The Guardians of the House

Lucy Maria Boston (1892–1990) was a British author noted for her longevity; she did not have her first book published until she was over 60. She is best known for her Green Knowe books, inspired by her home The Manor in Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire, one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in Britain. Born Lucy Wood in Southport, Lancashire, and educated at a girls' boarding school on the Sussex coast, she married Harold Boston in 1917, and moved to The Manor in 1939, shortly after separating from her husband. Her books were illustrated by her son Peter Boston (1918–1999).