MENTION Harvington Hall to most people familiar with the moated manor house and its Elizabethan and English Civil War heritage probably most readily spring to mind.

What has, maybe, not been so well documented is its subsequent decline which, by the beginning of the 20th century, had seen it become little more than a ruin.

Similarly, the story of the restoration of the hall to something resembling its former glory during the 20th century has not been chronicled to the degree that its earlier historical pedigree has.

The site's present day manager, Sherida Breeden, has set out to address this imbalance by compiling Harvington Hall Photographic Memories, a book laced with dozens of shots spanning more than 100 years.

Some of the photographs that featured in a millennium exhibition showcasing the hall are reproduced in the book and are also on display in rooms in the building.

The hall's redemption from its rundown state began in the 1920s, following its purchase by a benefactress, until it was restored to the popular visitor attraction it is today. A decade by decade guide to the hall's 20th century history as it regained its former grandeur brings the reader up to the present day.

Harvington Hall Photographic Memories costs £10.99 and is available from the Harvington Hall gift shop or by post from Harvington Hall, Harvington, Kidderminster DY10 4LR. The ISBN number is 1-84546-330-7.