Rooms with a view

You only need to explore Britain's historic houses to appreciate the benefits of a beautiful setting. Jeremy Spencer of Janine Stone shares the secret to making the most of an often overlooked asset with COUNTRY LIFE'S Executive Editor, Giles Kime

Castles on the hill

Not always found on hills and not necessarily forts, our thousands of ancient hill forts contain sacrificial burial grounds, buried treasures and a certain strange magic

Calf love and birthing pains

The calm of the calving shed belies the turbulence of the world outside

South

SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON called his Endurance expedition of 1914, which aimed to cross the entire Antarctic continent, 'the last great polar journey that can be made.

The time of my life

Sociable souls tell Eleanor Doughty the secret of a memorable party

The new black tie

Standard-issue black tie might still fit the bill for awards dinners and rugby-club shindigs, but, elsewhere, a new generation of men is becoming more creative when it comes to dressing up

Turn up the heat

Furniture, cabinetry and accessories to spice up your kitchen, selected

To boldly go where no man has gone before

Whether attempting to conquer Everest wearing pullovers or de-icing the engines of a moving plane with a knife, we've long tested human endurance to the limit

LONDON'S PLEASANT PASTURES

From evidence of prehistoric life in Greenwich Park to Shire horses in Richmond Park, there’s more to London’s Royal Parks than meets the eye, says natural-history film maker Peter Collins

The circus rolls on

After an appalling winter in Australia, England set themselves up to fail against an ordinary West Indies, says James Fishe

Go west, young man

Three county houses in and around Dartmoor are ideal for the influx of buyers, now able to avoid a daily commute, seeking a dose of the wild West Country

The scent of spring

New varieties of our little native violet are helping to bring this Victorian favourite back into the garden, says John Hoyland

One tuber to rule them all

Accused of inflaming passions, encouraging flatulence and generally being a bore, life without the humble yet delicious potato is unthinkable, swears Tom Parker Bowles

No going back

By the time the monarchy was restored in 1660, the ravages of the Civil War had wrought so much damage on our mighty oaks and imposing castles that the landscape had changed forever, says Anna Keay

Desert Island Discs

Britain’s greatest masterpieces

A fresh look at the 1980s

Later this month, COUNTRY LIFE will explore the interior decoration of a misunderstood decade

Always eat your greens

Much maligned thanks to the malodorous green sludge served up at school dinners, cabbage should be celebrated for its versatility and enjoyed steamed, then slathered in butter, says Tom Parker Bowles

A symphony in timber

The Carpenters’ Company, Throgmorton Avenue, EC2 One of the most remarkable Modernist interiors of post-war London was created by a City Livery Company to celebrate its craft, as John Goodall explains

A certain harmony of colour

Short and slight, monocle-wearing James McNeill Whistler was a dashing, combative character who sought parallels between music and painting, says Caroline Bugler

The COUNTRY LIFE Top 100

Planning to restore, remodel or re-build a country house? Or to establish a new garden? For the sixth year, we have chosen experts with the knowledge, experience and creativity required to get it right

Mad women go out in the rain

The rain-soaked, deserted Cheddar Gorge proves exhilarating

Like a moth to a precious tapestry

A campaign to save heritage fabrics from one of our most destructively proliferating insects is going well

Shear brilliance

So fine is this topiary collection, one might think it dates back to the 18th century, yet it has been created over the past 20 years by a former antique dealer with little interest in gardening

If the blackcap fits

Small, shy and chubby with a neat black cap, this effervescent bird sings its heart out in spring. Jack Watkins meets the blackcap, also known as the March nightingale

Ripe for the picking

Character cottages for less than £1 million

The store-cupboard superstar

Nothing beats griddled sardines fresh from the sea, but, tinned, these iridescent beauties can be feasted upon year-round, celebrates Tom Parker Bowles

Golden moments

It is 90 years since Golden Miller won the first of a record-breaking five victories in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Jack Watkins looks back at other equine heroes of the race and assesses Al Boum Photo’s chances of making history at this year’s Festival

Happy families

Home is where the heart is at three family-sized properties that have not been seen on the market for decades

Dressed all in white

As attractive to artists as it is to moths and butterflies, the ‘White Period’ of heavenly spring blossom is upon us and John Lewis-Stempel couldn’t be happier

Charity begins at home

Built for the clergy, the military, retired estate workers and, most commonly, for the poor, almshouses are as important today as they ever were, finds Clive Aslet