SOME of my happiest holiday memories are to do with shells. Gathering up empty cockles and limpets with my nephews to stick on sandcastles on Holkham beach in Norfolk, looking for the smoothest oyster shells on the beach at Whitstable in Kent after a jolly seafood lunch and spending glorious afternoons on the Cor- nish coast seeking out whorled, thick topshells, glinting with mother-of-pearl where they had been worn down by the waves. It’s estimated there are about 600 species of marine mollusc around the UK and, although some places—Barricane Beach in Devon; Shell Island in Gwynedd; the Solway Firth in Scot- land—are famed for their molluscs, it is rare to find a strand in the UK that doesn’t offer something of interest for an eagle-eyed beach- comber. Here are a few of my favourites to look out for.
Painted topshell
Calliostoma zizyphinum; up to 1.2in (3cm)
OLD-FASHIONED spinning tops gave this brightly coloured conical shell its name and it’s easy to see why. Widely distributed, it is relatively delicate and cannot tolerate long periods above the tideline, so it dwells on the lower shore, feeding on algae that live on the rocks there. Its shell is kept clean by a twice-daily wipe with its mantle (a layer of tissue between the shell and the body)—which also acts as a handy foraging exercise, delivering the accumulated detritus as an additional snack.
Common wentletrap
Epitonium clathrus; up to 1.6in (4cm)
Denne historien er fra August 09, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra August 09, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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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
