The Dukeries

Ancient gateways, grand houses and avenues of trees give Murray Gilchrist his subjects in this illustrated account of Nottinghamshire's Dukeries. Published in 1913, it brings together local history and descriptions of buildings, gardens and parkland. At Worksop, Gilchrist examines the Priory Church and its gatehouse, then follows the changing fortunes of the manor through royal visits, a destructive fire and successive rebuilding schemes.

The account also turns to Clumber, where a storm transforms the view along a lime avenue. Inside the house, attention shifts to carved furnishings, paintings and a library containing early printed books and Shakespeare folios. Historical quotations sit beside personal observations about architecture and scenery, giving the writing the character of an antiquarian tour. Readers interested in English country estates can compare the places Gilchrist describes with the tastes, memories and habits of looking that shaped his account.