{"product_id":"the-country-house-revealed-a-secret-history-of-the-british-ancestral-home","title":"The Country House Revealed: A Secret History of the British Ancestral Home","description":"\u003cp\u003eDan Cruickshank uncovers the secret history of six of Britains greatest private country houses  each never-before seen on television  and none open to the public Spanning the architectural history of the country house from the disarming Elizabethan charm of South Wraxall  the classical rigor of Kinross in Scotland  the majesty and ingenuity of Hawksmoors Easton Neston  the Palladian sweep of Wentworth Woodhouse with over 300 rooms and frontage of 600 feet  the imperial exuberance of Clandeboye  through to the ebullient vitality of Lutyens Marshcourt  the stories of these houses tell the story of the English nation. All are buildings of the greatest architectural interest  each with a fascinating human story to tell  and all remain private homes that are closed to the public. But their owners have opened their doors and allowed Dan Cruickshank to roam the corridors and rummage in the cellars as he teases out the story of each housewho built them  the generations who lived in them  and the families who lost them. Along the way he has uncovered tales of excess and profligacy  tragedy  comedy  power  and ambition. And as these intriguing narratives take shape  Dan shows how the story of each house is inseparable from the social and economic history of Britain. Each one is built as a wave of economic development crests  or crumbles. Each ones architecture and design is thus expressive of the aims  strengths  and frailties of those who built them. Together they plot the psychological  economic  and social route map of the countrys ruling class in a rich new telling of this island story.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44986865549365,"sku":"ByrdShop_1849902062","price":84.97,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781849902069.jpg?v=1770919692","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-country-house-revealed-a-secret-history-of-the-british-ancestral-home","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}