The Manor Reborn The Transformation of Avebury Manor

Avebury Manor in Wiltshire, one of the most beautiful houses in England, has been empty for years. Its owners, the National Trust, have teamed up with the BBC and an enthusiastic team of experts and amateurs to transform the house and make it into a successful visitor attraction, all in the space of a summer. This is the book that accompanies the primetime BBC 1 series and follows the trials and tribulations of the restoration of a beautiful historic house to its former glory. The history of Avebury Manor itself is fascinating and includes stories of many of its eccentric owners over its lifetime, including heroes and villains—from a governor of Jamaica who ate and drank himself to death to a marmalade magnet who specialised in racy women and witchcraft. Treasure House follows the transformation and renovation each step of the way and tells the story of a house over five centuries and how it came back to life. Taking four great moments in home furnishing—Tudor, Georgian,Victorian, and pre-war Modern—nine rooms in Avebury Manor are furnished and decorated by Penelope Keith and Paul Martin's team of experts and brought back to life.

Cultural historian Siân Evans worked for the National Trust for many years as Senior Press Officer and before that at the Victoria & Albert Museum and Design Museum. In recent years she has written many books including Life Below Stairs, Ghosts: Mysterious Tales from the National Trust, and Pattern Design: A Period Design Sourcebook all for National Trust Books.