-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
'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.
-
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.
-
'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.
-
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.
-
'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.
-
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.
-
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
-
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.
-
Country Life's 'unusually hurried and ill-composed photographs' of a curious home eviscerated by The BlitzRadnor House was unfashionable... until it wasn't.
-
A decades-long project to save a house from 500 years of 'ungainly, hotch-potch extensions' and reveal its original beautyRescued from dereliction in the early 1990s and never previously described by Country Life, Balgone House in East Lothian has evolved from tower house to remarkable Classical seat, as Mary Miers explains. Photography by Will Pryce.
-
A glimmer of hope for Mentmore Towers, the 'treasure-house that would evoke all the richness of 16th-century Venice'The home, once belonging to the Rothschild family, is in desperate need of repair. Something must be done.
-
Projecting power: How the Normans used architecture to conquer EnglandWithin a century of William the Conqueror's victory at Hastings in 1066, the Normans had transformed the architectural face of England with churches and castles. John Goodall examines their legacy.
-
The rise and ruin of an Elizabethan Hall that tried in vain to prepare a war poet for the trenchesWilfred Owen was one of a myriad First World War troops who learned the art of trench warfare at Park Hall.
-
Charles Berkeley on the arch at the castle that's been in his family since the 1100sJohn Goodall meets Charles Berkeley, whose family have owned Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire for nine centuries, to find out about one of its most striking original features.
-
Thomas Becket, a lion and the author of 'Out of Africa' all lived in this medieval monastery photographed for Country LifeMelanie Bryan recounts the fascinating history of Haverholme Priory.
-
Duelling, revolution and a picture-perfect cottage in IrelandDuring the 1790s, a widow, Mary Bushe, created a Romantic cottage and garden for herself: Dangan Cottage, Co Kilkenny. John Goodall explains the background to its creation and reports on the remarkable recent restoration of the property, now the home of Christopher Moore.
-
'Works of craftsmanship that bring these rooms to life': Thirlestane Castle's spectacular 17th century plasterworkEdward Maitland-Carew's family have been at Thirlestane since the 13th century. He spoke to John Goodall about the extraordinary ceilings that were created roughly half-way through that tenure.
