Book Description

This fully revised edition of the National Trust Manual of Housekeeping is essential reading for all those interested in the care of historic houses and their collections. It gives practical guidance on how to care for fragile interiors, maintain decorative fixtures and fittings and how to display furnishings and objects within their historic context. It also includes the latest thinking on housekeeping theory and practice. In particular, the Manual highlights the ways in which preventative conservation measures can help reduce the need for expensive repair to collections at a later date. It also explains how to strike the balance between the care and display of historic interiors and the provision of public access. Full of engaging insights into traditional and modern housekeeping techniques, the Manual explains how the nation's treasure houses have survived until today, and champions their future preservation, using conservation science, professional advice and environmentally sustainable methods and materials. Written by internationally renowned specialists at the National Trust, this Manual brings together many years of practical experience in the care of hundreds of historic houses and their collections.