Castle Howard

From "Bessie of the Broad Apron", whose dowry founded the Howard fortunes in the 16th century, to the filming of "Brideshead Revisited" in the 20th, this book tells the story of the powerful family who have lived at Castle Howard since it was built in 1702. By means of letters, diaries, visitors books, menus, accounts and many other first-hand reports, the author has captured the spirit of the castle and its shifting household. It investigates the family's political and artistic achievements. In its heyday the estate was a great liberal centre. The family was consistently involved at the forefront of European art and was the focal point of the pre-Raphaelite movement. The strange reverse of this leads the story to the present day - a kind of passionate puritanism which lead to violent rebellion in the younger generation and the break up of the Howard estates and fortunes. This book is a social history which goes behind the scenes to describe the daily lives of the Earls of Carlisle and their guests, and the events which occupied them.