Made with love

We might not give them a second thought when we kneel down to pray in church, but the humble hassock offers comfort, as well as embroidered and elaborate beauty, says the Revd Colin Heber-Percy

When Christmas was cancelled

No feasting. No drinking. No celebrations. Ian Morton explores what the festive period was like when Oliver Cromwell's Christmas clampdown gripped the nation

Prodigy or eccentric?

A monastic church converted to a cathedral at the Reformation is a building of European importance, yet it has twice narrowly escaped destruction, as John Goodall explains

On the night watch

As the diurnal delights of the animal kingdom slip into a deep slumber, John Lewis-Stempel explores the velvety black shadows where the wild things are

Away in a manger

From Rembrandt's shepherds, startled by an angel's appearance, to Gauguin's mother, exhausted after giving birth to her green-haloed child, the Nativity has inspired some of our greatest artists, finds

Reaching for the stars

In a busy week of New York sales, Femme à la Montre, part of the collection that the late Emily Fisher Landau formed with an insurance payout, becomes the second most expensive Picasso ever sold at auction

Supersonic flight

'Even at 98, he recalls the thrill of breaking the sound barrier'

The real thing

Barbados boasts a rich artistic and design heritage, masked in recent years by big, faceless hotels, but now being brought triumphantly to the fore, says Rosie Paterson

Bay watch

'It reminds me of soft, sugary cola-bottle sweets'

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

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

Too big to rail

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

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

Animal magic

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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'

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

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.

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