The Rebirth of an English Country House: St. Giles House

Firstly, Justin Barton's photography is stunning -- a body of work that beautifully documents the astonishing rescue of an important English Country House. And then there is Nick Ashley Cooper's excellent story of his personal journey -- suddenly inheriting his title of Earl of Shaftesbury under horribly tragic circumstances, along with a large ruinous house and estate all in tatters, and then his gradually coming to terms over a period of years with the task of turning everything around -- successfully saving his ancient family seat in Dorset and in the process recovering something of the reputation of his once great aristocratic family.. His story is thoroughly honest and engaging. The story of the research and the craftsmanship involved in the conservation of such an important house and landscape is inspirational to read about. The sort of transformation documented in this book is unprecedented in England.. Well worth the purchase -- I shall treasure it.

This book is extremely well written and, with a passion, after all it’s been an enormous and daunting project to save this family home.

Excellent photos and text

Excellent. Written with real feeling and intelligence. Objective architectural history combined with great personal knowledge. We are enjoying a bonanza of single-house histories at the moment, but only Houghton is equal to this one.

Love this book fantastic illustrated book.

I am halfway through reading this because its not about the photos, which are great but its the story of this family and their home coming to life amidst real drama ! what a good read.

Amazing!... just arrived and I cannot put it down already.... literally one of the best visual biographies of a country house. On a par with Chatsworth by D. of Devonshire, Belvoir Castle by D. Of Rutland and Alnwick Castle by D. Of Northumberland I wish more owners would write / publish books such a these.

Should be a fascinating insight into an important yet little known country house. However the book is utterly deficient in lacking even a rudimentary ground plan of the building (the series of sketches of the development of the house through the centuries towards the back if the book just doesn't suffice.) One is therefore left with a series of random descriptions of rooms and what has been done to them without any 'framework' in which to set them. Disappointing.