-
A tale of two Deaneries: The unique medieval and 17th century homes attached to Gloucester CathedralThe Deans of Gloucester have consecutively occupied two houses in the cathedral close — namely, The Old and the New Deanery. Both have a fascinating history, as John Goodall discovers.
-
'It's rather like a foghorn reverberating through the halls and corridors': The young custodians of a castle used to shelter Jacobite rebels and its wonderful Victorian organIn our latest Country-House Treasures instalment, John Goodall meets the young custodians of Cluny Castle and its loud Victorian organ.
-
'A toy cut from cardboard': Glin Castle's renaissance at the hands of an elite garden designer and her A-list husbandAgainst all the odds, the ancient Glin Castle has remained intact, thriving and continues its role as the seat of the FitzGeralds, Knights of Glin. Jeremy Musson considers the significance of the work of the late Knight of Glin and his daughter Catherine FitzGerald in keeping this castle in family hands. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
-
Monarchs, Rothschilds and ruin: The extraordinary tale of one of Britain’s most beautiful moated homesRushbrooke Hall was arguably one of Britain's most beautiful and romantic-looking homes. But, like most of the houses in this series, it's demise was brutal.
-
Chavenage: The true story of the 'Rivals' house — and it's every bit as dramatic as the plots that Jilly Cooper dreamt upTogether with tales of spectral apparitions, many mysteries surround the building of Chavenage. What is certain is that the house has an extraordinary charm typical of the Cotswolds.
-
Housing in Britain has been broken for seven decades — here's how to fix it: Jonathan Glancey on the Country Life PodcastThe architecture writer Jonathan Glancey joins James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast.
-
Why one of Cornwall's oldest and most definitely haunted houses burned to the ground — 30 years after it was photographed for Country LifeMelanie Bryan traces the history of Treworgey Manor, built during the reign of Henry VIII.
-
'Well, you will have to burn me in it, boys': The remarkable tale of Glin Castle, and its unlikely survival through two centuries of turmoilJohn Goodall looks at Glin Castle, Co Limerick, the home of the FitzGeralds, Knights of Glin. This article, which tells the story from its 1789 construction into the 20th century, is the first of two articles about a family seat built by a dynasty as remarkable for its longevity as its colourful history. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
-
Built for a pretender to the Scottish throne, consumed by a coalfield: The doom of Hamilton PalaceAt its zenith, Hamilton Palace rivalled Buckingham Palace in size — but when it was photographed for Country Life, its days were already numbered, says Melanie Bryan.
-
Calico House: A modern home in an ancient house, lovingly restored and full of historyEnlarged by a prosperous yeoman farmer in the 17th century, the remarkable Calico House, in Newnham, Kent, has a complex history stretching back to the Middle Ages. John Goodall reports on a place that is now the home of Graham Lloyd-Brunt and Ewan Brown. Photography by Will Pryce for Country Life.
-
The ancient manor house brought back from ruin by people of the village where it's stood for seven centuriesThe restoration of a Transylvanian manor house, using only local craftspeople and traditional methods, has stood the test of time. Apafi Manor, in Mălâncrav, Romania, is a model of its kind, finds Jeremy Musson. Photographs by Paul Highnam.
-
The 17th century Devon home that inspired a smoking ban and lives on only inside the Country Life ArchiveOnce upon a time, no one batted an eyelid at smoking in public places — including inside listed buildings. Melanie Bryan investigates why that began to change in the 1960s.
-
'It was his manifesto': London’s strangest house blends art, modernity and science, and it's just thrown open its doors to visitorsThe Cosmic House is a paean to American architect Charles Jencks’s belief that the universe can be made cosy.
-
Ampleforth Abbey: How an iconic architect somehow blended Gothic Revival, Arts-and-Crafts and Modernism with clarity, simplicity and spatial coherenceOn the centenary of Ampleforth Abbey's first consecration, John Goodall looks at the evolution of this North Yorkshire church by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, which illustrates the architect’s journey from antiquarianism to abstraction. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
-
Theft, damage, violence and crumbling fabric: The plight of Britain's churches is only getting worsePlaces of worship across the country are facing challenges on all fronts. Is the help that's on its way going to make any difference?
-
A house lost, a landscape reborn: The story of Worsley New HallThe property now known as RHS Bridgewater conceals a fascinating history.
-
Victoria and Albert at Burghley House: The royal visit that set the mould, and helped stave off revolutionIn November 1844, Queen Victoria visited Burghley House in Lincolnshire as part of a programme of travel aimed to introduce her subjects to Prince Albert. John Martin Robinson describes the event.
-
The owners of this Palladian masterpiece amassed an enviable collection of exotic plants before it all burned to the groundMelanie Bryan digs into the Country Life Archive to find out how it all went so wrong at Carclew, in Cornwall.
-
Inside the glorious studio-houses of 19th century LondonTalgarth Road's terrace of purpose-built studio houses has artists at work within it once again. Jeremy Musson explores the history of these buildings and a modern connection with Florence.
-
Country-house treasures: Crafting a claim at Great Chalfield ManorCountry houses up and down the land are renowned for their great treasures. Here we take a look at some less-well known items in their collection that hold a deeper meaning to their owners.
-
The risk of taxing our built heritage out of existence is all too realIs a fragile inheritance in trouble?
