No Voice from the Hall by John Harris
This volume recounts an odyssey through country houses in the years following World War II. Most had been requisitioned by the armed forces and, when de-requisitioned, were left to stand empty awaiting their owners' return. It was then that John Harris first discovered country houses.;Between 1946 and 1961 he visited over 200 houses. Hitch-hiking or travelling on pre-Beeching branch lines, he sometimes stayed in youth hostels, sometimes on straw bales in the houses themselves. No house glimpsed through the trees or up an overgrown drive escaped his attention. From these visits and from country house sales he became aware of the riches that country houses contained - pictures, china, furniture, marble fireplaces - riches that were in danger of being lost for ever. Here we follow an architectural historian in search of his quarry.
`The demolition of these houses is a tragic story, but the author's battles with weather and hostile caretakers, and his discovery of unexpected treasures, are entertaining and beautifully written' Eric Anderson, Sunday Telegraph; `The best non-fiction book that I have read this year.' Ursula Buchan, Spectator; `An intensely romantic, poignant, angry, frequently hilarious and hauntingly illustrated memoir.' Hugh Massingberd, Daily Telegraph
John Harris was a joint organiser of the celebrated `Destruction of the Country House' exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1974. That exhibition revolutionized people's view of country houses and made apparent the desperate nced to save them. He has also published many books on architecture, gardens and the decorative arts, and is now Curator Emeritus of the Royal Institute of British Architects' Drawings Collection. He lives in London.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780719561498 |
| ISBN 10 | 0719561493 |
| Title | No Voice from the Hall |
| Author | John Harris |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | John Murray Press |
| Year published | 2000-04-13 |
| Number of pages | 253 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |