Further reading

The Georgian country house: architecture, landscape and society edited by Dana Arnold (Sutton Publishing, 1998)
The country house was the focal point of Georgian architecture, landscape and society. This study explores the meaning of this distinct architectural form through a range of examples and approaches to its history. The main body of the text presents an analysis of the social and cultural significance of the country house, and is complemented by essays from experts in a variety of disciplines. Illustrations, showing exteriors, interiors and landscapes of houses, ranging from Blenheim and Harewood to lesser-known examples such as A la Ronde, provide a thorough historical and visual survey of the period. Accessible interpretations allow the reader to gain an insight into the pivotal role the country house played in 18th- and early 19th-century English society.

The Georgian Villa (The Country House) edited by Dana Arnold (Sutton Publishing, 1998)
The villa remains one of the most potent architectural forms in western culture. The ideal of a rural retreat for relaxation and contemplation has endured from antiquity up to the present day. Yet there have been significant changes in the form and function of the villa and the social and economic circumstances of its occupants. Many of these changes took place in the Georgian period. This text brings together historians to look at the 18th- and early 19th-century villa in its wider context. Images of the villa, real or imagined, are show to reveal much about contemporary attitudes. The role of Andrea Palladio is re-examined through the response of architects throughout the period to his work, including Colen Campbell's Stourhead and Lord Burlington's villa at Chiswick. The range of form, planning and sources of the villa is seen not only in Robert Adam's designs but also in the variations of the villa found in Edinburgh and Glasgow where it provided a balanced contrast between city and retreat. Later in the period, changes in the demand for houses and the urban fabric brought the villa into the city where its elitist aspirations were replaced by democratising principles.

Faithful Handmaid: Fanny Burney at the Court of King George III by Hester Davenport (Sutton Publishing, 2003) £7.99
Drawing on Fanny Burney's letters and journals of the time, Hester Davenport explores the events of King George III's court, and Burney's place within it. She became Keeper of the Robes to Queen Charlotte in 1786 and was witness to many dramas, such as the assassination attempt on the king in the same year. During her time at court she records the King's madness' and recovery, alongside other events, such as the time the King goes for a dip at Weymouth, the birthday procession of Princess Amelia, and the day that the courtiers share tea, brown bread and clotted cream together at Saltram House in Devon. We also share Burney's own life, as she is cruelly jilted by the equerry Stephen Digby. Her fame was already established as a novelist. The anonymously published "Evelina" had been a sensation, especially when the young author's identity was revealed, and was admired by Dr Johnson and other leading figures of the day. Her depiction of her time spent at court illustrates her position as a pioneering woman writer and a valuable social commentator.

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