Manor Houses of England

asked by spiderman on November 19, 2006 5:53 PM

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.

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Reviews

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.

reviewed by orla on November 24, 2006 10:09 AM

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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

reviewed by madfool on November 27, 2006 1:48 AM

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