Architecture

The history of the country house drawing room

Jeremy Musson delves into the history of the country house drawing room.

The Athenaeum: Ancient history, old rivals and a recent revival for the old Carlton House haunt

One of the grandest Regency clubs in London has undergone a revival in recent years. John Goodall looks at the remarkable story of its development on the former site of Carlton House.

The tale of the fire that turned Cowdray's ancient castle to ruins, the treasure hunters who made it worse, and how what was left was saved

Ogston Hall: A romantic, well-maintained family home, diligently researched and preserved

The characterful re-working of an ancient family house in the 1850s integrated its varied elements into an impressive and coherent whole. John Martin Robinson reports.

Cumberland Lodge: The 17th century marvel 'a thousand times more agreeable than Blenheim'

This year, a remarkable educational foundation in a spectacular parkland setting celebrates its 70th anniversary. John Goodall considers the history of the building it occupies in the Great Park at Windsor.

Chetham's: Inside the oldest public library in the English-speaking world

The buildings of a wealthy medieval college were transformed during the 17th century into a school and what is now Britain’s oldest surviving public library. Steven Brindle visits a remarkable survival; photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.

House E-1027, Cote d’Azur: A 1920s house by Eileen Gray, restored and returned to the public eye

A notable building in the early history of Modernism, designed by the Irish émigré Eileen Gray, has been restored and opened to the public. Tim Richardson reports.

Inside Haworth: The humble parsonage where the Brontë sisters changed literature

Some of our most enduring stories were conceived at Haworth – Jeremy Musson enjoys a literary pilgrimage.

Mount Stewart, Co Down: How an ambitious restoration transformed one of Northern Ireland's most important country houses

Undertaken by the National Trust with the aid of the donor family, the restoration of Mount Stewart has restored it to its rightful place as a gem in Northern Ireland's countryside.

St Agnes Lodge: The Yorkshire house built, rebuilt, remodelled and restyled, revealing endless layers of history

A recently restored town house in the shadow of Ripon Minster offered its owner a voice in Parliamentary elections. James Legard unravels the development of St Agnes Lodge in Ripon, North Yorkshire, he home of Robert Brodie and Annette Petchey. Photographs by Paul Highnam.

A look at Chatsworth, the 'toy box' of delights where 'your head becomes dizzy with the richness of it all'

We take a look at some of the magnificent images of Chatsworth which have graced the pages of Country Life over the years.

Leweston Manor: The uniquely charming house where Georgian architecture meets Art Deco interiors

Leweston Manor is a rare example of an Art Deco interior surviving within a Georgian building — and it's in daily use as a school. Roger White explains more; photographs by Paul Highnam.

Country Life's top 10 architecture stories of 2019, from Old London Bridge to the Brighton Pavilion

Though we may of course be biased, but Country Life's team of architecture writers do justice to the greatest buildings in Britain in a way that nobody else does.

Winchester Cathedral: The tale of a remarkable church and its astonishing contents

There is perhaps no building in Britain that connects the modern visitor more immediately with the foundational figures of English history. John Goodall explains more; photographs by Paul Highnam.

Sherborne Abbey's stained glass: The spectacular Victorian addition to a building with 1300 years of history

The spectacular stained glass at Sherborne Abbey is only part of what makes this building one of the grandest in England, as John Goodall explains.

Agatha Christie: The great country houses which inspired the tales of Britain's greatest-ever crime writer

Agatha Christie set many of her murder mysteries in country houses. With the help of specially commissioned drawings by Matthew Rice, Jeremy Musson looks at the architecture of the buildings she knew — and those which she imagined.

The Bishop's Palace in Peterborough: An ancient survival that's patchwork of periods, materials and textures

From its medieval foundations to its recent renewal, the Bishop's Palace has been a canvas upon which the successive bishops of Peterborough have left their distinctive marks. Jeremy Musson visited for Country Life back in 2001, with Paul Barker taking the photographs.

Llwyn Celyn: One of the most important medieval homes in Britain — yet one where, wonderfully, you can book family holiday

Llwyn Celyn, one of the most important medieval houses in Wales, has been recently restored and dated for the first time, and is even accepting paying guests. Edward Impey addresses the intriguing questions of its purpose and its builder’s identity. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.

Pitzhanger Manor: The Ealing villa that's the great John Soane's 'architectural self-portrait'

Following a boldly conceived restoration, the interest and quality of Sir John Soane’s Pitzhanger Manor in Ealing villa shines out again. John Goodall reports, with photographs by Will Pryce.

Inside the Shropshire house where the Royal Family planned to shelter if Britain was invaded during the Second World War

A house prepared as a safe retreat for the Royal Family in the Second World War has recently returned to family ownership and is thriving once again. Marcus Binney reports.