The first ever Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet, was published 130 years ago, in the November 1887 edition of the long-defunct Beeton's magazine.
Arthur Conan Doyle had based his character on a doctor he'd met during his medical training, and the writer was still working as a GP in Southsea when he got the story published.
It didn't make much of a splash, initially, but was successful enough that the story was later published in book form, and Conan Doyle began to have a few more stories accepted - notably by Strand magazine, where the great detective at 221b Baker Street first came to prominence.
And it was a collection of those Strand stories which propelled Sherlock Holmes into a global phenomenon. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes collected 12 short stories together, and was published 125 years ago on 14 October 1892.
To mark these two anniversaries we have 25 questions all about the world's most famous sleuth – take the test, and share your result with your friends.
Your quizmaster is Tim Symonds, author of five Sherlock Holmes novels – the latest of which, Sherlock Holmes And The Nine-Dragon Sigil, is out now.
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If I had to spend the rest of my life living underground, I would do it in this four-bedroom house for sale in the Peak DistrictThe aptly named Underhill is a 'a work of inhabitable art' that was built in the 1970s. And there's a swimming pool in the middle of it.
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Inside the remarkable restoration of King George III's observatoryCommissioned by George III, the observatory has a long and fascinating history as a seat of scientific endeavour. It has now been restored as a home, as William Aslet reports.
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If there's no fish, there's no fishing, with Robin PhilpottThe CEO of Farlows joins the Country Life Podcast.
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Pugs in pearls: Nine times dogs stole the show on publishing’s most famous pageEvery Monday, Melanie Bryan, delves into the hidden depths of Country Life's extraordinary archive to bring you a long-forgotten story, photograph or advert.
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What everyone is talking about this week: The problem(s) with cyclistsWeek in, week out, Will Hosie rounds up the hottest topics on everyone's lips, in London and beyond.
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The smooth collie: A working breed with beauty and brainsOnce the go-to Scottish herding dog, the smooth collie is as elegant as it is dependable — a working breed with beauty and brains.
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A new gilded age: Sir David Attenborough christens a rare golden eagletThe first golden eagle to fledge from the nest of a translocated bird has been rewarded with a name selected by Sir David Attenborough.
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How Sir Walter Scott made the Dandie Dinmont terrier a legendThis week marked Sir Walter Scott’s birthday — and so it seemed the right moment to celebrate the terrier that owes its fame, and its name, to his pen.
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'Two months to the Moon, three for rest and refreshment and two more for the return': The English stork success storyLong unseen on British shores, white stork chicks are hatching once again in the UK and a colony is now flourishing in West Sussex thanks to a pioneering restoration project.
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How the acrobatic buzzard survived persecution to become one of Britain's best avian huntersIt may appear lethargic, but no one could argue with the hunting prowess of the common buzzard when it transforms into a surging missile intent on an unsuspecting victim.
