The Gothic gem of Arbury Hall, set in an historic park in Warwickshire, lies adjacent to the Manor of Astley. These manors have been home to generations of Newdegates, after the family gradually transferred most of their interests from their previous home, Harefield Manor in Middlesex, during the Elizabethan period and since.

Roy Wilkinson’s fascination with a place that has a history stretching as far back as the eleventh century, and as far afield as the outer reaches of the once-vast British Empire, began in his childhood. Since then, he has witnessed myriad changes at the three manors, faithfully recorded here in this brisk historical document.

From Domesday through to the twenty-first century, the Newdigate-Newdegates lived, died, married, gave birth to new generations and entertained lavishly through civil wars, skirmishes, world wars, scandals and massive social changes, even being home to a POW camp during the Second World War.

The next generation may well provide equally rich material for another document of this kind - their future at Arbury will one day be another seam of its history.