This text traces the development of the British house, through its various guises, from 1780 to 1914. It offers insight into the building codes and customs of the times and provides an overview of the architectural detail of each period. In addition to the architectural history of the exterior, the book also examines the interior (living standards, design and decoration) and it explains where similar houses are located throughout the British Isles and Ireland. The first section of the book treats the terraced house chronologically by style, showing front and back elevations, ground plans of each floor and focuses on the detail of, for instance, sanitation and decorative mouldings. The second part looks at how life was lived in and around the house, with features on chimneys, cooking, lighting, colour, wallpapers, windows, doors and gardens. Throughout, the book is illustrated with images from the pattern books of builders, joiners and craftsmen, as well as plans and critiques from contemporary journals.