Lark Rise ascending
Country Life UK|September 20, 2023
Flora Thompson’s evocative trilogy captures the ‘threadbare idyll’ of a countryside on the cusp of dramatic change, says Matthew Dennison, as he looks back on a world of rustic wonder, 80 years after the third book was written
Matthew Dennison
Lark Rise ascending

EIGHTY years ago, a wartime bestseller set in the world of ‘the old, sturdy, independent type of farm labourer’ earned for its author Flora Thompson what she described without relish as ‘the bubble reputation’. Candleford Green (1943), as did its predecessors Lark Rise (1939) and Over to Candleford (1941)— published in a single volume as Lark Rise to Candleford since 1945—celebrated ‘an open-air life’ in which ‘there were no bought pleasures’ and ‘people were poorer but happier’.

Denne historien er fra September 20, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.

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Denne historien er fra September 20, 2023-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.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA COUNTRY LIFE UKSe alt
A leap in the dark
Country Life UK

A leap in the dark

The primal play of light and shadow, whether in Leonardo's ever-so-subtle sfumato or Caravaggio's dramatic contrasts, has shaped Western art, as Michael Hall reveals

time-read
6 mins  |
February 12, 2025
Beauty and the blimp
Country Life UK

Beauty and the blimp

Inflammable airships may be gone, but a new hybrid aircraft, capable of delivering eco-friendly aviation, is set to take to the skies with a bang, finds Charles Harris

time-read
3 mins  |
February 12, 2025
Three wishes for food and farming
Country Life UK

Three wishes for food and farming

Royal hedge planting, the terrible toll on Ukrainian farming and a maiden speech

time-read
3 mins  |
February 12, 2025
Seeing the wood for the trees
Country Life UK

Seeing the wood for the trees

Scotland's much-evolved forestry industry has become a focus for clever investors

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4 mins  |
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Let's fall in love
Country Life UK

Let's fall in love

Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it. Laura Parker finds that, when it comes to creatures mating for life, persistence, patience and a little dad dancing are key to success

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4 mins  |
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Back from the dead
Country Life UK

Back from the dead

THREE Wentworth elm saplings have been planted in the grounds of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, and on the Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire-29 years after what was thought to be the lastknown Wentworth elm died.

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1 min  |
February 12, 2025
A man among men
Country Life UK

A man among men

What makes a master? Beloved of the commercial art world, handled warily by art historians, the word has long been opaque. Michael Prodger investigates its many meanings-and discovers that being male confers an unfair advantage

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5 mins  |
February 12, 2025
Unearth one of life's luxuries
Country Life UK

Unearth one of life's luxuries

Black diamonds are a girl's best friend this Valentine's Day, with Périgord truffle-based skincare from TRUFFE

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2 mins  |
February 12, 2025
Adventure awaits
Country Life UK

Adventure awaits

Spend an unforgettable family holiday on the Benmore Estate and experience some of Scotland's finest wildlife and sporting activities

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2 mins  |
February 12, 2025
Let the art rule the head
Country Life UK

Let the art rule the head

Despite being a world leader in everything from jewellery to fashion and music, the UK is failing to nurture creativity at school and in regional centres. Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A Museum, calls for an urgent review

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4 mins  |
February 12, 2025