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The hand-written bibles handed down through centuries, in pride of place in a Welsh country house libraryAt Treberfydd House in Brecon, a magnificent hand-written bible has been handed down through the generations. John Goodall tells its story.
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Doddington Hall: The story of an Elizabethan marvelJohn Goodall looks at the creation of Doddington Hall, Lincolnshire, and the unexpected story of this important Elizabethan house's descent and Georgian development. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
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'The ideal of what an English country house should be': Ven House's journey from Georgian corruption to modern gloryThis magnificent Ven House in Somerset — home of Mike Fisher and Lord Allen of Kensington — was the unexpected product of the fractious and corrupt politics of early 18th-century England. John Goodall explains more; photography by Will Pryce for Country Life.
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Inspired by a Renaissance masterpiece, created by one of the world's great architects, this bed has done a century's service for a country house's owners — and their very lucky petsJohn Goodall talks to Sebastian Fenwick about his extraordinary bed, designed by the great Edwin Lutyens.
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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.
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'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.
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The Duke of Wellington's hearing aid, at the cutting edge of technology 200 years agoJohn Goodall meets the 9th Duke of Wellington to hear the tale of his famous forbear's hearing problems.
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'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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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John Goodall: Every attraction has a visitor threshold and pushing beyond it is destructiveThe Natural History Museum is officially the most visited UK museum but, this week's Athena asks, how much do visitor numbers matter?
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Castle Howard was devastated by fire. Against all the odds, its decades-long restoration has made it even greater today than it once wasAn award-winning restoration at Castle Howard in North Yorkshire has transformed the interior of this fire-damaged great house. What's more, the work has been finished in time for the celebrations surrounding the tercentenary of the death of its designer, Sir John Vanbrugh. John Goodall reports; photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
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This Civil War coat and armour has survived four centuries in almost perfect condition — apart from the hole made by the musket ball that killed the man who wore itJohn Goodall visits Doddington Hall in Lincolnshire to discover the tale of one of its most extraordinary artefacts: the coat worn by a 17th century nobleman when he was killed during one of the key battles of the English Civil War.
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The cat that 'lives' in the Long Gallery at one of the greatest Elizabethan houses in BritainParham House in West Sussex is one of the greatest Elizabethan houses in England — and it's full of unlikely treasures. John Goodall takes a closer look at one of them.
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A mesmerising portrait in the eerie country house that inspired Charlotte Brontë to write 'Jane Eyre'A dark episode in the family history of Norton Conyers inspired a young Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre — but the hidden attic is just one of many treasures in this grand Yorkshire house.
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The 'micro mosaic' at Holkham Hall that uses a fascinating, unusual technique pioneered by the VaticanJohn Goodall speaks to the Earl of Leicester about one of the most unusual and beautiful objects at Holkham Hall in Norfolk.
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The 400-year-old floors perfectly preserved in the house that inspired Charles Dickens to create Miss Havisham's mansionMost country houses demand you look up and around at what you see. At Restoration House in Rochester, you'll miss out if you don't also look down.
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Our cathedrals are 'by far the most important works of architecture in Britain', and Exeter is a perfect 21st century update to a medieval masterpieceJohn Goodall looks at an ambitious restoration project to the choir and cloister of Exeter Cathedral, which was completed in 2025. Photographs by Paul Highnam and Andy Marshall.
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Heaven in Devon: The sophisticated, ethereal beauty of Exeter CathedralExeter Cathedral in Devon is an idiosyncratic masterpiece that illuminates the sophistication and personalities behind the development of late-medieval English architecture. John Goodall explains more, with photography by Paul Highnam.
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A gift for every interest — and every deadline: The best coffee-table books to give at ChristmasAmie Elizabeth White rounds up some of the best coffee-table books of 2025.
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John Goodall: Restoration is 'an act of recycling', but we need a system that encourages itNew-build is exempt from VAT, but the construction industry accounts for nearly 40% of global emissions of carbon dioxide. Something needs to change, says Country Life's architectural editor.
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Northwold Manor: 'A place of delight once more after half a century of chaos and neglect'A heroic restoration project has transformed Northwold Manor in Norfolk — home of Professor Warwick Rodwell and Ms Diane Gibbs — after more than 50 years of being left neglected. It has also illuminated its remarkable history, as John Goodall explains; photography by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
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War, ruin and renaissance: Dorfold Hall's 400-year journey through the agesJohn Goodall describes the antiquarian rediscovery of Dorfold Hall, Cheshire — home of Charles and Dr Candice Roundell — and the recent spectacular renewal of this important Jacobean house. Photographs by Paul Highnam for the Country Life Photo Library.
