Of all the photographs in Country Life magazine’s extensive archive, none are more poignant or intriguing than the images of houses that have been lost. In many cases, these pictures
are also the only surviving records of important houses and interiors that were destroyed. For the first time, these images have been collected in one volume, providing a powerful impression
of the richness and variety of the English country house and of the treasures that were lost through demolition or fire during the 20th century. The range of buildings is surprisingly
wide—from the Rococo Nuthall Temple, Nottinghamshire, and the Classical serenity of Stoke Edith, Herefordshire to the richly furnished interiors of Highcliffe Castle, Hampshire, and one of
the great masterpieces of 17th-century architecture: Coleshill, Berkshire. Giles Worsley’s illuminating text places the demolition of country houses in its historical context, revealing why
so many were destroyed in the last century.
