Country Life 22 January 2025
Country Life 22 January 2025 looks at fabulous finches, magical marmalade and Jane Austen's saucy legacy.

Here's a look at some of what you'll find inside.
Hold on to your bonnets
Annunciata Elwes learns that Austenmania is still in full swing some 250 years after the birth of Emma author Jane Austen
The legacy
Your starter for 10... Kate Green answers all your questions on University Challenge and quiz- master Bamber Gascoigne
Charmed, I’m sure
The finch is a frequent garden visitor as it roams rural Britain in search of seed. Mark Cocker showcases our delightful dozen species of this much-loved bird
Squeeze the day
Oranges are the only fruit for Jane Wheatley as she explores the benefits of bitter varieties used in marmalade and more
All aboard!
Madeleine Silver travels with an eclectic cast of eccentric commuters all clutching their tickets to ride into the capital
Jennifer Francis’s favourite painting
The director of Turner’s House in London chooses a warm, rich work alive with anticipation and hope for new beginnings
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Regency revival
John Martin Robinson admires the award-winning restoration of Brockfield Hall in North Yorkshire, a Regency gem revived as a modern family home
The good stuff
Feel toasty in the mountains with Hetty Lintell’s elegant picks
Interiors
A bathroom with links to rock royalty wows Arabella Youens and a host of gleaming luxuries catch the eye of Amelia Thorpe
Coming up roses
Charles Quest-Ritson marvels at row upon row of flowers in bloom at Whartons in Norfolk, our largest producer of Rosa
Kitchen garden cook
Curly kale is king in the winter kitchen as Melanie Johnson rustles up a Gruyère-crusted tart
Dark of the sun
The golden, honey-hued glow of Samuel Palmer’s work is now widely lauded as a mark of genius, but it wasn’t always so, as Maev Kennedy reveals
Onwards to Croydon!
Michael Billington is bowled over by the National Theatre at its very best, but left baffled by two recent revivals of the Bard
Bringing the quintessential English rural idle to life via interiors, food and drink, property and more Country Life’s travel content offers a window into the stunning scenery, imposing stately homes and quaint villages which make the UK’s countryside some of the most visited in the world.
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Life is a Cabaret, old chum — especially when you try the Country Life Quiz of the Day
Classic movies, compound interest and the Sacking of Rome take their places in Thursday's quiz.
By Toby Keel Published
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Reader event: Why Sir John Soane matters
Almost two centuries after his death, the architect’s work continues to inspire both classic and contemporary designers. At a Country Life event in March, four leading design experts will explore his creative legacy.
By Giles Kime Published