Secrets of an English Country House
Product details
- ISBN 9781836007289
- Weight: 1310g
- Dimensions: 213 x 260mm
- Publication Date: 24 Sep 2026
- Publisher: Quarto Publishing PLC
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
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Step inside Mapperton with Julie Montagu, Countess of Sandwich as she reveals the realities of running an English country estate and the secrets hidden behind its historic doors.
What’s it really like to live in Britain’s finest manor house? In 2016, Julie and her husband Luke Montagu, Earl of Sandwich, took on the stewardship of Mapperton and its 1,900-acre gardens and wildlands. Since then, they’ve been restoring rooms, reviving forgotten relics, welcoming visitors, launching a rewilding project and sharing it all with millions on their popular YouTube channels, @MappertonLive and @AmericanCountess.
Chicago-born Julie brings the past to life as she chronicles the highs and lows of estate living through the seasons. She delves deep into the extraordinary history of Mapperton and the Montagu family – from rediscovered paintings and antique gowns to long-lost diaries – and finds a kindred spirit in Gilded Age heiress Alberta Montagu, 9th Countess of Sandwich.
Secrets of an English Country House offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at a working estate – a celebration of its beauty, its history and the determination it takes to keep an English country house thriving in the modern world.
Part memoir, part social history and part country‑house chronicle, this is an essential read for anyone fascinated by Britain’s historic houses, the families who care for them and the realities of preserving heritage in the modern age.
Julie Montagu, Countess of Sandwich is not your average aristocrat. Born on the outskirts of Chicago, she describes herself as an all-American girl who unexpectedly met the future Earl of Sandwich and then married into the British aristocracy. Two decades later, Julie is the driving force behind Mapperton House, Gardens & Wildlands in Dorset, UK – widely regarded as one of England’s finest manor houses. She shares her daily life with hundreds of thousands of followers via YouTube (@MappertonLive) and Instagram (@juliemontagu) as well as Facebook, Patreon and Substack. Alongside managing the estate, Julie built a successful career as a wellness entrepreneur and yoga instructor, writing several bestselling books and appearing on Bravo’s Ladies of London. As a historian, she is a sought-after presenter and commentator on British history and royal affairs for both UK and US networks. In 2020, she presented An American Aristocrat’s Guide to Great Estates for the Smithsonian Channel. She later launched the @AmericanCountess YouTube channel, where her production company, Living History Films, produces high-quality documentaries exploring Britain’s stately homes.
