The medieval engineering strokes of genius that led to the building of Old London Bridge
Credit: Getty
Medieval bridges were marvels of engineering, given the technology available at the time — and nowhere more so than in the case of London Bridge, where deep, tidal flows made construction incredibly challenging. David Harrison explained more in an article that was part of our regular Thursday delve into Country Life's archives.
London has never been this quiet in 2,000 years — here’s what it looks like, and what we can learn
Credit: John Goodall
In all of its 2,000-year history, it seems unlikely that the City of London has ever stood so silent as it did during lockdown in Spring. Can we learn from the quiet, asked Architectural Editor John Goodall, who also took the photographs.
Gwrych Castle: The astonishing fantasy castle saved by the dreams and bravery of a 12-year-old boy
Credit: Paul Highnam for the Country Life Picture Library
The Welsh castle earned fame thanks to its appearance in 'I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here' on ITV. But Country Life were there first, to tell the story of a quite remarkable survival.
What do you do with a ruined country house? Four examples that show the way forward
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In the special issue guest edited by The Princess Royal, her husband Vice-Admiral Sir Tim Laurence — the chairman of the English Heritage Trust — looked at how best to manage our ruined country houses, ensuring that visiting them is both worthwhile and enjoyable.
The futuristic house of cork, fitted together like Lego, where the skylights stop it from blowing away
Credit: Will Pryce for the Country Life Picture Library
John Goodall investigated how a research project by architects Matthew Barnett Howland and Dido Milne led to the creation of Cork House in Eton, Berkshire, an experimental home of great style and interest — and one that also presents a challenge to the architectural world.
The Athenaeum: Ancient history, old rivals and a recent revival for the old Carlton House haunt
Credit: Will Pryce for the Country Life Picture Library
One of the grandest Regency clubs in London has undergone a revival in recent years. Architecture editor John Goodall looked at the remarkable story of its development on the former site of Carlton House.
How the architecture of the Cotswolds came to define the archetypal English country village
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The architecture of the Cotswolds is almost intrinsically linked to popular conceptions of the English country village. Clive Aslet considered the people and places which contributed to bringing that about.
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Ogston Hall: A romantic, well-maintained family home, diligently researched and preserved
Credit: Paul Highnam for the Country Life Picture Library
The characterful re-working of an ancient family house in the 1850s integrated its varied elements into an impressive and coherent whole. John Martin Robinson told its story.
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Buckingham Palace: ‘There is not a historical capital in Europe which cannot show a more imposing Royal palace’
Credit: Country Life Picture Library
A trip through the archives unearthed a real treasure in the form of a 1931 book about Buckingham Palace which offers a fascinatingly different perspective on one of the world's most famous buildings.
Leweston Manor: The uniquely charming house where Georgian architecture meets Art Deco interiors
Credit: Paul Highnam for the Country Life Picture Library
Leweston Manor is a rare example of an Art Deco interior surviving within a Georgian building — and it's in daily use as a school. Roger White explained more.
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From California to Cornwall: How surfing became a cornerstone of Cornish cultureA new exhibition at Cornwall's National Maritime Museum celebrates a century of surf culture and reveals how the country became a global leader in surf innovation and conservation.
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18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeFrom a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
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'There are architects and architects, but only one ARCHITECT': Sir Edwin Lutyens and the wartime Chancellor who helped launch his stellar careerClive Aslet explores the relationship between Sir Edwin Lutyens and perhaps his most important private client, the politician and financier Reginald McKenna.
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Cath Harries — The photographer on a 15-year quest to find the most incredible doors in London -
The extraordinary Egyptian-style Leeds landmark hoping to become a second British Library — and they used to let sheep graze on the roofThe project has been awarded £10million from the Government, but will cost £70million in total.
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Art, architecture and plastic bricks at Lego House: 'It's as if the National Gallery set up easels and paints next to the masterpieces and invited you try your hand at creating a Van Gogh'The rural Danish town where Lego was created is dominated by the iconic toy — and at Lego House, it has a fittingly joyful site of pilgrimage. Toby Keel paid a visit.
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Restoration House: The house in the heart of historic Rochester that housed Charles II and inspired Charles DickensJohn Goodall looks at Restoration House in Rochester, Kent — home of Robert Tucker and Jonathan Wilmot — and tells the tale of its remarkable salvation.
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'A glimpse of the sublime': Inside the drawing room of the 'grandest Palladian house in Ireland'The redecoration of the drawing room at Russborough House in Co Wicklow, Ireland, offers a fascinating insight into the aesthetic preoccupations of Grand Tourism in the mid 18th century. John Goodall explains; photography by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
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The ideal of the Scottish castle: Aldourie's joyful fantasy of turrets, invention and recreationThe process of stitching together the architectural fabric of the Aldourie estate in Inverness-shire has created an outstanding group of new and restored buildings. John Goodall explains more; photography by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
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Brutalism and the Bauhaus in BritainAdrien Brody won the Best Actor award for his turn in ‘The Brutalist’, playing the role of Lazslo Toth, one of the key movers in the architectural movement. Will Hosie takes a look at the legacy of Brutalism in Britain, looking at the best buildings both of Brutalism and the Bauhaus Movement which preceded it.
