Culture
The latest in British culture, from leading artists and exhibition reviews, to events of interest and people of note.
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Jenson Button: 'Get rid of your ego'
The former F1 World Champion speaks to Country Life about retirement, his career, and what the future holds.
By Matthew MacConnell Published
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'We made the mistake of accepting the word of a surveyor. Off we went on a voyage of restoration lasting 30 years': Griff Rhys-Jones on his first house in the country
The comedian, actor and conservation campaigner Griff Rhys-Jones has called rural Suffolk home for over 40 years.
By Arabella Youens Published
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'Attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places': Slim Aarons's photographs of Cortina d’Ampezzo resurface ahead of the Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympics are nearly upon us. To celebrate we're taking a look back at legendary photographer Slim Aarons's photographs of Cortina d'Ampezzo which is hosting the Games for the second time.
By Florence Allen Published
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Ranking Agatha Christie’s murders from least to most likely
Have you been watching Netflix's 'Seven Dials' and wondering just how likely that murder really is? Laura Kay ranks ten of the Queen of Crime's best offings.
By Laura Kay Published
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'The Taylor Swift effect? We've never experienced anything like it': Jeweller Cece Fein-Hughes' consuming passions
Cece Jewellery's signature signet rings are beloved by the famous and fabulous — including Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi and Taylor Swift. Lotte Brundle meets the woman behind the jewellery.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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What is everyone talking about this week: Everything you wanted to know about Greenland* (*but were afraid to ask)
The jewel in the Danish crown has become our latest cause célèbre as the USA muscles its way onto the island. But how much do we really know about it?
By Will Hosie Published
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A study in sculpture: 10 of the finest pieces from the Royal Collection
A new catalogue in four volumes explores the extraordinary riches of the sculpture in the Royal Collection. Its author, Sir Jonathan Marsden, selects 10 of his favourite works that reflect the diversity of this astonishing collection.
By Sir Jonathan Marsden Published
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‘I thought I was going to be sick. I was very nervous about MasterChef’: Monica Galetti’s consuming passions
The professional chef talks to Lotte Brundle about food, family and how fame came calling.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Posh people do well on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! because they survived boarding school: Sophia Money-Coutt's snob's guide to reality television
'One of my least favourite forms of snobbery is television snobbery,' says our weekly columnist — who also reveals what her favourite reality television shows are.
By Sophia Money-Coutts Published
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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.
By John Goodall Published
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What is everyone talking about this week: Winter weddings might just be better than their summer counterparts
As our winters warm, so have Britons warmed to winter weddings. Just keep the fireplace well stocked.
By Will Hosie Published
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The monk strap: Where did the shoe with sole and sophistication come from?
Amie Elizabeth White charts the history of the monk strap shoe — beloved by Clark Gable, Cary Grant and James Bond.
By Amie Elizabeth White Published
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Katharine Hay, the woman who's walking the length and breadth of Scotland
Two years and two thousand miles into her epic journey on foot around Scotland, The Scotsman's rural affairs correspondent Katharine Hay joins the Country Life Podcast.
By Toby Keel Published
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Twenty momentous photographs from the last 100 years that define our history
Every photograph tells a story and none more so than these 20 unforgettable ones.
By Lucy Ford Last updated
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AI is now reaching into every corner of our lives — we can, and must, carefully choose how to engage with it
Emma Hughes, a key part of Country Life magazine's features team, is also a novelist. She reflects on the expanding reach of AI after finding out that her work had been 'scraped' in order to train Meta's new AI assistant, Llama 3.
By Emma Hughes Published
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Jazz music has always made a case for revolution, and we're falling back in love again
There’s more than a whiff of swing in the air–and on the airwaves. Will Hosie explores the resurrection of one of music’s most exciting genres
By Will Hosie Published
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'I am blessed with many talents, most of which I can’t print, but taking a decent photograph is not one of them': How a camera-challenged Millennial fell in love with a landscape
A recent visit to Kinloch Lodge hotel was accompanied by a lesson in landscape photography.
By James Fisher Published
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Make sure you don't skip these South of England art and history highlights
In our final instalment of Charlotte Mullins' fifty treasures series she journeys to the South of England and the Isle of White.
By Charlotte Mullins Published
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'Why do the Americans insist on calling a perfectly ordinary walk a hike?': A snob's guide to staying fit
Sophia Money-Coutts reveals her 'permissible forms of movement'. Spoiler alert: the gym and Zumba are out.
By Sophia Money-Coutts Published
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The 'micro mosaic' at Holkham Hall that uses a fascinating, unusual technique pioneered by the Vatican
John Goodall speaks to the Earl of Leicester about one of the most unusual and beautiful objects at Holkham Hall in Norfolk.
By John Goodall Published
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The seven artistic wonders of the Midlands to put on your bucket list
In the latest instalment of her fifty treasures of the British Isles series, Charlotte Mullins takes a look at what's to be found in the Midlands.
By Charlotte Mullins Published


