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England's Lost Houses: From the Archives of Country Life

England's Lost Houses: From the Archives of Country Life
By Giles Worsley

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Product Description

Of all the photographs in Country Life magazine’s extensive archive, none are more poignant or intriguing than the images of houses that have been lost. In many cases, these pictures are also the only surviving records of important houses and interiors that were destroyed. For the first time, these images have been collected in one volume, providing a powerful impression of the richness and variety of the English country house and of the treasures that were lost through demolition or fire during the 20th century. The range of buildings is surprisingly wide—from the Rococo Nuthall Temple, Nottinghamshire, and the Classical serenity of Stoke Edith, Herefordshire to the richly furnished interiors of Highcliffe Castle, Hampshire, and one of the great masterpieces of 17th-century architecture: Coleshill, Berkshire. Giles Worsley’s illuminating text places the demolition of country houses in its historical context, revealing why so many were destroyed in the last century.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #764181 in Books
  • Published on: 2002-04-01
  • Original language: English
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 192 pages

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Former Country Life magazine editor Worsley (Classical Architecture in England) has set out to examine why certain country houses that were photographed by the magazine were destroyed or demolished during the last century. He explains how government policies and punitive taxation accounted for the disappearance of some, but the decline in agricultural prices, the diminution of the political power of the landowning classes, and World War II further contributed to the destruction of these houses. Approximately 1700 houses were lost since 1900, and this book documents 100 of them. Following the clear and concise introduction are six chronologically arranged chapters. Within each chapter are sections devoted to specific houses, with excellent interior and exterior photographs. Each house is described in a short history and with the story of its loss. This volume documents an important piece of English social and architectural history, providing the only visual record of these lost structures. Recommended for large public and university art libraries. Martin Chasin, Adult Inst., Bridgeport, CT
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Gile Worsley is the architecture correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. He was formerly architectural editor of Country Life and then editor of Perspectives on Architecture.