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Keepers of the Kingdom: The Ancient Offices of Britain [Hardcover]

Bruce Alastair (Author), Julian Calder (Photographer), Mark Cantor (Photographer)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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The English are famed for their love of pageantry, theatricality, dressing-up, secrets, rituals, cricket, irony, the past--in fact, anything with which to disguise themselves and baffle onlookers. A foreign journalist said recently that it is the only country in the world where the children behave like adults and the adults like children. There could be no better introduction to this topsy-turvy wonderland than this lavishly illustrated guide to all those weird offices that still exist--offices that in any other country would have been quietly and efficiently abolished ages ago. Here is the Chief Butler and Grand Carver of England (the Earl of Denbigh, by hereditary right), the High Almoner, the Lord Warden of the Stannaries (responsible for "knackt bals"--don't ask!), and the Herb Strewer at the Coronation. It is all undeniably arcane and faintly ridiculous, but the child in us all will find it a hugely entertaining splash of color and eccentricity in an increasingly drab and uniform global culture. These Keepers of the Kingdom are sure to disappear before too much longer. Enjoy them while you can. --Christopher Hart, Amazon.co.uk

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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating insight into Britain's fusty institutions April 23 2004
By Gavin Wilson
Format:Hardcover
If you have any interest in Britain's history and institutions, this is a great coffee table book to own. If, for example, you're a law student, and you want to know what the rolls, as kept by the Master of the Rolls, look like, there's a photo here, with a full page description of the office.

If you're British and you aspire to any of these grand old posts, with or without the ermine, this is probably a good book to start plotting your ascent.

I've also read the slightly more recent 'Jubilee' edition (which I gave to my father as a present and is available from amazon.co.uk). Only a few of the entries have changed, largely to reflect the replacement of Conservative politicians by their Labour equivalents.

If you want another analysis of where the power lies in Britain today, but without the photos, read Anthony Sampson's excellent 'Who Runs this Place?'.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Jun 6 2001
By Chris Johnson
Format:Hardcover
The American Revolution was unfortunate in one minor respect. United States national politics and governance is terribly boring. The office-holders on this side of the Atlantic are called President, Senator, Congressman, Under-Secretary of State for Latin American Affairs and other dull republican titles. We don't get to have a High Almoner, a Swan Marker, a Boy Bishop, or any of the other offices the British have accumulated over the centuries. Not even an Herb Strewer.

This book examines the histories of many of Britain's historic offices, both ancient and relatively modern. The office-holders are beautifully photographed, many in their distinctive dress and regalia. Many of these stories are fascinating. I never knew, for example, that the Bishop of Norwich is also legally the Abbot of St. Benet-at-Holme or that anyone visiting the Hospital of St. Cross can still get the Wayfarer's Dole, a piece of bread and a cup of beer, merely by asking for it.

Essential for anyone interested in history. Also, a fascinating read.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Aug 2 2000
By Thomas A.J. Moore
Format:Hardcover
It's quite fascinating to see what went to managing a kingdom. Even though many of these are largely cermonaly now, it's still makes me think what it must have been like in England's hey day when all of these people where at the height of their power.

The pictures and writing are top notch.

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