The illustrious history of Apethorpe, in Northamptonshire, is one that until recently may not have captured the popular imagination. It was owned by a series of monarchs starting with Henry viii and was frequently visited by both James i and Charles i. The former even extended the property to accommodate his desire to entertain and hunt in the nearby royal forest of Rockingham. However, the house’s twentieth-century history is one of despair and the brink of utter ruin. In 2004, English Heritage took possession of the property with a Compulsory Purchase Order through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport after a decade of statutory action, after which the property underwent an extensive conservation plan to restore it to its former glory.

The earliest part of the house dates from the mid-fifteenth century when Sir Guy Wolston, a courtier, was granted the estate. As the book discusses, the site has a much earlier history, being named in the Domesday Book, and there is archaeological evidence for occupation dating back to the first century ad. Its later history was largely intertwined with the royal family. In the nineteenth century, Apethorpe was modernised and adapted by John Fane, eleventh earl of Westmorland, but, because of familial financial struggles, the house was largely neglected for the rest of the century until Leonard Brassey bought it and spent substantial sums of money to bring the house up-to-date. In 1949, Brassey sold Apethorpe for use as an approved school. Since its acquirement by English Heritage, the house has been surveyed, researched, repaired and restored.

The book is a culmination of this extensive project by English Heritage. It presents a chronological narrative of the house starting with the very beginnings of the site’s history and ending with the present day. The almost 500 photographs, drawings, paintings, plans and reconstructions bring the history of the house and its occupants to life for the reader. The book contains contributions from Kathryn Morrison, Emily Cole, Nick Hill, John Cattell and Pete Smith, who were all involved in the restoration project. What sets this volume apart is that, although there are multiple contributors, it is seamlessly put together and there is no departure of narrative. With thirteen chapters, the book is structured in chronological order starting with the medieval house of the late fifteenth century and covering each major phase in its history, ending with the rescue of Apethorpe from 2004–14.

One of the many real strengths of this book is the attention paid to the wider landscape and community in which Apethorpe sits. There are discussions on the relationship between the owner of the house and St Leonard’s Church as well as the wider patronage network of the various owners throughout its history. The volume is a true testament to the importance of incorporating wider historical context when exploring an estate. Although it is a single case study, the book allows for connections to be made across England, showing the ebb and flow of the estate’s influence in the political sphere.

The volume is a beautiful blend of research covering history, genealogy, architecture, landscape, archaeology, art history and restoration techniques. It is truly a cross-disciplinary monograph that proves the benefit of examining a house through a multitude of approaches and disciplines. That being said, the narrative presented is coherent and cohesive, and easily understandable. The reader does not need to be an expert in any specific discipline or period of time to enjoy the long history of Apethorpe. The richness of the book continues in the appendix, with a collection of transcripts of documents related to the history of the house, including a sequence of inventories. The transcriptions of these documents will prove to be invaluable to a researcher of Apethorpe – or country houses more generally. The volume unabashedly presents the history of the buildings of Apethorpe even when the history is not particularly rosy, but represents a story of neglect and ruin.

This book is thoroughly researched, as shown in the care taken in the writing and compilation of the text. Readers with a variety of interests from family and genealogical to architectural and art historical will find it to be exceptional. Ultimately, Apethorpe: the story of an English country house would be a treasure to add to any library.