In the brief preface to this collection, which arose from a 2005 conference on the history of the villa in Britain, the editors insightfully note that the English Renaissance villa was a cultural phenomenon, and many of the contributors elaborate on this theme of architectural display serving political and cultural ends. Malcolm Airs and Geoffrey Tyack state that although the general history of the villa has been studied in great depth, little work on the villa in Britain has been undertaken (the concept arrived there late and at a time when other nations were drawn to the Baroque style). The essays in the volume fall within two broad categories; the first group discusses the general history of the English villa as an architectural form, and the second focuses on individual houses in the London area. The essays, for the most part, offer a wealth of information on the development of the villa and country house architecture in general. Nicholas Cooper's introductory essay provides an overview of the villa style and its development in England, which frames the following pieces. Cooper discusses the villa as an architectural innovation that allowed the prosperous a bucolic escape from city dwelling while, nevertheless, remaining within the environs of major urban areas. The villa was also unique in not presenting owners with the pressures associated with being a large landowner. Cooper's essay also emphasizes the role played by the villa as a mechanism of display and the cultural resonances that were often attached to it.

Twelve brief essays follow Cooper. Paula Henderson discusses the villa as a cultural idea. Andor Gomme focuses on the transition of halls into vestibules. Charles McKean addresses Jacobean Scottish villas and possible influences for the Queen's House at Greenwich. Sally Jeffrey focuses on the design of gardens and courtyards. Caroline Knight situates the villa as a specifically rural retreat designed for escape from the overcrowding of London. Gordon Higgott analyzes Inigo Jones's designs for the Queen's House. Dianne Duggan discusses the cultural tastes of the Countess of Arundel through her building projects. Lee Prosser and Lucy Worsley trace the construction of Kew Palace and the various alterations undertaken by subsequent owners. Paul Hunneyball compares the differing social ambitions of John Harrison and Marmaduke Rawdon through their architectural patronage. Pete Smith further emphasizes the extent to which villa design must be viewed as an expression of personal taste by focusing on two designs for villas executed by Christopher Wren. Patricia Smith, in her piece on the evolution of the English villa, links it to the political and cultural transitions of the period and posits the suggestion that the importation and modification of the villa style in England (more informal and less ostentatious than large country houses) was the result of a new mind-set that perceived large-scale building and conspicuous consumption to be a liability as “the art of economy” replaced ostentation (90). Her suggestion that small-scale building became a method of expressing one's superiority over others who sponsored lavish projects is an intriguing one, and it would have been interesting to see developed further. In contrast, Elain Harwood's essay on Forty Hall and Tyttenhanger was disappointing. The entry had the feel of an unfinished seminar paper (indeed, Harwood informs the reader at several points that it remains a work in progress), and this rough style diminished the effect of the close scrutiny applied in the piece to these two houses.

One notable feature of all the essays is the absence of a coherent definition of villa. Rather than adhering to a blanket definition of the villa (which contemporaries did not possess), each of the authors eschews such compartmentalization. They illustrate that the term meant different things to patrons and architects in the period, and scholars in this volume adopt their own particular definition of the villa, which they then deploy. This reviewer noted few typographical errors, although, in certain instances, there is a lack of consistency in the spelling of names, the most notable example being the queen consort of James I who is variously referred to as Anne or Anna of Denmark (she styled herself Anna). While kindly disposed to technical architectural terminology, which can be daunting for a nonspecialist audience, this work is lavishly illustrated, the writing style of most of the contributors is clear, and their arguments are well crafted. A great many of the essays also devote space to discussing the role that cultural sensibilities and political motivations played in the erection of English villas, and they all illustrate the extent to which villa design was a reflection of individual taste and, by extension, the importance of analyzing patrons and architects alongside finished structures. While the title of this volume announces it to be an examination of the Renaissance villa in Britain (thus showing itself as being aware of the advantages of adopting a broader perspective), the focus is almost entirely on English architecture. While one essay does address Scottish villas, one wonders how the development of the villa style may have unfolded in Wales or Ireland. That aside, this work is a valuable addition to the architectural history of early modern Britain and will also prove very useful to scholars investigating a particular site of display or architectural patron.