A Country House Companion Author:Mark Girouard For five centuries, the magnicient country houses of the English ruling classes were the settings for their pleasure and politics, tangible expressions of their authority and confidence. With the decline of the country house in the mid-twentieth century, many aspects of this way of life unique to England have disappeared forever. — Now Mark Girou... more »ard, author of the best selling Life in the English Country House, recreates this era, compiling an anthology of personal anecdotes and reminiscences about these country houses by people who lived in them, worked in them, or visited them - from queens to kitchen maids.« less