As the sun set slowly on the British Empire, ancient families had to demolish the parts of their stately homes they could no longer afford, dukes desperately clung to their ancestral seats, and a new class of homeowners bought their way into country life. Capturing the spirit of the age—from Mick Jagger dancing at deb balls to the scandals of Princess Margaret—Adrian Tinniswood proves that the country house is a lens through which to understand the British elite in an era of monumental social change.