English Country Houses through Two World Wars (c1910 - 1950) - Autumn 2026
Despite appearances to the contrary, many owners of country houses were in a difficult financial position by 1910 and this was only going to get worse as agriculture remained in depression and taxes increased. The World Wars impacted owners and houses in ways unlike previous wars, breaking up households and leading to many houses being used to support the nation. Despite this the life of the English gentry was still something that was aspired to and purchasers were found for those houses that came onto the market and new ones were built. We will examine these strands of Country House history.
The course consists of 5 weekly sessions of two hours each as detailed below :
- Estate Owners; Declining income and increasing taxation.
- Country Houses and the First World War.
- Country House Architecture and Interior Decoration Between the Wars.
- Country Houses and the Second World War.
- The Servant Problem.
Those attending will be provided with a reading list, extracts from documents and house plans as appropriate.
Tutor Adam Smith
Where
This Course will be held at:
Berkhamsted Bowls Club,
Canal Fields, Broadwater, Lower Kings Road,
Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 2AL
Format
Number of Weeks: 5
Day of the Week: Thursday
This five week course will be at 10.30am -12.30pm (with a tea/coffee break at about 11.30am) commencing 5th of November through to 10th of December 2026.
Cost
The cost of this course is : £50
How to Apply
To apply please use the form below to select your course. We will get back to you with joining instructions and how to pay.