Life in the English Country Cottage - Softcover

A splendid illustrated history of the myth and reality of English cottage life over the last seven centuries, with 240 photographs, paintings, and drawings. Now in paperback. Whether Cotswold stone or a harmonious blend of timber-frame and thatch, the English cottage is an enduringly romantic symbol of country life at its most seductive. The ideal of cottage life is one that has tempted writers and artists for the last 200 years, but as this volume reveals, it was not always idyllic. From the medieval village to the 20th century, architectural historian Adrian Tinniswood traces the history of the cottage, exploring how they came to be built, the materials used to build them, and how they evolved. The focus of the book, however, is firmly on people: how cottage dwellers spent their time, what they ate and where they slept, and how they decorated and furnished their homes. A lively portrait, richly presented with 240 illustrations. Adrian Tinniswood is the author of Historic Houses of the National Trust and Country Houses from the Air. 216 pp 9 x 10 1/2 120 color & 120 b/w illustrations