Clare Twomey's new exhibition at the Harley Gallery in Nottinghamshire blurs the lines in a fascinating manner: where do the exhibits stop and the display space begin? Lilias Wigan paid…
The Finer Things
Toyota Land Cruiser review: Cruising through the Gates of Hell – and ending up wanting more
Toyota's new Land Cruiser is as tough and reliable as 4x4s come – something that Toby Keel was only too grateful about while cruising through the 'Gates of Hell' in Namibia.…
My Favourite Painting: John Brookes
The late garden designer John Brookes chooses a work inspired by the beautiful Sussex countryside.
The Stonemason: ‘Working on a cathedral is the pinnacle of architectural stone-masonry’
A team of stonemasons is hard at work restoring Canterbury's magnificent cathedral, employing techniques that have been used since the dawn of civilisation. They spoke to Tessa Waugh.
In Focus: The paintings which show Monet’s genius for architecture as well as nature
Think of Monet and you think of reflections and nature, but his works included huge amounts of architecture and other elemtns of the modern, technological age in which he lived.…
Mercedes All-Terrain E350d review: Speed, luxury, ruggedness – and the best towbar ever
Our correspondent Charles Rangely-Wilson loves his Audi A6 allroad. But can the new Mercedes All-Terrain E350d 4Matic persuade him to change?
My favourite painting: Wendy Nicholls
'I am very drawn both to this period of English art and, particularly, to calm abstraction in visual images'
Nursery rhymes: How murder, theft and fake news found their way into the tales we tell our children
Murder, animal cruelty and dishonesty aren’t generally considered child-friendly topics, yet they’re the basis of many much-loved nursery rhymes. Flora Watkins explains.
The Maltster: How an art that’s thousands of years old is once again gaining recognition
There are only a handful of people left in Britain who still extract malt from Barley using the 'floor-made' method – and today, people are beginning to value their efforts…
Curious Questions: Why do the British drive on the left?
The rest of Europe drives on the right, so why do the British drive on the left? Martin Fone, author of 'Fifty Curious Questions', investigates.…
In Focus: The Picasso portrait which revealed to the world his 22-year-old muse
The Tate Modern's first-ever exhibition focusing solely on Picasso concentrates solely on a single year in the life of this extraordinary, prolific artist. Lilias Wigan picks out one of the…
Living without plastic: Part 8 | Hospitals, coffee cups and twelve brilliant products which will help you live a plastic free life
Country Life's Rosie Paterson went the whole of Lent without buying anything – anything at all – that contained plastic. That was the plan, anyway... sometimes, life gets in your way.
My favourite painting: The Rt Revd Prof Bishop Irenei
'I never cease to be evoked of deep emotion by the sea, whether in its calm stillness or its maddening ferocity'
Celebrating 100 years of the RAF, and the men and women who run the service
They wrestled Spitfires through blue skies over Britain, dodging the Luftwaffe and stalling Hitler’s invasion. They helped shape the Second World War, perhaps even the world as we know it.…
The Ship’s Figurehead Carver: ‘It used to be a profession and every port would have had one, but now it’s a dying art’
Andy Peters is probably the only person in Britain who could describe himself as a full-time ship’s carver. He spoke to Tessa Waugh.
In Focus: The Degas painting full of life, movement and ‘orgies of colour’
Lilias Wigan takes a closer look at one of the key work's at the Degas exhibition at the National Gallery in London.
Land Rover Discovery 2.0 SD4 HSE Luxury review: ‘A veritable smorgasbord of all-terrain technology’
Charles Rangeley-Wilson puts the Land Rover Discovery 2.0 SD4 HSE Luxury through its accomplished paces on a trip to France.
My favourite painting: Richard Calvocoressi
'Its swirling movement, rich colour and dramatic light effects recall Baroque painting'
How to choose a classic tweed sports coat
The tweed sports coat is associated with a classic and sophisticated aesthetic yet is completely suitable for most casual settings. Huntsman’s Head Cutter, Campbell Carey, explains how to wear it.…
The unparalleled joy of writing with a fountain pen – and five beautiful pens to inspire you
Elegant, ornate and adaptable to each individual hand, nothing beats writing with a fountain pen, says Flora Watkins, who also picks out five favourites.