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'Wrecking balls swung from the ceiling, pillars were shown toppling, cornices crumbled... it was sensational': The groundbreaking museum exhibition that helped save the country houseAfter years of neglect and countless demolitions, 1974 witnessed a revolution in attitudes towards country houses. It proved a turning point in Britain’s treatment of its old buildings generally and the saviour of places such as Covent Garden, as Simon Jenkins explains.
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‘They knew they were all going through the same hell’: The graffiti of the First World WarMemorials to those lost in the First World War can cloud the fact that each name represents a man’s life. The inscriptions they left behind, however, recall them as individuals, says David Crossland.
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Ashby St Legers: The spectacular house where the Gunpowder Plot was hatchedA house associated with the Gunpowder Plot was splendidly enlarged by Lutyens and is now enjoying a new lease of life as a modern family home, as John Goodall explains. With photography by Paul Highnam.
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London's Lost Interiors: Inside the houses of the capital's plutocrats in the days when money was literally no objectA new book, 'London: Lost Interiors', 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, using wonderful images preserved in the Historic England Archive.
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'The scream you wake on at the end of a nightmare': Meet the buildings designed by the 'Rogue Goths'A new book published by The Victorian Society and Liverpool University Press shines a light on three lesser-known Victorian architects.
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Holyrood: Inside The King's official residence in Scotland, from throne room to the bed chamber of Mary, Queen of ScotsHolyrood — or, to give it its full title, The Palace of Holyroodhouse — is the official residence in Scotland of His Majesty King Charles III. To coincide with the publication of a new history of the palace, John Goodall offers an overview of the creation, abandonment and rebirth of this working royal residence over the past 900 years. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
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Ptolemy Dean: The magic that happens when you stop to draw a place, instead of just taking a photographA new book examines the streetscapes of our historic towns and marvels at what we can easily take for granted. Its author, Ptolemy Dean, encourages us to recognise their importance and considers what we can learn from them. Illustrations by Ptolemy Dean.
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Curious Questions: Why was the original Euston Station destroyed in one of the greatest acts of cultural vandalism Britain has ever seen?One of the great masterpieces of 19th century, the original Euston Station, was built in the years after Queen Victoria came to the throne. Less than 125 years later it was razed to the ground; Martin Fone takes a look at the reasons why.
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Fresh calls to list Jubilee Line extension stationsThe stations opened in 1999 deserve to be recognised and protected from future development, according to campaigners.
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Opinion: A vanishingly rare thing has happened — we have a minister for culture who actually sounds like he's visited some of the places he has responsibility forOur culture columnist Athena is cautiously optimistic about the future of arts, culture and architecture — even if the same old problems remain.
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Mount Vernon: A tour of the 'handsome and genteel' interior of George Washington's country homeJeremy Musson reports on the recent campaign to restore the memorable interiors of George and Martha Washington’s country home. Photographs by Gavin Ashworth, courtesy of Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association.
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The 'Death Pyramid' of Primrose HillFour times the height of St Paul's Cathedral, and with enough room for 5 million bodies, the Metropolitan Sepulchre was a fascinating curiosity that thankfully never left the drawing board.
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Mount Vernon: The story of George Washington's country estateJeremy Musson looks at the remarkable history and preservation of Mount Vernon, the country home of America’s first president, George Washington. Photographs by George Washington’s Mount Vernon.
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A century of change at The White HouseIn December 1916 Country Life magazine was granted extraordinary access to The White House.
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Samuel Lysons: The man who revealed the Roman CotswoldsThe antiquarian Samuel Lysons played an important role in recording the Roman villas of the Cotswolds. Clive Aslet looks at his remarkable career and methods.
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'We had to extract her by her legs in an undignified fashion so she could meet him and join us all at the table': The trials and tribulations of the country-house liftAnyone with a fear of being trapped in a lift may wish to look away, warns Melanie Cable-Alexander, as she explores the grandest alternatives to taking the stairs.
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Civic splendour: St Mary's Guildhall, CoventryThe guildhall built as a symbol of Coventry's 14th-century prosperity and self-government has recently undergone restoration.
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The destruction and recreation of Scone PalaceIn the second of two articles on Scone Palace, Perthshire, John Goodall looks at the Jacobite history of Scone and the transformation of the Palace from 1802 into a Gothic Revival prodigy house. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
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The tale of Scone Palace, and the mystery of the Stone of SconeJohn Goodall explains the importance of Scone Palace, Perthshire — seat of the Earl and Countess of Mansfield and Mansfield — and the great abbey that formerly stood here. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
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Wembley isn't just a stadium — it was a vision and a pioneering adventure in the history of architectureThe 1924 Wembley Empire Exhibition was conceived on a vast scale, with a bewildering variety of displays that united such themes as Canadian butter, Tutankhamun and toffee tins. It also pioneered the architectural use of concrete, as Kathryn Ferry explains.
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A consolation and pleasure: The architectural brilliance of Prince AlbertPrince Albert took a close interest in architecture and oversaw a series of major building projects. Michael Hall considers his claims to be thought of as an architect
