Cath Harries — The photographer on a 15-year quest to find the most incredible doors in London
It's almost two decades since photographer Cath Harries set out to work on a book documenting London's finest pubs. As she walked the streets of the capital, however, she found herself wondering about a new project: London's most extraordinary doors. The idea took hold, and she found herself embarking upon a project which would take a decade and a half.
Subscribe to the Country Life Podcast
The resulting work has come together in a book, Doors of London, which sees Cath's photos partnered with words by historian Melanie Backe-Hansen. There are wooden doors, glass doors, scary doors, brightly-coloured doors, mural doors and even a door which is — quite astonishingly — some 50ft high... complete with knocker which only a fairytale giant would be able to reach.
Cath joined James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast to talk about her journey, how she went about pulling it all together — and the one door in London which she was banned from photographing, despite it being one of London's most famous.
Doors of London is published by Sheldrake Press, priced at £25
Cath Harries
Episode credits
- Host: James Fisher
- Guest: Cath Harries
- Editor and producer: Toby Keel
- Music: JuliusH via Pixabay
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.
-
A country home that comes with a perfect lifestyle business: one of Britain's oldest vineyardsAstley Vineyard in Worcestershire, and the lovely house that it comes with, are looking for a new owner.
-
Making space in a Georgian terraced Chelsea cottageGuy Goodfellow removed an internal wall to transform the sitting room of this Georgian terrace
-
53 years ago, a Wren masterpiece was replaced with a glorified roundabout. We must not make the same mistake againThe plans to rid Christ Church Newgate Street of traffic should be cause for celebration — but a mistake as bad as the one made in the 1970s is about to happen, says Ptolemy Dean.
-
Jane Austen's greatest scoundrel: Being Mr Wickham, with Adrian LukisThe actor Adrian Lukis, who played the role of Mr Wickham in the iconic 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, joins the Country Life Podcast.
-
Ten of the most exquisite French châteaux, photographed for Country Life in 1906 and still standing todayIn the early 20th century, Country Life commissioned Frederick H. Evans to photograph some of France's châteaux. Here are some of his efforts.
-
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.
-
The dogs of Country Life, with Agnes StampCountry Life's deputy features editor Agnes Stamp joins the Country Life Podcast to talk all things dogs.
-
All fired up: 12 of our favourite chimneys, from grand architectural statements to modest brick stacks, as seen in Country LifeNothing says winter like a roaring fire, and plenty of the houses that we've photographed for the magazine's architectural places have fireplaces and chimneys worth boasting about.
-
Dorfold Hall: The 'most neat and beautiful house of brick' that owes its existence to a desperate effort to secure successionDorfold Hall in Cheshire is an outstanding Jacobean house, but was an unexpected product of dynastic disappointment. John Goodall examines the remarkable circumstances of its construction; photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
-
The Falconer's Tale: Tommy Durcan on how an ancient art lives on in 21st century IrelandTommy Durcan of Ireland's School of Falcony joins the Country Life podcast.
