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England's Living History
The Country House Explained
Thousands of people visit country houses every years and spend a few pounds on a visitor's guide, but what if you want a more general guide to English houses as a whole. The Country House Explained is just such a book. With lots of photographs and sketches Trevor Yorke looks at the exteriors, interiors, gardens and parks of English country houses and at those who designed and built them. From Baroque-styled facades to elaborately decorated plasterwork ceilings, from Victorian reception rooms to the servants' quarters, this book explores some of the most significant and most visited country houses. Yorke explores and exploits our deep fascination with historic houses, `the ultimate expression of power and wealth' from the late medieval to Edwardian period.
191 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 22, 2018
If you ever wanted to know how places like Downtown Abbey (in real life, Highclere Castle) really worked, this little reference is for you. It covers the architecture, the functions of the spaces, technologies, land-use, etc. over a 600 or so year period. It does this very quickly so don't expect a lot of detail, but it's all there.
I especially liked how the author explained any terms that a lay reader may not be familiar with, how everything was diagrammed so you could see what he was talking about, and how the book was very logically presented.
Two small gripes - first, this is definitely about the house and not the people. It doesn't really dive into who the people living here were, only where, and what they were doing. And second, the illustrations and photos are all black and white, so that could be improved.
Overall this is a great little book for anyone interested in the topic.
I especially liked how the author explained any terms that a lay reader may not be familiar with, how everything was diagrammed so you could see what he was talking about, and how the book was very logically presented.
Two small gripes - first, this is definitely about the house and not the people. It doesn't really dive into who the people living here were, only where, and what they were doing. And second, the illustrations and photos are all black and white, so that could be improved.
Overall this is a great little book for anyone interested in the topic.
June 23, 2013
Absolutely brilliant introduction to the styles and terms used in the world of the country house with excellent pencil drawing clearly labelled.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews