ANCIENT ENGLISH HOUSES, 1240-1612. by Sykes, Christopher Simon - 1988

London: Chatto & Windus, 1988. 239 pp, square small 4to (10" x 10"). Profusely illustrated with colour and b&w photographs. "Here is a richly illustrated chronicle of some of England's most beautiful houses, built between 1240 and the early seventeenth century. Hidden in spectacular countryside, often at the end of long, narrow driveways, most are privately owned. Some are lived in by the families who built them hundreds of years ago. Before Christopher Simon Sykes' work for this book, few of them had ever been written about or photographed. A medieval fortified manor, a timber-framed hall on a moated island, a seventeenth-century summer house nestling in a vast, ancient lime tree; winding turret stairs, mullioned windows, priest holes, Great Halls with hammer beam roofs, superb plasterwork, stonework and panelling - these are some of the many treasures (the author) has discovered and photographed for this delightful book." Book is slightly cocked, large gift inscription on verso of front free endpaper, book very slightly cracked at half-title page, light waviness at fore-edge of textblock. Dust jacket is price clipped, has minor edge wrinkling, soft wrinkle on rear panel, very light rubbing.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good.