Ardrossan: The Last Great Estate on the Philadelphia Main Line Hardcover – October 20, 2017

This book with its lavish photos, blue prints of the manor house, and deep research is more than just a pretty coffee table book. With so much history contained within the manor and the dependency residences too plus the Montgomery family themselves its hard to fit it all in. I'm sure a lot of content simply had to be edited out for room. I enjoy, for example, the dedication the family had towards milk production and how their experimentation with yields aided scientific research. Well produced book with heavy paper stock and very clean photography even those historic photos taken in the Gilded Age. A well researched, without being dry, book of historical value to add to anyone's collection.

This is a stunning, beautifully researched portrait of the Robert and Hope Montgomery estate, "Ardrossan" , lovingly completed in 1913, in homage to Mr. Montgomery's ancestors from the northern coast of Scotland. Anyone interested in architecture, interior design, Philadelphia's Main Line and the Gilded Age in the 20th Century will love this book. It is also a fascinating history of this gifted family and the rich and famous that impacted their lives. And "Ardrossan" still stands today! Bravo to author David Nelson Wren for this amazing achievement.

Having grown up in the area, attended a lovely party at the main house and met the gentleman who was its last resident, I loved reading and savoring this immaculate and beautifully produced book. A good companion book to read is a memoir by Ms. Janny Scott, The Beneficiary, whose father and family were owners of the homes and farmland that constituted the Ardrossan estate.

I am now cross-eyed as I read this amazing book from cover to cover in two seating...It's a wonderful and poignant tale of an amazing home that was the glory of the Mainline of Philadelphia. Love all the photos and love the story. The author portrays it so well.. I want to go see it.. Get it... read it and ENJOY...

Lovely sharing of the family from a different era.

I enjoyed this well written book. I am in my 70s and grew up near the estate and exercised horses for a neighbor who had permission to ride on it. It remains a gem in an area that is largely developed. I knew very little about the Montgomerys and the Scotts but got to know and love the Ardrossan Farms land. I was visiting the area recently and was pleased to see how much of the estate and how many of the old stone barns are still intact. The dairy cows seem to have been replaced by Black Angus but the farm still functions as a farm.

Fabulous book: great photos and an insider’s insights into a famous Philadelphia family and it’s Main Line mansion. David Wrenn is an historical writer of the first order. His comments on the design, architecture, decorative and fine arts relating to this historic house are unparalleled for their detail and authenticity. He follows the occupants of the house, who inspired the 1940 movie, “The Philadelphia Story” for several generations with a keen eye for their unique social standing and empathy for the ups and downs of their lives. I love the book.

Having lived in this house for ten years, I enjoyed reading David Wren's book. He tells the story of a fantastic place lived in by an extraordinary family.