[Photobook] [Castles] The History and Description Of Leeds Castle, Kent

Westminster: Nichols and Sons, 1869. Decorative Cloth. Near Fine+. Only Edition (according to the author's preface, only 500 copies were printed, "using original photographs to assist in the study of English castles by anti-quaries"). Royal 4to (379 x 281mm): x,210,[2],xxxvi pp, with eight mounted albumen prints by John Cruttenden (1825-1892), hand-tinted ground plan of Leeds Castle, double-page genealogical chart of the St. Leger families, double-page facsimile of letters, and nine engraved text vignettes. Original maroon blind- and gilt-stamped pebble-grained cloth over beveled boards, grey end papers, title page printed in red and black. Ink presentation inscription in elegant hand, dated 1878, to half title. Frontispiece lightly faded (as often) and mount lightly foxed, but an excellent copy, newly rebacked and recased and clean throughout, with excellent examples of the plates. Gernsheim 458. Not in Margolis & Moss. Surprisingly common in commerce (considering that only 500 copies were issued). Wykeham's father, Fiennes Wykeham, assumed the additional surname of Martin by royal license in 1821, when he succeeded to Leeds Castle, in Kent, on the death of his relative, General Philip Martin. Leeds Castle is five miles southeast of Maidstone. In the thirteenth century it was a favorite residence of King Edward I; in the sixteenth century, Henry VIII used it as a residence for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. The castle today dates mostly from the nineteenth century and is built on islands in a lake formed by the River Len to the east of Leeds. It has been open to the public since 1976. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).