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How to tie the only knots you'll ever need
The 'Surrey Six' is a collection of ways to tie rope that, for most people, are the only six knots you'll ever need. Agnes Stamp tries her hand at tying them, and looks in to the lore of knot tying.
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Twelfth Night: What it is, when it falls and why it's the biggest celebration we no longer enjoy
Once a time of merriment when rules were subverted, Twelfth Night has long since lost its sparkle, says Vicky Liddell, as she digs into the colourful past of the Feast of Fools and finds that some traditions live on.
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The real Ebeneezer Scrooge who inspired Charles Dickens was actually 'noted for his generosity, jovial disposition and appetite'
Ian Morton explores the runaway success of the Dickens Christmas classic and reveals the 'real' Ebenezer Scrooge, who was far from a mean man.
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The Country Life columnist who ended up at an illegal rave in the Brecon Beacons
Patrick Galbraith has a night to remember.
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A walk of wonder: The enduring beauty of the Kingston Lacy beech avenue
Fiona Reynolds takes a stroll around ancient Badbury Rings leads to Kingston Lacy, where an 188-year-old avenue of trees stands proud
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King Charles Spaniels: 'They’re like little people in fur coats'
Once a favourite of the nobility, the distinguished King Charles spaniel is a loving and loyal little lap dog that can also hold its own outdoors, says Katy Birchall.
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Indices to Country Life articles
The Country Life Index of articles is all articles published by Country Life, since 1897, in one place.
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What price culture? £380 to see Taylor Swift — or £12 for a night at the Royal Opera
Country Life's cultural crusader Athena takes a look at the thorny issue of live music ticket prices — and how the habits of concert-goers today show that the struggles of classical music and opera to find an audience run far deeper than mere cost.
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Curious Questions: What is the Stone of Scone?
Shrouded in myth and mystery, the unremarkable-looking Stone of Scone — the ancient symbol of Scottish sovereigns — still plays a significant role in the coronations of British monarchs, says Matthew Dennison.
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The Ship Inn Cricket Club: The tale of the world's only cricket club to play its matches on the beach
A game of beach cricket with captains and kings leaves Steve King with hazy memories, but the all-encompassing glow of a perfect game (despite losing by three wickets).
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10 of Scotland’s most magical white sand beaches
What better day to celebrate some of Scotland's most stunning locations than St Andrew's Day? Here's our pick of 10 of the finest white sand beaches in the country.
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Jason Goodwin: The day our little corner of England changed forever
An archaeological discovery near Jason Goodwin's idyllic spot has sparked excitement far and wide — but not a little dismay nearer to home.
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A walk from Adder’s Copse to Gallows Down, Berkshire: 'I've rarely done a circular walk as perfect as this one'
Fiona Reynolds takes a stroll on a quiet part of the North Wessex Downs that is redolent with history and wildlife.
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The remarkable tale of the bathing machine
When the British fell in love with the seaside, they invented a mobile building to convey them to the water. Kathryn Ferry tells the remarkable tale of the bathing machine.
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Britain's elite fossil hunters on their finds of a lifetime
From a kamikaze ichthyosaur to a gigantic shell with sinister tentacles, Britain teems with fascinating fossils. Simon de Bruxelles meets the collectors following in Mary Anning’s footsteps. Photos by Millie Pilkington for Country Life.
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The BBC Proms are the most ambitious, eclectic and successful classical music festival in the world — and we should celebrate them
The Proms are a great British institution and a remarkable success story, says Country Life's cultural commentator Athena.
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Walking the Llŷn Peninsula: A trip to the ends of the earth
Fiona Reynolds ticks off another extreme point of Britain with a trip to the end of the Llŷn Peninsula in Wales.
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Henley Festival: 13 things you'll see at the 'posh Glastonbury'
Revellers in ball gowns and dinner jackets, turning up on board £200,000 boats to dance and party while knocking back magnums of vintage champagne? It can only be the extraordinary Henley Festival, the high-end musical extravaganza that's a sort of Glastonbury-on-Thames for the (very) well heeled. We sent Emma Earnshaw along to see what it was like.
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A walk in the footsteps of Evelyn Waugh at Madresfield Court, the real-life inspiration for Brideshead Revisited
Fiona Reynolds takes a walk around the home that captured Evelyn Waugh’s imagination, finding a place that is both intriguing and atmospheric.
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The best open air theatres in Britain
Amid the sweet chestnuts, walnuts and cobnuts of a Suffolk farm, a natural amphitheatre has been transformed into a glorious sylvan venue for touring companies to tread Nature’s boards. Jo Cairdv pays a visit to the mesmerising Thorington Theatre, and picks out three more of the finest outdoor performance venues in Britain.
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Thorington Theatre: How a WW2 bomb crater in Suffolk became one of Britain's most beautiful theatres
Amid the sweet chestnuts, walnuts and cobnuts of a Suffolk farm, a natural amphitheatre has been transformed into a glorious sylvan venue for touring companies to tread Nature’s boards, finds Jo Caird.
