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from quillcards.com

The Death Of the Landed Gentry Two world wars in the last century brought about the destruction of a large part of the landed gentry in England, with many country houses being sold to pay death duties.

The National Trust – Guardian Of The Nation Ask anyone in England to talk about country houses, and the name of the National Trust is certain to come into the conversation.

Today the Trust has over three million members and the entrance fees, subscriptions, and donations have helped to pay for the purchase and maintenance of more that 400 country houses, 600,000 acres (250,000 hectares) of countryside, and 700 miles (1,100km) of coastline, in and around the British Isles.

Castle Howard All of this makes Castle Howard stand out from the crowd because not only is it said to be one of the grandest country houses in Britain, it is still privately owned and by the same family who built it three hundred years ago.

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