From Blenheim to Chartwell

Churchill was born amidst the splendour of Blenheim Palace but, ever a restless spirit, he owned, rented and was provided with many houses, both grand and relatively modest, over the course of his long life, including country retreats, town apartments and, as a statesman, Admiralty House, 10 and 11 Downing Street and Chequers. But it was his own house at Chartwell that will be for ever associated with his name. From Blenheim to Chartwell charts the life of Winston Churchill through the houses he lived in and the gardens he made. It culminates with the full story of his purchase, alteration and creation of Chartwell, Kent, his home for more than forty years before and after the war, and which is now, in keeping with his intentions, owned and run by the National Trust. Gardening expert and author Stefan Buczacki has researched Winston Churchill's homes and gardens, discovering a side to the great leader that is largely unknown that of a man steeped in Victorian values who cared deeply for his personal staff and behaved with the utmost integrity and honesty in all his business dealings. Based on extensive and scholarly archive study, this well illustrated book brings to light an array of previously unpublished details and reveals a fascinating side to Britain's greatest war leader. Also by Stefan Buczacki and Unicorn: Earth to Earth: A Natural History of Churchyards 987-1-910787-74-8