The Story of the Country House

Some of those details are jawdropping. . . . What Aslet does best is provide a crisp, chronological survey of how the country house evolved architecturally from early Tudor times through to Lutyens in the early 20th century and to Quinlan Terry and the like today.Richard Morrison, Times (UK) An eclectic scholarly account, tracing the evolution of the country house from the hunting lodges of the Middle Ages to the modern villas of today. . . . Mr. Aslet is an elegant writer with a wry sense of humor.Moira Hodgson, Wall Street Journal Aslet, a former editor of the quietly influential magazine Country Life, provides a knowledgeable and briskly witty backdrop stretching back to the Romans and their well-built villas.Miranda Seymour, Financial Times A wonderful survey of the architectural splendours of the British country house. Beginning with medieval manor houses, Aslet unfolds a history which moves through the centuries. . . . The tradition he celebrates so richly in this book still thrives.Nick Rennison, Daily Mail The Story of the Country House is in many respects what we have been waiting for. . . . His book doesnt just tell us who built what, and for whom, and in what style, but about the prevailing economic circumstances and fashions of each period.Simon Heffer, Daily Telegraph The 223 pages can be read in one gripping sitting and create a desire to rush off and visit the many houses mentioned. . . . Mr Aslets nimble book is the perfect companion guide.Jeremy Musson, Country Life Written in a wonderfully accessible style. . . . Examples abound, lively and amusing, but always subservient to the narrative. Its a perfect primer for anyone new to the subject, but even aficionados will enjoy it for pleasure of reading a magisterial overview of Britains quintessential cultural form.Historic House Magazine Leaving no stone unturned, this fascinating book allows readers to acquaint themselves with the architects of these houses, and their many interesting occupants.This England The Story of the Country House, while based on impressive knowledge and experience, is neither a formal academic study nor a practical gazetteer. Its virtue is to encourage the reader to stop fretting about theoretical difficulties and enjoy a good story well told in amicable company.Stephen Bayley, Spectator From a medieval manor house to a modern-day folly, Clive Aslet whisks us through time and place on a fascinating tour of British country houses.Beth Williamson, Studio International [Aslets] account is enlivened not only by his descriptions of the genesis and purpose of the historical buildings he features here, but also by the stories of the owners and the architects and by an impressive evocation of the wider context and social history of the periods he covers. Add to this 60 illustrations, half of them in colour, and the result is a lively, informative and enjoyable book.Shiny New Books Architecturally, every type of vast country abode is covered. . . . Along the way there are illustrations and plenty of biography, as the lives, talents and eccentricities of some of the architects and inhabitants of these edifices are revealed alongside the descriptions of the buildings themselves.Nic Bottomley, Bath Life Elaborating on the idea that the country house is its own little kingdom, architectural historian Clive Aslet explores some of the finest examples in Britain. . . . Organised by period, this is a book less about the architecture and more about the people and the context that shapedand continues to shapethese estates.House & Garden, Gifts for Bookworms An engaging, knowledgeable overview of this ever-developing subject, from eccentric owners to ha-has.Richard Hopton, Country & Town House, Christmas Books Clive Aslets expertise is deployed masterfully in t

Clive Aslet is a writer, commentator, historian, editor, and academic. He has written around twenty books on architecture and history and was editor of Country Life magazine from 1993 to 2006.