Wiltshire is one of the best counties in Britain for architectural fancy, for the county’s residents have expressed their passion for building in a plethora of styles including Gothic, Rustic, classical, Monumental, Chinese, Indian, Italianate and Japanese. We can see their ingenuity and eccentricity in an equally wide variety of building types, including shell houses, grottoes, pagodas, towers, temples, summer houses, tea houses, gazebos, belvederes, lodges, gatehouses, pavilions, arches, loggias… the list is endless. The stories behind them are many and various - built out of passion, megalomania, showing off one’s wealth or to keep up with one’s neighbours or, in contrast, delicate artistry and finesse.

Many are on well-known estates such as Stourhead and Bowood, but others are rarely seen by the public, tucked away in private grounds to which exclusive access has been gained for this book.