The Power and the Glory: Life in the English Country House Before the Great War [Hardcover]

A spirited history of the English country house in its golden age 

For generations, the great palaces of Britain were home to living histories, noble families that had reigned for centuries. But by the end of the nineteenth century, members of elite society found themselves, for the first time, in the company of arrivistes. Their new neighbors—from chorus girls to millionaire greengrocers to guano impresarios—lacked lineage and were unencumbered by the weight of tradition. 
 
InThe Power and the Glory, historian Adrian Tinniswood reconstructs life in the country house during its golden age before the Great War, when Britain ruled over a quarter of the earth’s population and its stately homes were at their most opulent. But change was on the horizon: the landed classes were being forced to grapple not only with new neighbors, but also with new social norms and expectations.  
 
An exuberant story,The Power and the Gloryoffers a delicious, captivating, and often scandalous history of the British country house. Adrian Tinniswoodis professorial research fellow in history at the University of Buckingham, adjunct professor in history at Maynooth University, and the author of many books on British history, includingNoble Ambitionsand the New York Times bestseller The Long Weekend. He was awarded an OBE for services to heritage by Queen Elizabeth II and lives in Ireland. A Telegraph Best History Book of 2024“A lively and informative history sprinkled with nuggets of insight.”Wall Street Journal“One of the most enjoyable aspects of this book is the palpable excitement felt by late 19th-century owners about their houses’ newfangled features.”Times (UK)“Tinniswood’s winning approach to writing history… combines the anecdotal“'