"The next time we went down to the cellar we found that the ceiling over the stairs had collapsed in a welter of dust, cobwebs and ancient lath and plaster. I had wondered why our stairs were more draughty than usual..."

If you thought living in a stately home was all gleaming banisters, visiting aristocracy and priceless antiques, then Dry Rot and Daffodils is a must-read. Throughout her years living at Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk Mary Mackie has encountered dry rot, leaking roofs, visiting children who leave bubble-gum on the antiques - and a complete lack of privacy.

Full of anecdotes that are always enlightening, often funny and sometimes almost unbelievable, Dry Rot and Daffodils is a wonderfully entertaining account of what it's really like to live in a National Trust house.