Mistress

Anthony Fletcher was formerly professor of history at the Universities of Sheffield, Durham, and Essex, and professor of English social history at the University of London. His previous works include Gender, Sex and Subordination in England 1500–1800 and Growing up in England. Ruth M. Larsen is a senior lecturer in history at the University of Derby. An expert on gender and the country house, she has contributed to several books on the subject.

“A significant addition to the substantial literature on women and country houses.”—Michael Hall, Times Literary Supplement“An enjoyable and important addition to the genre.”—Adrian Tinniswood, Literary Review“This is a book first and foremost about lives and the expectation of the roles women could play between the 16th and early 17th centuries. What the characters deftly presented here had in common was their determination to defy those expectations.”—Michael Prodger, New Statesman“Fascinating! Fletcher and Larsen explore the many roles that women have played in the history of the country house with flair and authority.”—Adrian Tinniswood, author of The Power and the Glory“Fletcher and Larsen use a treasure-trove of previously undiscovered archival sources to explore how much power and influence elite women wielded over their husbands and households. We have always known that women played a key role in the management of the country house. Now we know in much more precise terms exactly how significant that role was.”—Stephanie Barczewski, author of How the Country House Became English“Fletcher and Larsen’s rich use of examples brings to life the diverse and changing experiences of mistresses of country houses across nearly five centuries.”—Elaine Chalus, author of Elite Women in English Political Life c. 1754–1790