The House of Arden is a novel for children written by the English author E. Nesbit and published in 1908.
 Early edition cover | |
| Author | E. Nesbit |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | H. R. Millar |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy, Children's Novel |
| Publisher | T. Fisher Unwin |
Publication date | 1908 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Followed by | Harding's Luck |
Plot summaryEdit
A boy named Edred Arden inherits the title of Lord Arden and the dilapidated Arden Castle. He and his sister Elfrida search for the lost treasure of the Ardens and, with the help of the magical Mouldiwarp, they travel back in time searching for clues. The past events they witness include
- 1807: Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom, the British military response, and the smuggling around Dymchurch Bay (called "Lymchurch" in the story)
- c. 1705: a visit from the "Chevalier St. George" (the Old Pretender) during the reign of Queen Anne
- 1605: the Gunpowder Plot and a meeting with Sir Walter Raleigh in the Tower of London, from which the children escape using the same stratagem that Lady Nithsdale used in 1717
- ca. 1535: a May Day celebration with Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, with premonitions of Anne's execution.
The final episode, in which the children rescue their father from a lost civilization in South America, is reminiscent of the legends of El Dorado and other Cities of Gold.
SequelEdit
A sequel, Harding's Luck, was published in 1909.
External linksEdit
- The House of Arden at Standard Ebooks
- The House of Arden at Faded Page (Canada)
- The House of Arden at Google Books
The House of Arden public domain audiobook at LibriVox
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