LADY CATHERINE AND THE REAL DOWNTOWN ABBEY.**

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.MINT/NMINT.No previous owner inscrptn,and no price-clip to dw/dj - as new - wrapped and protected from day of issue and purchase. Bright,crisp,clean,matt,colour pictorial illustrated upper panel of dw/dj with gilt and black lettering; 3 contemporary sepia,familial portrait photographs to rear panel of dw.dj; with negligible shelf-wear and creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present.Top+fore- edges bright and pristine; contents bright,tight and pristine - an unread example.Publisher's bright,crisp,clean, sharp-cornered,original plain pale cream cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt letters to spine/backstrip and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,ix-xiipp+1-350pp [paginated] includes contents list/ table,prologue and 20 chapters (each with a b/w photograph/illus headpiece) and an epilogue,32pp of contemporary,biographical familial and portrait sepia photographs in 4 blocks of 8pp apiece between pp52/3, pp116/7, pp228/9 and pp292/3 respectively, acknowledgements,picture acknowledgements,a bibliography and an index.Plus [unpaginated], half-title+ title pages,a dedication,b/w extract of Lady Catherine's family tree and a b/w Highclere estate map extract illustrated frntis,blank at rear followed by publisher advert and another 2pp blanks. This book tells the story of Lady Catherine,a beautiful American girl who became the chatelaine of Highclere Castle,the setting for Julian Fellowes' award-winning drama 'Downton Abbey'.Charming and charismatic, Catherine caught the eye of Lord Porchester (or 'Porchy',as he was known) when she was just 20 years old,and wearing a pale yellow dress at a ball.She had already turned down fourteen proposals before she eventually married Porchey in 1922.Less than a year later Porchey's father died suddenly,and he became the 6th Earl of Carnarvon, inheriting a title and a Castle that changed both their lives forever. Catherine found herself suddenly in charge of a small army of household staff,and hosting lavish banquets and weekend house parties.Although the couple were very much in love,considerable challenges lay ahead for Catherine.They were immediately faced with the task of saving Highclere when debts threatened to destroy the estate.As the 1920's moved to a close,Catherine's adored brother died and she began to lose her husband to the distractions London had to offer. When the Second World War broke out,life at the Castle would never be the same again. Drawing on rich material from the private archives at Highclere, including beautiful period photographs, the current Countess of Carnarvon (Lady Fiona) transports us back to the thrilling and alluring world of the real 'Downton Abbey' and its inhabitants. Please contact seller @ rpaxtonden@blueyonder.co.uk ,because of the weight/value of this item,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,that stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of any inexpensive book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **