Fiona Carnarvon

So many people have found the Downton Abbey drama on PBS a fascinating series and I am one of them. Along with the interesting characters, the castle itself is almost a character. Built on a massive scale, Highclere Castle is a masterpiece of elegance. Its hundreds of windows and tall corner turrets scream an overwhelming message of power. So, it was with great joy that I jumped into this volume with eagerness to find out about the backstory and history of this amazing castle.

I was not disappointed. My first surprise was that Almina, who was soon to become Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon, was only 19 years old when she married. As in the Downton Abbey story, the major reason for this marriage was the wealth that Almina could bring to the castle. (Lady Cora Crowley is an American who brings a large dowry to her marriage on the television show.) The fact that Almina was the illegitimate daughter of an extremely wealthy man didn’t seem to faze the aristocracy of the era. I found the details of how she took over the running of the household, even accomplishing a complete redecoration for the purpose of entertaining the Prince of Wales within a few months of her marriage, to be mind boggling.

The story of how she turned the castle into a hospital during World War I was riveting. The care that was taken of these damaged young men, even so far as to hire pretty nurses and outfit them in smart-looking uniforms so that the men could be surrounded by beautiful sights, was a story I had never heard before.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in English history, strong women, and the life of glamorous society at the turn of the century.

I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
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