UNA RUSSELL AND AUDREY GRINDROD live in Brianstpuddle. Both were teachers, who after retiring discovered a common interest in their love of Dorset and its country houses – taking 7 years to research and write The Manor Houses of Dorset.

Una Russell was born in Weymouth, working at the Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, prior to her marriage. After a varied career and with a grown-up family, she obtained a Combined Honours Degree in Archaeology and History at Southampton University and then taught in Poole for 12 years.

Audrey Grindrod was brought up in Bournemouth and trained as a LAMDA teacher. Her husband’s career took her to the Bahamas, where she taught general subjects and Drama. Returning to England in 1981, she became the LAMDA Drama teacher at a school in Hampshire, finally moving to Briantspuddle in 1997.