Britain has an unparalleled wealth of historic castles and country houses open to the public. For this guide the author visited over 470 properties in all parts of the country, from Cotehele House in Cornwall to Cawdor Castle in the Highlands of Scotland. This book provides descriptions of the houses and details of locations, opening times, tours and facilities. The commentaries section provides a frank appraisal of what each house has to offer - its architecture, interior and contents, from priceless paintings and furniture to idiosyncrasies - and how each house is presented. The properties are graded accordingly on a four-star system.