The country houses designed by Sir John Vanbrugh (1664–1726) are some of the most original and memorable works of architecture from the Restoration period. Dubbed “The Shakespeare of Architects” by Sir John Soane, Vanbrugh designed the Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace—two of the great iconic houses of their age—as well as a number of astounding country estates such as Seaton Delaval Hall and Grimsthorpe Castle. Vanbrugh’s life was perhaps even more remarkable than his architectural creations. He began his career as a merchant and traveled to India in the service of the East India Company, served as an army officer, was arrested as a civilian in France and imprisoned on suspicion of being a spy, and worked as both a playwright and theatrical impresario before turning his lively mind to architecture. Collected here are 200 of the finest photographs of Vanbrugh’s astounding country houses accompanied by well-researched accounts explaining the ideas behind and impact of his great estates and landscapes. Jeremy Musson is a former architectural editor for Country Life and the author of The English Manor House ,  How to Read a Country House , and Plasterwork .