Waddesdon Manor: The Heritage of a Rothschild House
Waddesdon Manor was built in the last quarter of the 19th century, when Britain was at the height of its power. The home of Baron Ferdinand Rothschild, it is a magnificent French chateau in Buckinghamshire, near London, and it houses one of the finest collections of 18th-century French furniture to be found anywhere. Waddesdon is indeed one of the finest houses in England and remained in the family until it was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1957, which has maintained it in its original splendor. This volume by Hall, a deputy editor of Country Life magazine and author of The English Country House, traces the family of Ferdinand Rothschild, then describes the planning and building of this house and its gardens in rich detail. The volume is also a social history of one family and offers a vivid picture of the lives of the very rich in Victorian and Edwardian England. The narrative is clear and carefully researched, and the photographs are first class the number of illustrations is surprising in a volume so well priced. This volume deserves to be in most history and architecture collections. Martin Chasin, Adult Inst., Bridgeport, CTCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.