This the first of a three-volume survey of more than 700 greater houses of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries that survive in England and Wales, and the first to be undertaken for over 150 years and by far the most comprehensive to date. All major and most lesser houses are appraised, taking account of their architectural development and historical relevance. They are grouped by region, prefaced by short introductions that establish their historical and architectural context. Volume 1 describes nearly 200 houses in northern England, and contains over 200 illustrations, 100 plans and maps, appendices and a full bibliography.