THE STORY OF A CASTLE

Like Goodall's The Story of an English Village, a wordless recapitulation of English social history through a series of richly detailed, beautifully executed illustrations of a single locale. Goodall's castle is built by the Norman conquerors on a knoll overlooking the sea, expanded in Elizabethan times, defended (unsuccessfully) against the Round-heads in the 17th century, elegantly refurbished to accommodate the opulent festivities typical of the 18th and 19th centuries, home to a hospital during WW I, scene of neighborhood festivities to celebrate the Coronation of Elizabeth II, and opened to the public in 1970. As always, Goodall's research in costume and architecture has been meticulous; the evolution of the arched interior from rough stronghold to panelled and beautifully adorned ballroom is especially interesting, and the chronology of costume will be useful for reference. The cut-page device adds interest and continuity, although in some instances the pictures match imperfectly. A warm evocation of times past to delight Anglophiles and gather new converts.