
Describes 14 houses, including Knole, Blickling, Stourhead and Cotehele which the author was responsible for bringing into the care of the National Trust. It brings the owners, the buildings and their pasts to life as the sometimes cliffhanging story of their passing to the Trust...

In 1936, James Lees-Milne became Country Houses secretary of the infant National Trust. Already fired with compassion for ancient architecture, 'so vulnerable and transient', he could now pursue what amounted to a vocation. His arrival increased the Trust's permanent staff to...