CATEGORIES

Studying the classics
Country Life UK

Studying the classics

Why do some London restaurants stand the test of time when so many others fail? Emma Hughes goes in search of the secret ingredient

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4 mins  |
December 06, 2023
In a new light
Country Life UK

In a new light

For Sir John Soane, the tools of the trade included skylights, tinted glasses and mirrors, as much as classical motifs, bricks and mortar. Carla Passino retraces the life of the man who chased the poetry of architecture and left an extraordinary gift to the nation

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5 mins  |
December 06, 2023
Too big to rail
Country Life UK

Too big to rail

The failed northern leg of HS2 has left landowners in the lurch. Lucy Denton reports on what happens next

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4 mins  |
December 06, 2023
Last orders
Country Life UK

Last orders

As 2023 comes to a close, three splendid properties with business potential have come to the market, one of which was the Cornish venture of supermodel Jean Shrimpton

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5 mins  |
December 06, 2023
Animal magic
Country Life UK

Animal magic

Melanie Johnson employs a menagerie of parrots, leopards, reindeer, serpents and feathered friends to create inspired ideas for festive dining

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1 min  |
December 06, 2023
Not so jolly old Saint Nicholas
Country Life UK

Not so jolly old Saint Nicholas

Father Christmas may be the rosy-cheeked, jolly character who personifies the fun of the festive season, but he's had to overcome a few setbacks, notes Ian Morton

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4 mins  |
December 06, 2023
Neptune's wooden angels
Country Life UK

Neptune's wooden angels

Carved figureheads, always adorned with eyes, often female and sometimes in a compromising pose, were cherished by their crews as protection from the perils faced at sea, finds Harry Pearson

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6 mins  |
December 06, 2023
Never knowingly undersold
Country Life UK

Never knowingly undersold

From telephone-equipped hotel rooms to cars 'for lady drivers', the advertisements featured in COUNTRY LIFE in 1923 captured Britain's evolution, as well as the odd quack remedy, finds Melanie Bryan

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3 mins  |
December 06, 2023
Taking account of the past
Country Life UK

Taking account of the past

A late-Victorian masterpiece in the heart of the City has been expanded and augmented with unusual discernment. Steven Brindle visits after its most recent refurbishment

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8 mins  |
December 06, 2023
Lady of the island
Country Life UK

Lady of the island

No one knows more about the party island of Mustique than Lady Glenconner, who talks to Pamela Goodman about her memories of and favourite spots on the Caribbean islands

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4 mins  |
December 06, 2023
All things must pass
Country Life UK

All things must pass

When George Harrison first saw the famous Topiary Garden at Friar Park, it was a tangled jungle of overgrown yews. The work he began has been continued by his wife, Olivia, and, now, the display is back to its full glory, finds Charles Quest-Ritson

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6 mins  |
December 06, 2023
And that's an unwrap
Country Life UK

And that's an unwrap

A diamond-encrusted tortoise, a humble pencil case and a cursed jewel: Felicity Day unwraps some of the best and worst presents given in literature

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4 mins  |
December 06, 2023
A guide to modern table manners
Country Life UK

A guide to modern table manners

Formal dining is no longer the minefield it once was. Annunciata Elwes identifies points of etiquette that have been dispatched, retained, revised and added

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3 mins  |
November 29, 2023
Not for the faint-arted
Country Life UK

Not for the faint-arted

The forthcoming London Art Week is so packed with exceptional works, from a melancholic Landseer landscape to a bold painting of children by Joaquín Sorolla, that collectors will need exceptional stamina to see it all

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3 mins  |
November 29, 2023
Doing a sterling job
Country Life UK

Doing a sterling job

The contents of your silver drawer deserve closer inspection, believes Christopher Wilson, as he explores the precious metal's desirability through the ages

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5 mins  |
November 29, 2023
Cuba's greatest hits
Country Life UK

Cuba's greatest hits

Por Larrañaga dates back to 1834, making it one of the oldest Cuban cigar brands, but it's not a name you hear requested much in cigar-smoking circles. That is now changing, with a new edition arriving in time for the festive season

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3 mins  |
November 29, 2023
I'm berry fond of you
Country Life UK

I'm berry fond of you

Holly-a symbol of eternal life-thrives throughout even the harshest of winters, says Lia Leendertz, as she explains how to make the most of its scarlet-red berries when decorating your home for Christmas

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2 mins  |
November 29, 2023
The stuff of salvation
Country Life UK

The stuff of salvation

Forever wed to onion for a tasty stuffing, the versatile sage leaf was also once used to wash 'the secret parts of man or woman'

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6 mins  |
November 29, 2023
The scents that came in from the cold
Country Life UK

The scents that came in from the cold

Fragranced plants may be harder to come across in winter months, says Lia Leendertz, but a little effort will reap deliciously sweet-smelling rewards both inside and outside the home

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5 mins  |
November 29, 2023
Present danger
Country Life UK

Present danger

AS most of the garden settles into a state of restful melancholy, there are a few plants that are stirring themselves towards an unseasonal flamboyance.

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3 mins  |
November 29, 2023
Going full tilt
Country Life UK

Going full tilt

Warped, twisted and wonderfully wonky, who can fail to be intrigued by the quirky glory of Britain's medieval buildings? Rob Crossan explores the asymmetrical charm of the crooked house

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5 mins  |
November 29, 2023
Better to have loved and listed
Country Life UK

Better to have loved and listed

It seems odd to pay an insurance premium for listed buildings.

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5 mins  |
November 29, 2023
Wood you rather
Country Life UK

Wood you rather

Meticulously executed programmes of restoration and renovation have left three medieval masterpieces well equipped to face the challenges of the 21st century

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5 mins  |
November 29, 2023
Raise your glass
Country Life UK

Raise your glass

Restoration jobs may be keeping the craft alive, but why aren't we commissioning new stained glass? Mary Miers immerses herself in a world saturated in colour

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7 mins  |
November 29, 2023
He who pays the piper
Country Life UK

He who pays the piper

Learning a language is one thing, getting to grips with a pig in a poke is another altogether. Octavia Pollock explores some of our best idioms

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4 mins  |
November 29, 2023
Hitting the sweet spot
Country Life UK

Hitting the sweet spot

How did an imported Eastern delicacy become a favourite of our Tudor monarchs and an enduring British Christmas staple? Matthew Dennison discovers why so many of us love marzipan

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5 mins  |
November 29, 2023
What to serve when
Country Life UK

What to serve when

Village drinks? Teenage gatherings? Carol singers? Christmas and Boxing Day lunch? Wine savant Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler MW has a wine for every festive occasion

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3 mins  |
November 29, 2023
Well, isn't that just the icing on the biscuit?
Country Life UK

Well, isn't that just the icing on the biscuit?

Gin and tonics, first-aid assistance and hugs are all on the menu at Biscuiteers, where there is always a reason to biscuit'

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6 mins  |
November 29, 2023
I'll have a side of drama, please
Country Life UK

I'll have a side of drama, please

Tableside cooking is nothing new, but modern-day diners have forgotten how fun it can be, says Tom Parker Bowles, who makes his case for its renaissance

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5 mins  |
November 29, 2023
Glory of the garden
Country Life UK

Glory of the garden

Flower farmer and florist Rachel Siegfried uses woody plants and perennials to bring colour to late-season arrangements, three of which she has made for COUNTRY LIFE

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5 mins  |
November 29, 2023