Here’s a look at some of what else you’ll find within.
Please note that due to the Christmas break, the December 27 issue will be on newsstands and delivered to subscribers on December 28.
Beautiful Britain: a celebration of our land
John Goodall and Kate Green share a selection of captivating images from Country Life: 125 Years of Countryside Living in Great Britain from the Archives of Country Life, their new book showcasing the many wonders of our magnificent country
Walking on a tightrope
The rope-makers of this once proud maritime nation are near the end of their tether — Harry Pearson meets those dedicated to keeping a heritage craft afloat
Forget me knot
Do you know your bowline from your sheepshank and your reef from your round turn and two half hitches? Agnes Stamp attempts to untangle the mysterious world of knot tying
Pearls of wisdom
Giles Kime seeks interior-design advice and inspiration in the wise words of the great and the good, from Sir Winston Churchill and Dorothy Draper to Nicky Haslam and Nina Campbell
Fantastic beasts and where to keep them
Could you stable Pegasus or a unicorn, feed the Gruffalo or keep a Psammead in your spare room? Deborah Nicholls-Lee ponders the pros and cons of adopting a mythical creature
Victoria Vyvyan’s favourite painting
The president of the CLA selects a 16th-century master engraving, the subject of which is a true picture of peaceful concentration
Chivalry and sacrifice
Timothy Mowl investigates the history of Sir Herbert Baker’s War Cloister, a remarkable monument to the fallen from Winchester College, Hampshire
Sealed with a kiss
A handwritten note is a rare and unrivalled joy in this digital age. Sarah Fortescue puts pen to paper on the art of letter writing
Before Sissinghurst
Christopher Stocks steps back in time to the formative gardening years of Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson at Long Barn near Sevenoaks in Kent
Kitchen garden cook
Melanie Johnson celebrates the flavour and nutrients of easy-to-grow microgreens
New series: Arts & Antiques
Art dealer Ben Brown knows a dram good sculpture when he sees one — Carla Passino reveals the story behind his hippopotamus whisky bar