Book of the week: Noble Ambitions by Adrian Tinniswood

Tinniswood’s exploration of the country pile and its place in society

Inveraray Castle
Inveraray Castle
(Image credit: Jim Dyson/Getty Images)

The postwar period was uniquely challenging for the owners of Britain’s country houses, said John Walsh in The Sunday Times. Having in many cases seen their homes requisitioned during the War, they were then hit by death duties of up to 85% and a top income tax rate of 95%. Maintaining a stately home became cripplingly expensive – and yet selling up often wasn’t an option, since demand for country houses was at an all-time low.

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