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Residence, refinery, workhouse, ward: The many faces of a 17th-century hospital, smashed to smithereens by the LuftwaffeMelanie Bryan recounts the tragic history of St Peter's Hospital.
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The architect of the Lloyds Building and the Centre Pompidou cut his teeth on this 1960s house in Wimbledon. It's fascinatingParkside, an outstanding and highly influential 20th-century house on the edge of Wimbledon Common, has come into the care of the National Trust. It’s a significant acquisition in ways you might not expect, says John Goodall. Photographs by Will Pryce.
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Staffordshire's fairytale flatpack glass palace destroyed by Second World War soldiersThe repeal of a tax on glass led to the construction of some awesome hot- and glasshouses, including the one at Enville Hall.
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A royal foundation: 700 years of Oriel CollegeAs it celebrates the 700th anniversary year of its foundation, Aoife Caitríona Lau looks at the history and architectural riches of Oriel College, Oxford. Photographs by Will Pryce for Country Life.
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The 18th-century cistern at the heart of a painstaking and ongoing restoration projectJohn Goodall meets the saviours of Halswell Park.
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The long-lost mini mansion where one of Victorian England’s greatest ever rags-to-riches stories played outMelanie Bryan delves into the Country Life Archive to find out what happened to Maiden Erlegh.
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'It is hard to imagine a more perfect realisation of Baillie Scott’s ideal of domestic harmony': The story of Church Rate Corner in CambridgeChurch Rate Corner in Cambridge — home of Michael Nedo and Gillian Moore — is a lovingly maintained house that perfectly captures the spirit of the Arts-and-Crafts Movement and the domestic ideals of the architect Baillie Scott. William Fawcett reports; photographs by Will Pryce.
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This Victorian abbey was so magnificent that Country Life mourned it twiceCountry Life’s photographs of Abercairny Abbey are considered to be the most complete visual record of it.
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'Justice, Honour and Humanity': A trophy commemorating bravery in the face of a shipwreckJohn Goodall talks to William Montgomery about an unusual token of thanks given to one of his distant ancestors.
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Immortalised in 'Poldark' and ravaged by fire: Cornwall's first modern manor houseParts of Tehidy House, a historic Grade II-listed mansion, still stand near Camborne in Cornwall, but it's just not quite the same, says Melanie Bryan.
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Admiring the Admiralty: The grand building erected on Whitehall when Britain still ruled the wavesAdmiralty House and Ripley Building on Whitehall, the buildings created to accommodate the Admiralty Board during the period of Britain’s domination of the seas, are not well known. Billy Hurley Reading reveals their interest and quality; photographs by Will Pryce for Country Life.
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How sheep farming transformed the architectural face of the CotswoldsJohn Goodall looks at some of the parish churches that were a product of the wealth it generated.
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This ruinous stately home inspired one of Britain's greatest satirical paintingsMelanie Bryan delves into the Country Life Archive to uncover the story of Sutton Scarsdale Hall.
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'A platform that dignifies the views outwards into the world': Doddington Place's elegant prospect towerA new prospect tower and family memorial forms a stylish addition to the fine Edwardian garden at Doddington Place, Kent, the home of Richard Oldfield and Amicia de Moubray. John Goodall reports.
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The ghost stations of the London UndergroundWeaving alongside the ‘living’ London Underground is a ghostly parallel network of abandoned stations, former wartime hideouts and astonishing subterranean architecture. Emma Hughes steps back in time.
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'She is part of its atmosphere, its memory, and its soul': The bucolic final resting place of Henry VIII's last brideJohn Goodall talks to Elizabeth Ashcombe about the beautiful tomb of Katherine Parr at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire.
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Beheadings, a duplicitous solicitor and a Rembrandt for the price of an Oasis ticket: The sorry story of Sprotborough HallThe definition of 'investment' takes on a new meaning for this South Yorkshire home modelled on the Palace of Versailles.
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'It's both old and new — yet you can’t see the join': Nicholas Howard on one of the greatest treasures at Castle HowardNicholas Howard talks to John Goodall about one of the highlights of Castle Howard.
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How a sweet malted milk gave rise to the finest garden in Edwardian EnglandThe story behind the pleasure gardens of Cowley Manor is a fascinating one, albeit with an all too predictable ending.
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The inventor-turned-industrial magnate who founded Unilever spent millions on art — and housed it in this gallery built to honour the love of his lifeCreated as a memorial to his wife, the architecture and superlative art displayed in Lady Lever Art Gallery are the legacy of one of the greatest British businessmen and collectors of all time. Steven Brindle reports. Photographs by Paul Highnam
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The original golden gates, created by an unparalleled genius of 17th-century metalworkForget the bridge in San Francisco: the most beautiful golden gates we've ever seen are at Burghley House in Lincolnshire.
