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Jason Goodwin: 'He thought his wife had punched him — but he was down the pub with a six-inch knife sticking out of his back'
A chance encounter in the unlikeliest of places leaves Jason Goodwin with a memory he'll surely never forget.
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May Hill: A walk across the summit of Gloucestershire
May Hill, with its spectacular views lit by winter sun, has a promise of the spring to come, as in Edward Thomas’s account of an epic walk. Fiona Reynolds follows in his footsteps.
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Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland: The spectacular border town with a castle that changed hands 13 times
Berwick-upon-Tweed spent centuries as a pawn in Anglo-Scottish conflict; today, it's a charming border town with spectacular sights. Clive Aslet takes a look.
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Ewelme, Oxfordshire: The medieval almshouses set up by Chaucer's grand-daughter and still running today
Country Life's 21st century Grand Tour of Britain stops off at the remarkable church and almshouses at Ewelme, Oxfordshire.
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The Flying Scotsman: How the first 100mph locomotive became the most famous train in the world
The first train to officially hit 100mph may not even have been the first, and didn't hold the rail speed record for long; yet a century later its legend is undimmed. Jack Watkins celebrates the Flying Scotsman.
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Melrose Abbey, the Scottish Borders: The spectacular ruin where Robert the Bruce's heart is buried
Melrose Abbey is one of the most powerfully romantic and evocative ruins in Britain — and for that matter, the world.
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Caernarfon Castle, Gwynedd: 'One of the great buildings of the Middle Ages'
Wales is spoilt for beautiful, evocative and dramatic castles in magnificent locations — yet still Caernarfon Castle stands above the rest.
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Durham Cathedral and Castle: 'The Normans at their most audacious and expansive'
The view of Durham from the train is epic and defiant: the great central tower of the cathedral rising as if it were its own unconquerable cliff, a symbol of Christian civilisation that has endured centuries of hostile waves to stand triumphant.
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Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire: The story of Robin Hood's woods
The ancient hunting grounds of William the Conqueror are famed across the world as the hiding place of the legendary outlaw Robin Hood.
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The Island of Ely, Cambridgeshire: Where 85ft above sea level is almost a mountain
Clive Aslet takes a look at Ely, the beautiful and ancient city that can be seen from miles around in the Fens.
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Battle, East Sussex: The site of the battle 'that permanently changed the course of history in England and beyond'
The Battle of Hastings didn't actually take place in Hastings, but a few miles north — and you can still visit the site of perhaps the most consequential battle ever to take place on English soil.
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Glastonbury, Somerset: The place where the Holy Grail came to Britain
The ancient town of Glastonbury is synonymous without spirituality, mysticism and legend — and it's an unmissable stop-off on our list of places in the 21st century Grand Tour of Britain.
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Lindisfarne, Northumberland: The Holy Island with a castle, priory and 1,500 years of history
Lindisfarne, or Holy Island, has 1,500 years of recorded history and remains as popular as ever with pilgrims of all kinds. Clive Aslet takes a look at its history, and tells the tale of how Country Life's founder bought and transformed this ancient spot.
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Chapel of St Peter on the Wall, Essex: 'The deepest living root of the church in Britain'
Our 21st century Grand Tour of Britain moves on to an ancient church in Essex.
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Pevensey Castle, East Sussex: The Roman castle that was still being used in World War II
When William the Conqueror landed at Pevensey, he moved in to the nearby castle — one which had already stood for the best part of a thousand years.
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![Henry II', 1935. Henry II, King of England, circa 1860. Henry II (1133-89), the first Plantagenet king of England, ruled from 1154. From Kings & Queens of England - A Series of 50. [John Player & Sons, London, 1935] Artist Unknown. (Photo by The Print Collector/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uzWTXTSVJ7fZVeKtDmx8fk-230-80.jpg)
Dover Castle, Kent: England's strongest castle
Jack Watkins looks at the story and impact of The Great Tower at Dover Castle, the imposing creation of Henry II that still stands strong almost 900 years later.
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The extraordinary tale of Hadrian's Wall: 'Men have been deified for trifles compared with this admirable structure'
What once kept out hordes of bloodthirsty warriors is, nearly 2,000 years later, barely proof against the most timid of sheep. But if Hadrian’s Wall is now low on stature, it remains high on atmosphere, says Harry Pearson.
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St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall: The monastery that became a castle that became a home
Few spots on the coast of Britain are as romantic and storied as St Michael's Mount in Cornwall.
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The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct: Thomas Telford's 'ribbon of water in the sky'
The magnificent Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is one of the great testaments to Industrial Revolution ingenuity — and as beautiful as it is impressive. Jack Watkins takes a look.
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Maiden Castle, Dorset: An ancient hill fort the size of 50 football pitches
The mysterious and ancient Maiden Castle occupies a vast site in Dorset. Clive Aslet takes a look.
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Stonehenge, Wilthsire: 'One of the wonders not only of this country, but of the world'
Our Grand Tour of Britain alights at what is arguably the world's most famous prehistoric site: Stonehenge, in Wiltshire.
![Henry II', 1935. Henry II, King of England, circa 1860. Henry II (1133-89), the first Plantagenet king of England, ruled from 1154. From Kings & Queens of England - A Series of 50. [John Player & Sons, London, 1935] Artist Unknown. (Photo by The Print Collector/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uzWTXTSVJ7fZVeKtDmx8fk-800-80.jpg.webp)
