any red-blooded Anglophile who longs for one of these faded leviathans very happy indeed. Now, if you need me further, I will be in the Orangery. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

This long-awaited book is the first to focus solely on the brilliant but often neglected interiors and furniture of the great British architect Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens (1869-1944).

Lutyens's lifelong creative partnership with landscape designer Gertrude Jekyll spurred the revival of the English country garden, and his designs-rooted in the English Arts and Crafts movement but inspired by Classicism-remain popular today for their clean lines, angles, and contrasts. Published with the cooperation of the Lutyens family, and illustrated with specially commissioned and archival photographs of intact or restored interiors and gardens, original furniture designs, and contemporary reinterpretations of the Lutyens style, the book provides fresh insight into a design genius whose masterful synthesis of function and artistry has enduring relevance and appeal.

ELIZABETH WILHIDE was born in the United States and has lived in England since the late 1960s. She is a leading expert on interior design who has written, co-authored, or contributed to dozens of books on the subject, including Abrams' William Morris: Decor & Design.

CANDIA LUTYENS, who has contributed the foreword, is the great-niece of Sir Edwin Lutyens. She lives in England.

116 illustrations, 90 in full color, 9 x 10" ... Read more

Book Description

Great Houses of Scotland presents 26 historic castles and manors in the land of ancient legend that inspired Sir Walter Scott and Shakespeare's Macbeth. Over 300 rich color photographs take the reader beyond the velvet ropes and through the grand public drawing rooms, private bedrooms, and back stairways of Scotland's famous houses.

From formal, gilded halls to rustic trophy rooms, the range of interior styles reflects the personality of Scotland's foremost families. Charming anecdotes and candid character sketches of the famed individuals who built these houses make this a fascinating social history as well as an architectural tour.

The selection of houses reflects the development of architectural style in Scotland, from old tower houses such as Cawdor and Traquair to the spectacular baroque of Drumlanrig and the pioneering Classicism of Kinross by Sir William Bruce. The masterful architecture of William Adam is highlighted here, including his work on Arniston, the House of Dun, and the palatial Duff House. Besides such beloved favorites as Sir Walter Scott's Abbotsford, Blair, Hopetoun, and Mellerstain, the book is full of remarkable surprises, including the High Victorian Gothic extravaganza of the newly restored Mount Stuart, and the Edwardian opulence of Ardkinglas. The Scottish ability to combine intimacy and grandeur has never been more glorious than in the silver staircase, marble dairy, and teak stable of Manderston; Dunrobin Castle perches on cliff's edge as if in a fairy tale-- the inimitable character of each historic house shines in this beautiful book.

With encouraging plans for restoration and revitalization by the present owners-- the National Galleries of Scotland's initiative to restore Duff House as a satellite gallery, plans for an opera school at Yester, the rejuvenation of a brewery at Traquair-- this is a timely chronicle of the living history of these great houses.
... Read more

Book Description

This 800-year history is both an architectural study of Rievaulx and a survey of the surrounding 92-acre walled precinct.Discussions range from shrines in the monastic choir to the baths allowed to the sick, from provision for the washing of the monk's clothes, to the quarries that provided the stone at different stages in Rievaulx's development.Tracing the history of the church and claustral buildings from foundation to the present, the text deals not just with the abbey but with broader social, economic and institutional issues of the lives of its past communities. A 32-page color section showing the abbey as it is today, set in the spectacular North Yorkshire countryside. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Splendid Exploration of the Life of a Monastery
In Rievaulx Abbey, the authors have given us a splendid portrayal of life in the Cistercian monastery. The personages of Aelred and Walter Daniel truly come alive in this work. In addition to the historical perspective of the book, we are given insight into the methods of architectural historians and come away with a better understanding of how great historical buildings are interpreted. The prose of Fergusson and Harrison is awe-inspiring. This book is a must-have for the student of monastic architecture. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

From the archives...
"From the archives of Country Life" almost says it all. Jeremy Musson does a wonderful job of applying fresh commentary to these outstanding photographs of some of England's most beautiful manor architecture. This book and others "from the archives..." are required reading and study for anyone wanting to understand the development of the romantic picturesque archtiectural essays of late 19th and early 20th centuries in the UK and US. ... Read more

Book Description

Celebrating one of the richest periods of English art and architecture, this definitive book is published to accompany a major exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Stunning photographs of soaring fan vaulting, exquisite jewels, rare objects of gold and silver, and much more make this book essential for all lovers of the Gothic style.

Leading medieval scholars have contributed essays on subjects that encompass all aspects of life in this vibrant and influential time in English history-from war and politics to music and architecture. A magnificent variety of images present the very finest works of late medieval art, with a special emphasis on the splendid architecture of English churches and cathedrals of the period. Many of the remarkable surviving examples of stonework, wood carving, stained glass, and arms and armor are published here for the first time, creating a book of both scholarship and beauty.

The Gothic style is once again being revived in interior design and even fashion, making this book, the most complete ever published, appealing to a wide audience. ... Read more