CATEGORIES

Celebrating the charm of the evening chorus

Although not as intense as their dawn serenade, our birds’ evensong offers a ‘jazzier’ performance, especially in April when there are no leaves to soften the sweet sound, says John Lewis-Stempel

Henry Williamson by Edward Seago

My favourite painting David Profumo

Heritage reinstated

The grand estates and houses of East Anglia have been brought back to life in recent years

Architecture for education

To mark the 150th anniversary of the foundation of Newnham College and the arrival of women scholars in Cambridge, Kathryn Ferry examines the distinctive style of the college buildings

The not so wild west

West Chelsea–the area between Cremorne Road and Sydney Street–is where the fortunes of this famous and much-loved area began, finds Carla Passino

Testament to taste

Quality and quirk will out, as is evident from the contents sales of a widow of the Ford motor dynasty

Sweet child of mine

It took centuries for the ringleted baby Jesus and diminutive royal ‘adult’ to give way to images of the mirth and mischief of childhood on canvas, says Matthew Dennison

A very English home run

It may seem as probable as a game of cricket in the Bronx, but the Cotswold town of Chipping Norton was once the unlikely home of British baseball, reveals Ben Lerwill

Field of dreams

Big bold planting by the founding fathers of the New American Style meets 1820s Bath. Non-Morris visits the American Museum, home of the first garden in this country to have been completed by Oehme, van Sweden

Cotswold classics

Hidden in the rolling hills of this AONB are some of the finest country houses around

A castle rediscovered: Ham Court, Oxfordshire The home of Matthew Rice

An ambitious castle in the Cotswolds area languished in obscurity after it was left unfinished in the early 14th century. Edward Impey investigates the remarkable story of this building and its recent revival

Easter, But Not As We Know It

What a peculiar Easter! Six of us eating outside, whatever the weather, ensconced under a gazebo pressed into service against the rain, with a brazier blazing beside it. The simplest of menus, but the huge joy of once again eating with others—a powerful reminder of the importance of sitting around a table and being with friends and family.

Lost in the maze

THE world’s largest classical labyrinth is currently being constructed from traditional Cornish hedging in the heart of Bodmin Moor, a project that has unexpectedly led to the foundation of the Outdoor University of Cornish Hedging.

It takes a family to raise a village

A hangover from the days of landed gentry, there are still privately owned villages scattered throughout the UK. What is it really like to be at the helm of a community, asks Alec Marsh

My favourite painting Neil Mendoza

The Painter and his Pug

Nice wheels

SIXTY years ago almost to the day, on March 15, when the Jaguar E-type first hit the tarmac, Frank Sinatra took one look and said ‘I want that car and I want it now’; shortly after, Enzo Ferrari dubbed it ‘the most beautiful car in the world’.

Myth and magic

Two homes in Devon offer unique insights into the county’s complex history, from witches and hounds to the village where time stood still

Black (and white) beauty

March is the month in which female hares bat away unwanted suitors, but, sadly, the sight of boxing hares is becoming ever more rare. Over the past century, a loss of habitat and predation has resulted in an 80% decrease in brown-hare numbers. Cumbrian sculptor Andrew Kay has created this 5ft-high artwork in steel, priced at £4,700, 15% of which will go to the Hare Preservation Trust. A smaller work, Life Size Hare, costs £840 (www.andrewkaysculpture.co.uk)

In pursuit of a social climber

Of wisteria, noble litter pickers, lockdown funerals and shaggy hounds

Roll me over in the clover

Finding a four-leafed example might be lucky, but, as we toast St Patrick’s Day, Ian Morton investigates why the clover (or shamrock) is so important to the Irish

Bright lights, empty city

For John McEwen, the enforced constraints of the pandemic have engendered a greater appreciation of our capital’s abundant parks and wildlife

A right basket case

From wet woodland to a warm Welsh kitchen: Nick Hammond meets the resourceful craftswoman who has woven a new career from her love for wild places

My Favourite Painting - Arlene Blankers

Studies of the Virgin and Child with the Infant Baptist by Giorgio Gandini del Grano

All Things Bright And Beautiful

Before the Industrial Revolution, London was awash with wildflowers. Jack Watkins traces their history and finds that, if given a chance, these opportunistic plants may still return

THE CAPITAL ACCORDING TO... Ruth Rogers

The co-founder of the River Café talks to Flora Watkins about Chelsea, bikes and keeping her business afloat

‘A noble mansion'

Margam Park, Neath Port Talbot, part II A country park managed by Neath Port Talbot Council In the second of two articles, David Robinson looks at the development of Margam from the late 18th century, with the building of a magnificent orangery and the creation of an outstanding Picturesque house in the 1830s

Talk to the countryside

THE NFU is urging all Government departments to connect with the countryside, as a Defra report shows many policies don’t work for rural communities. Published in March, Rural proofing in England examines ‘Government policies closely from a rural perspective’, looking at how much they consider the countryside’s needs and constraints, and creating ‘a baseline for evaluating [Government] performance over time,’ according to Rural Affairs and Biosecurity Minister John Gardiner.

London's little Italy

Maida Vale took its name from a small Italian town and an even smaller pub, so it’s the perfect place to celebrate the end of lockdown, says Carla Passino

April at a glance

We’re all guilty of ignoring what’s on our doorstep, so we’ve made it easier for you. Here’s what’s happening this month

Come out, wherever you are

THE Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) is calling for an extra Bank Holiday this year, in September, after last week’s release of dismal 2020 figures. Over the past 14 months, most visitor sites have been closed for every Bank Holiday and there were 45.4 million total visits to ALVA’s top 294 sites in 2020, down 70% compared with 2019’s 151.3 million.