BOOKS
ts
Rober
Nigel
Book review by Carole Taylor Book review by Sue Smith
RITING a travel HE stone-built Cotswold Book review by Richard Pasco
guide to Belarus manor house has long been
NYONE with a passingWseems an unlikely Tregarded as the
project for a council officer - quintessential English country interest in butterflies will
but that’s exactly what lawyer house.These beautiful honey- Afind this as invaluable a
Nigel Roberts has done. coloured limestone buildings are a resource as avid enthusiasts.
The director of law and administration for This recently published booklet was printed tobreathtaking sight, nestled into the
Gloucestershire County Council, Nigel is a commemorate forty years of Buttery Conservation
Russian speaker and has always had a rolling hills of England’s largest and as such contains details of forty varied walks
particular interest in the former Soviet Union. designated Area of Outstanding throughout Gloucestershire, where many of the
After attending a public meeting arranged by
forty-four species of butterfly found in the countythe United Nations Association to publicise the Natural Beauty.
plight of Belarusian communities in the are likely to be seen accompanied by informationNow they have been put together in one superb
Chernobyl radiation zone,he helped to found a on their habitats.coffee-table book, Country Houses of the
small charity - the West Oxfordshire Vetka Produced with the support of the ForestryCotswolds,compiled by Sir Nicholas Mander of
Association (www.wova.org.uk). Owlpen Manor,Uley. Commission and with a foreword by Matthew
Over the past seven years, Nigel has travelled The book covers all periods from Medieval castles Oates,the National Trust’s national advisor on
extensively throughout Belarus,working with to twentieth-century houses and forms an unrivalled nature conservation, this little gem lays out the
rural communities on sustainable development archive of architectural history, with more than 200 walks in easy to follow directions,lavishly illustrated
projects. photographs included to illustrate a fascinating
throughout with landscapes and close-ups of theBut why the book which, incidentally,is the survey of the Cotswolds through the ages.
very first in the West to feature Belarus as a butterfly and moth species to be seen, plus a simpleDivided into three sections,the book looks first at
single subject? Many may wonder if any map for each walk.castles such as Sudeley with its Royal connections as
sensible person would actually want to visit this The featured walks vary in length from 1km upwell as some magnificent examples of early manor
beleaguered country. to 7km so there is something to suit everyone.Eachhouses such as Owlpen Manor,Daneway House,
Nigel says Belarus is much misunderstood. walk starts with key information on getting to theone of the most romantically evocative manor
“It was during my second visit that I start point, parking facilities,walking distance,houses in the Cotswolds and Snowshill, an Aladdin's
convinced myself that here was a book just species to look for and the best time of year to go.
den of historical clutter.waiting to be written,” says Nigel. “It made no
The second part features some of the great The benefit of this guide being in booklet formissense at all that I seemed to be the first to have
had this thought.” classical houses and noblemen’s palaces of the 18th that it will slip into your coat pocket or backpack
So in this useful hands-on book - part century including Badminton House,by far the without adding much weight, so it’s on hand should
history, part guide and part up-to-date, grandest house in the Cotswolds,and Dyrham Park, you need to check directions or compare butterflies
practical information - Nigel shares everything a formal masterpiece in Anglo-Dutch style which spotted to the photographs in the book.
he has come to know and love about Belarus, was very popular at the turn of the 18th century. More information about the conservation
and his joy and delight in the country shines The book concludes with the work of leading group can be found at www.butterfly-
through. practitioners in the Arts and Crafts movement
conservation.org. This issue of Cotswold
Read about the rich culture and tradition of including Ernest Barnsley’s Rodmarton Manor and
Essence also features the Prestbury Hilla place that is still almost an unknown land; William Morris’s Kelmscott.
marvel at beautiful churches,forests where butterfly walk.Prince Charles’s garden at Highgrove and
wolves and bears still roam, rivers, lakes,flora 40 Butterfly Walks in GloucestershireRosemary Verey’s at Barnsley House are also
and fauna; learn how cities rose from Nazi Published by Butterfly Conservation –featured as well as new classical houses by Terry
barbarianism and discover towns that have Quinlan such as Waverton near Sezincote,astud Gloucestershire Branch
stunning museums crammed with rare artefacts farm built for Jocelyn Hambro, and Bibury Court,
but empty of visitors. picturesquely set at the end of a short valley on the
In this age of instant travel, when few parts edge of what is popularly believed to be England's
of the world are unknown to us,Belarus is a most beautiful village.
well-kept secret that is out of step with our fast, This is a beautifully presented book packed to the
modern world. gunwales with interesting facts and hard to put
Nigel Roberts’ excellent book brings Belarus down by anyone even with only the slightest interest
to our attention and opens up a country that is in architecture or local history.
on tip-toes waiting to be discovered. Country Houses of the Cotswolds by Nicholas Mander is
Belarus by Nigel Roberts is published by published by Autumn Press £25 ISBN 978 1 84513
Bradt Guides priced £14.99 3313
www.cotswoldessence.co.uk 35COTSWOLDESSENCE September - November 2008
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