Throughout the centuries, the English country house has reflected a variety of tastes, lifestyles and interests. From the baroque of Blenheim Palace to the eccentricity of Wollaton Hall, the country house has changed with the years. This collection of bird's-eye-view photography offers the opportunity to view 40 such houses in the context of their surrounding gardens and countryside, twinned with historic portraits of how they have appeared in the past. The stories behind the houses are told with anecdotes, whilst research points out the connections between the lives of the owners and the alterations to house and garden made as a result of the shifting sands of fortune and fate. Gazetter pages provide would-be visitors with practical information on the houses.