Cliffrock Castle
When Josephine Rombouts moves with her family from Holland to the west coast of Scotland she jumps at the opportunity of a job as housekeeper at the local castle. Unhampered by any knowledge of housekeeping or of the British elite, she miraculously manages to stay afloat in her new surroundings where she finds herself confronted with English landowners, French cooks, Scottish independence, local roofers, a ghost, and a serious amount of etiquette.
Non-FictionPrint
Original title
Cliffrock Castle
Author
Josephine Rombouts
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A small miracle has occurred in publishingland. Fans of Jane Austen’s world had already cottoned on to it, but gradually the miracle is seeping through to the broader echelons: 'Cliffrock Castle'. […] Rombouts has a golden pen. Marvelling, detailed and tongue-in-cheek she draws us into an elite we didn’t know existed; one of 'Upstairs Downstairs', chandeliers and balls.
Trouw
Everything that made Downtown Abbey so irresistible, Rombouts experienced in her castle: hunting parties, an out-of-proportion Christmas tree, ironed socks, the gong to summon everyone to the dining room, the chandeliers, the room full of unpolished silverware.
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Josephine Rombouts
Josephine Rombouts (b.1971) studied Art History and Dutch and has lived in the Scottish Highlands for the past six years with her family. She is now the manager of the castle in which she previously worked as housekeeper. She also leads the choir and gives drama lessons at the village school.