WHEN The Beatles released their eponymous 1968 album The Beatles, fans believed one of the songs written by Sir Paul McCartney, Martha My Dear, was perhaps an indirect message to his former fiancée, Jane Asher. With lyrics such as, ‘You have always been my inspiration’, you can understand the assumption. Years later, however, the musician revealed the true muse behind the song: it was about a real-life Martha, his beloved old English sheepdog (OES).
To fans of the breed, it is no surprise that an OES might inspire poetry. An instantly recognisable dog, it is striking in both its large size and heavily coated appearance. To put it simply, it’s a big, soft bundle of fur, known for its gentle nature and a comical streak that melts the hardest of hearts. The Kennel Club (KC) standard fittingly reads that, when walking, the OES ‘exhibits a bear-like roll from the rear’.
‘My first OES had two black legs, so it looked as if he was wearing pyjamas,’ laughs Helen Woods of the Greater London OES Club. ‘They’re clowns, but they’re also intelligent and affectionate.’ Miss Woods knew it was the dog for her when one-starred alongside David Bowie in the 1986 film Labyrinth—‘two of my favourite things in one film’—and is the owner of three. ‘They’re a great family pet and fantastic around children,’ she enthuses. ‘Wherever you go in the house, the OES will be at your feet. I simply wouldn’t have any other breed.’
Denne historien er fra September 08, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra September 08, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
