Country houses have come to be regarded as quintessentially English, not only in terms of their architectural style but because they appear to embody national values of continuity and insularity. The histories of country houses and England, however, have featured episodes of violence and disruption, so how did country houses come to represent one version of English history, when in reality they reflect its full range of contradictions and complexities? This book explores the evolution of the country house, beginning with the violent impact of the Reformation and Civil War and showing how the political events of the eighteenth century, which culminated in the reaction against the French Revolution, led to country houses being recast as symbols of England?s political stability.
Format
Books
Language
English
Added to Catalog
December 13, 2023
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 331-377) and index.
Contents
Introduction: Englishness and the country house
1 Violence and the country house, I: The Reformation