The word home used in conjunction with aristocrats conjures up beautiful stately buildings with in all their finery, but many have become dilapidated due to a lack of funds and strict requirements around building practices. The Earl of Shaftesbury has recently been restoring his substantial house after decades of decay. Its an undertaking which will require many years work, but for an aristocrat the country home is at the very root of their family heritage and for the British they hold great importance as the repository for a long history of British culture.