Edwardian domestic architecture was beautiful and varied in style, and was very often designed and built to an unprecedented level of sophistication. It was also astonishingly innovative, and provided new building types for weekends, sport and gardening, as well as fascinating insights into attitudes to historic architecture, health and science. 0This book is the first radical overview of the period since the 1970s, and focuses on how the leading circle of the Liberal Party, who built incessantly and at every scale, influenced the pattern of building across England. It also looks at the building literature of the period, from Country Life to the mass-production picture books for builders and villa builders, and traces the links between these houses and suburbs on the one hand, and the literature and other creative forms of the period of the other. It is part of a new movement to explore the ways in which architectural history is recorded and adds up to an original interpretation of British culture of the period.

Illustrates how Edwardian houses were built, how they were used, and what they meant at the time.

'Lush, romantic and full of intrigue' Tracy Rees, Richard & Judy bestselling author From the award-winning author of The Apothecary's Daughter comes The Fading of the Light, the next book in the Spindrift Trilogy - a beautifully evocative, family drama, perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet Chronicles. 1902. Spindrift House, Cornwall Edith Fairchild, deserted by her feckless husband Benedict eight years before, has established the thriving Spindrift artists' community by the sea and found deep and lasting love with Pascal. They have accepted that they cannot marry, but when Benedict returns unexpectedly to Spindrift House, all Edith and Pascal's secret hopes and dreams of a joyous life together are overturned. Benedict's arrival shatters the peaceful and creative atmosphere of the close-knit community. When Edith will not allow him back into her bed, the conflict escalates and he sets in motion a chain of tragic events that reverberate down the years and threatens the happiness of the community forever . . . Why do readers love Charlotte Betts? 'A deeply romantic novel whose vivid characters will linger in your mind' Margaret Kaine 'Romantic, poignant and gripping . . . a fabulous holiday read' Deborah Swift 'A stunning and captivating read . . . full of drama, love, loss and life' Book Literati 'Lush, romantic and full of intrigue. I loved the idyllic setting of a Cornish artists' community in Edwardian times. A book to drift away with' Tracy Rees, Richard & Judy bestselling author 'This is a story filled with secrets and revelations. It is one that lingers in the heart long after the final page is turned. The Fading of the Light is a must read for anyone who wants to be absorbed as well as utterly enchanted' Carol McGrath 'A compelling story, beautifully written and brought alive with rich historical detail . . . I was delighted to be taken back to Cornwall' Liz Harris 'A rich cast of characters, whose complex personalities I totally believed in, pulled me into this absorbing story' Molly Green 'An absorbing read with an interesting set of characters that vividly depicts the bohemian life of these Edwardian artists and their family dramas' Janet MacLeod Trotter

The magnificent country houses built in Britain between 1890 and 1939 were the last monuments to a vanishing age. Many of these great mammoths of domestic architecture were unsuited to the changes in economic and social priorities that followed the two world wars, and rapidly became extinct. Those that survive, however, provide tangible evidence of the life and death of an extraordinarily prosperous age.The fascinating world, so vividly depicted in Evelyn Waughs Brideshead Revisited, can now be viewed from a new perspective. The Last Country Houses will enlighten all those interested in glimpsing the lost life style of another age.

The story of the decline of the British aristocracy is relatively well documented, but this text examines the new plutocracy who challenged it in the years that led to the Belle Epoque of King Edward VII. It explores where its members resided, what they spent their money on and how they lived down, or up to, their parvenu wealth.

Edward VII became king in January 1901 and Britain, a very prosperous country after Victoria's long reign, now began a new era that woudl bring enormous changes. After the stuffiness of Victorian life, there was a desire for less clutter in the home, more fresh air and sunshine. The changes begun during the few years before the First World War would leave their mark on the whole country. This book looks at some of the varied houses of this period, including the homes of the wealthy, as well as those of the middle and lower classes. The Arts and Crafts Movement, the Georgian revival, and a desire for 'the latest thing' were among the influences that contributed to an electric mixture of styles. This book will be of interest to those who live in an Edwardian house, and to many more who share the author's fascination for this period.