The Victorian Country House Revised & Englarged Edition by Mark Girouard lands on the shelves of my shop.
Yale University Press, 1979, Hardback in dust wrapper.
Jacket illustration: From the cover of a book commemorating the visit of Edward, Prince of Wales, and Princess Alexandra to Cragside in August 1884. Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Facsimiles; Colour Photographs; Black & White Drawings; Illustrated endpapers and blanks; Plans;
From the cover: The great wealth of nineteenth-century Britain led to an astonishing boom in the building of country houses. These houses were generally of an enormous size and complexity, and exhibited a remarkable variety of design. Mark Girouard, author of Life in the English Country House, displays his vast knowledge and critical insight in a wide-ranging approach to this fascinating subject. He deals not only with the houses themselves but also with the architects involved, the social and economic conditions that made such massive structures possible, the cumbersome domestic organization that dictated their design, and the ingenious technological developments in plumbing, heating and construction that enhanced the comfort of country living.
The book begins with a perceptive, analytic essay in which the author describes the social climate of the Victorian era and its influence on the architecture. From this perspective, he presents an in-depth look at thirty individual houses great establishments of the aristocracy, Gothic and mediaevalist follies, grandiose fantasies of the industrial rich, and ruins of houses too eccentric to survive each in a different way epitomizing the prosperity, individuality and self-assurance of the age. The book concludes with a catalogue of all the most important houses as well as biographical notes on the major architects.
Originally published in 1971, this book has become established as a classic study of Victorian architecture. For this new edition, the author has substantially revised the text and written two new chapters. The original illustrations are augmented by thirty-three new colour plates.
Writing with his distinctive blend of scholarship, fluency and wit, Mark Girouard has achieved a lucid and engrossing mixture of architectural and social history, of interest and importance not only to serious scholars but to anyone who is curious about the attitudes and way of life of a past generation.
Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper. A little rubbing to the edges of the dust wrapper. Price Clipped. Previous owners’ inscription to the head of the title page. Pages very gently age-tanned.
Red boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 467 pages. Index. 10ΒΌ” x 8″.
Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!
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