Country houses were the showpieces of the nation's elite and Kent can
still boast some of the finest examples, with Leeds Castle, Chevening,
Cobham Hall, Knole, Penshurst Place, Mereworth and Broome Park to name
but a few. Sadly, the county has also witnessed the demolition of
several of its grander houses due to changes in social habits and the
decline and amalgamation of great estates, not to mention fire, dry rot
and death duties. Estates of modern houses now cover the site of the
many lost houses, while the remains of foundations, surviving entrance
lodges and other outbuildings, and a few garden features can be found if
looked for. It is evocative to think that what was once such an imposing
building, the centre and social hub of the area, is now just a few
scanty remains in a field. This is the first book to feature the lost
country houses of the 'Garden of England' and Martin Easdown provides us
with 120 examples of the grandest mansions that have disappeared, listed
in gazetteer form with illustrations. He also provides us with a few
examples, such as Oxney Court, where the house has come back to life
after years of dereliction.
