SSoP Podcast Episode 72 — Manor House: The Fall of the House of... Almost Everyone, Really

For most people, home represents comfort, safety, maybe family. It’s the place where you can be yourself — and where you keep all your stuff.

For the wealthy, the right home can mean status, reputation, and legacy, especially in the UK. For hundreds of years, the traditional English manor was more than simply a big house staffed with servants. It was a grand home situated on farmland owned by the family. In addition to being a showpiece, it was a responsibility.

The US equivalent is a Gilded Age mansion, minus the need to worry about the welfare of tenants. Those 20th-century robber barons could simply count their money and throw lavish dinner parties. And in Europe, the history and luxurious accommodations come in the form of palaces, chateaux, castles, palazzos, and other opulent estates.

In this episode, we explore the house -as-character in books by iconic authors, including Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, Nancy Mitford, and a gaggle of Gothic writers. We also delve into the real secrets of the Winchester Mystery House and meet the various ghosts haunting British country piles. Then we recommend many books we love set in notable manor homes, including a classic whodunnit, an atmospheric post-WWII ghost story, a fresh tale inspired by a real-life Victorian court case, an all-American take on the classic Gothic novel, and a dark family story set on the edge of the Fens.

Here are the books set in manor houses that we recommend on the show:

• The Original by Nell Stevens

• The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

• The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker — and the audiobook

• The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

• Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver — and the audiobook

Books, Transcript, and More

For a complete roundup of all the books we recommend, plus a full transcript and the other cool stuff we talked about, visit the Episode 72 show notes. For all things manor house, visit our Manor House Destination Page.

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Top image courtesy of James Bold/Unsplash.