A Brief Guide to Private Life in Britain's Stately Homes

by Michael Paterson

Timed to coincide with the release of the third and final series of the award-winning Downton Abbey, which has attracted audiences of more than 10 million viewers. This Brief Guidecelebrates the Victorian and Edwardian eras that marked the golden age of the English countryhouse: a time when opulence and formality attained a level that would never be matched again.Author Michael Paterson skillfully and entertainingly explores the myths and realities of thisvanished world, both upstairs and down.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Historical, British Literature

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2012

Reviews

[❀⊱RoryReads⊰❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

[Delphine · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A brief guide" observes both English country houses and its inhabitants (upstairs and downstairs). The book contains some nice-to-know-facts, but it lacks structure and is a bit too apologetic towards the aristocracy to my taste.

[Methaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book falls short of the mark. The writing is rambling and often repetitive. The chapter titles seem only to provide an excuse to natter on incessantly about any and all generalities pertaining to British country houses. Simple but valuable info is entirely lacking: except for one figure which is only mentioned as an excessive oddity, the author doesn't even provide simple facts like the number of servants necessary for an average country house in general or even specifically for one estate. Outdoor servants only get a passing mention at all.
The popularity of the TV series Downton Abbey is uncomfortably exploited, starting with the cover of the book. I could forgive that, it is one of the reason my interest in the topic was rekindled after all, if the series had been used as a base line from where the realities of a British country house were explored. But apart from some halfassed "name dropping" nothing is made from the connection.
The editing is startlingly bad, copy/paste is not your friend.

All in all not a book I would recommend. The only redeeming quality is that it's at least written in an easy to read style.

[Ness · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main problem of this book is that it is just so badly organised. Rather than being divided into coherent chapters it formed of an introduction, four sections and then two epilogues. We jump from people to places and they way things were done and then back again. It would have been better to focus on just a couple of stately homes and the history of the people who lived and worked in them. With such bad editing it became rather repetitive to the extent towards the end of the book the same paragraph is printed within pages of each other. Unsurprisingly there is no index.

I've read several books on the British aristocracy so at this stage finding new information is quite hard for me. I did find some new facts but most of this book lacked depth. There are many mentions of television shows, films and books rather than deep research. However, the real reason this book really upset me is the author is a fox hunting apologist. Apparently, the reason it was made illegal in 2005 was, "at least partly because the sullen public disliked the notion of the rich conspicuously enjoying themselves." Er, no, it's because it is barbaric and completely unnecessary. He also reckons that the hunts that still go out now chase the fox but don't kill it. If you really believe that you have to sceptical about the rest of the content in the book.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this. I was looking for a light, superficial treatment of the subject to read as a distraction. At some point, I realized that the author and I think very differently. That in itself is not an issue - I read partly to learn what others think/thought. Perhaps an example would help show what I mean more specifically. While admitting that bullying practices at English public schools caused lifelong damage for some and citing a few particularly horrific cases, the author goes on to say

The zealots who criticized it would have found that most of those involved did not mind, and indeed learned some valuable basic culinary skills as a result. (Page 130)

Although his credentials are not mentioned, I would believe the author has studied some history and either has a military background or very much idealizes one.

Poor editing also detracts. For example, the same paragraph appears on pages 265 and 267.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost 4* apart from some sections repetitive. Probably 50 pages too long.
Some interesting information though

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was filled with a lot of interesting facts about the "Golden Age" of landed homes in England. I enjoyed learning more, but wasn't always captivated by the pace or voice of the book.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting insights. Covers a broader time period than you might think from the title.

[Rachel Mantas]

I started out reading this book before my journey to England this past August. I decided to pack the book as it was just under 300 pages, and easy enough to tote around for train & plane rides. Though parts of the book seem to be written redundantly, I did not find the trivialities less useful. I was journeying to visit both Hatfield House, as well as Dartmoor Castle (both of which locations are mentioned in the book, if Dartmoor, mainly for the town) and enjoyed getting to read the treasure trove of facts along the way. What was most interesting was the variety of homes spoken of, including Blair Castle, near Scotland where I nearly visited last year, but due to timing of taxi rides in Pitlochery at 3:000pm, choose to do a Scotch tour I had promised to my husband, in the store time we had there. It also referred to Wellbeck Abbey, the name my mother also gave to her own stone home here in Ontario. It was a riveting read, and not once did I feel as though I was reading a "History book," though I feel I know so much more of the country I visited.