The Story of the Country House

A History of Places and People

By: Clive Aslet

Narrated by: Simon Vance

The fascinating story of the evolution of the country house in Britain, from its Roman precursors to the present.

The Story of the Country House is an authoritative and vivid account of the British country house, exploring how they have evolved with the changing political and economic landscape. Clive Aslet reveals the captivating stories behind individual houses, their architects, and occupants and paints a vivid picture of the wider context in which the country house in Britain flourished and subsequently fell into decline before enjoying a renaissance in the 21st century. The genesis, style, and purpose of architectural masterpieces such as Hardwick Hall, Hatfield House, and Chatsworth are explored, alongside the numerous country houses lost to war and economic decline. We also meet a cavalcade of characters, owners with all their dynastic obsessions and diverse sources of wealth, and architects such as Inigo Jones, Sir John Vanbrugh, Robert Adam, Sir John Soane, and A. W. N. Pugin who dazzled or in some cases outraged their contemporaries. The Story of the Country House takes a fresh look at this enduringly popular building type, exploring why it continues to hold such fascination for us today.

©2021 Clive Aslet (P)2021 Tantor

Fascinating to hear!

Anyone who is interested in country house life and historical backgrounds about them and the people who used to own them will love this book! Takes you right up until Covid so it covers a lot of ground — but so interesting that time flies!

if you love houses

explains the evolution of house styles and style in general in England with an engaging voice

Very thorough

Very thorough overview of the country house from its medieval great hall to 2020 and the impact of Covid.
Some ppl complain about ‘it’s too architectural’ and yes, there’s large amounts dedicated to architecture and architects-but there’s a LOT of information about use/servants/politics/use/society etc.
Ppl that think it’s simply about architecture must not have read past the second chapter.

A Very Pleasant Read

Clive Aslett has created a history of the country house that is very accessible. The book offers a basic frame work to understand this type of architecture and from there go deep into a specific era if desired. The only drawback is that it took quite a while to finish because I kept looking up all the houses he talked about! Great narrator as well.

Good but not quite great

Enjoyed the narrator and the stories. Wasn’t quite as much history of the houses as I would have liked.