Country houses for sale
Guides and advice
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Georgian lighting: the romance of candles
Many examples of wonderful Georgian lighting survive today, to remind us of the innovative, and grand Georgian, period
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Discover the history of your house
Discovering the history of the previous owners, and or guests to your property can be fascinating, but also sometimes grisly. Can you handle the truth?
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Need to Know: Overriding Interest and a 2013 deadline
Manorial rights are retained on pieces of land, including mineral and sporting rights, and they need to be registered with the Land Registry by 2013.
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Fireplaces, flues and chimneys
Fireplaces are often the focus of recpetion rooms and bedrooms within period country houses, so make sure you get yours in good working order
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Planning reforms and listed buildings: the law
Joanna Burton, senior heritage consultant at Beacon Planning reviews recent legislative reforms and their impact on listed buildings and conservation areas
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MOT your period house
It's always a great time to take small steps to prevent larger problems developing with your historic house down the line
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The Painted Hall at Greenwich Old Naval College
A masterpiece of interior decoration, The Painted Hall at the Old Naval College in Greenwich requires ongoing conservation
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Government to ‘revise approach' to home extensions
Eric Pickles will look for ‘a sensible compromise' to a bill extending permitted development rights after many Tory MPs voted against the plans
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How to restore a listed building
If you're planning a restoration, or any works on your listed building, make sure you consult our guide to who's who in the business
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Commission a bespoke chandelier
If you can't find the light you want to fit a particular space in your house, consider getting something commissioned
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Need to know: Buyers searches
Buyers searches on farms and estates are crucial to finding out everything you might want to know about the land before you take it over
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Housing a modern art collection
Period houses not always the ideal backdrop for contemporary art so country house owners are devising new bespoke spaces, or properties, to house their collections
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The value of trees
Developing and looking after trees in your grounds can be absorbing work, but also can add value to your property
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Why you need an estate map
Think estate maps are a quaint throwback? Think again-they're actually an important part of successful ownership, says Emma Hughes
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Should we fear the deathwatch beetle?
Expert Tim Floyd bebunks some myths about the deathwatch beetle in the first of a series on pests in historic houses
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All lighting used to be low energy
Proportionately, bright light in the evenings has only existed for the blink of an eye in our history
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Country house histories: The Hearth Tax
Ellen Leslie takes a look at one of the more obscure property taxes, The Hearth Tax, introduced in 1662
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Property punters: The pony club mother
Our new series takes an affectionate look at the different types of property buyer in the market, kicking off with the Pony Club mother
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Listed buildings VAT Budget surprise
Changes to the rules on VAT and listed buildings were one of the few Budget announcements which wasn't trailed in the press
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Rising damp and period houses
The term rising damp is often used when referring to problems, or potential problems with houses, but if you own a period property there are certain issues you need to take into account
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How to position a sundial
Positioning your sundial so it gives its most accurate reading can be achieved in a variety of ways, from traditional measurements to apps for your smartphone
