After an enthusiastic response to his 1833 encyclopaedia of rural architecture (also reissued in this series), landscape gardener John Claudius Loudon (1783-1843) published this illustrated supplement in 1842. He and his contributors discuss many recent developments in the field and improvements in the design of rural buildings.

After the success of his richly illustrated Encyclopaedia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture (1833), which is also reissued in this series, the landscape gardener John Claudius Loudon (1783-1843) received a great deal of correspondence from interested readers. This prompted him and the Encyclopaedia's contributors to publish this supplement in 1842. Loudon and his colleagues had continued to study a range of rural buildings - from homes to farms and schools - in England and Scotland, while at the same time receiving architectural designs and detailed letters from North America and Australia. The supplement draws on this wealth of material to discuss developments in the use of building materials as well as innovations in design. The focus is on cottages, farms, pubs, schools and almshouses. Construction methods and furnishings are also discussed. As with the volume it supplements, this work contains a plethora of detailed illustrations.