With the help of specially commissioned drawings by Matthew Rice, Jeremy Musson considers the abiding presence of the stone-built manor house in the stories of Thomas Hardy.
If major catastrophes have any advantages, it is that, by shocking us, they can focus attention and resources.
Martin Fone looks at the history of the tin tabernacle, and discovers a tale about the origins of corrugated iron, the history of the church in Britain and how Queen Victoria's ballroom at Balmoral got turned in to a joiner's workshop.
50 years on from the landmark exhibition at the V&A, the country house is once again facing huge pressures. Lucy Denton speaks to owners and organisations about what the future might hold.
The home of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers Established in 1403, the Stationers’ Company was long responsible for regulating the printing industry. Lucy Denton looks at the history of this remarkable institution and its headquarters: Stationers’ Hall, London EC4.
Apethorpe Palace in Northamptonshire — a seat of Baron and Baroness von Pfetten — was enlarged in the 1560s and 1620s specifically to receive first Elizabeth I, and then James I. John Goodall tells the story.
Restoration is more than just a plaything for historians — it's the foundations on which styles, taste and form evolve.
The painted church of the Annunciation and the Archangel Michael, Urși, Vâlcea County, Romania, has been the object of an heroic 10-year restoration programme,
A lack of funding and expertise is having a detrimental effect on our listed heritage. To survive, these buildings need to adapt, and to adapt, these buildings need more people who understand what makes them special.
Apethorpe Palace, Northamptonshire — a seat of Baron and Baroness von Pfetten — is as grand as a country house can get, especially since its recent restoration work. Jeremy Musson celebrates the spectacular renewal of one of England’s great Jacobean houses.
Knowsley Hall in Merseyside was returned from institutional use in the 1990s to become the seat of the Earl and Countess of Derby. John Martin Robinson reports on progress to one of the most ambitious restorations of an English country house.
After years of neglect and countless demolitions, 1974 witnessed a revolution in attitudes towards country houses. It proved a turning point in Britain’s treatment of its old buildings generally and the saviour of places such as Covent Garden, as Simon Jenkins explains.
Country Life's cultural commentator Athena takes a closer look at last week's budget and foresees trouble ahead.
A new book, 'London: Lost Interiors', explores the lost riches of London’s grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages, using wonderful images preserved in the Historic England Archive.
A new book published by The Victorian Society and Liverpool University Press shines a light on three lesser-known Victorian architects.
Holyrood — or, to give it its full title, The Palace of Holyroodhouse — is the official residence in Scotland of His Majesty King Charles III. To coincide with the publication of a new history of the palace, John Goodall offers an overview of the creation, abandonment and rebirth of this working royal residence over the past 900 years. Photographs by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
A new book examines the streetscapes of our historic towns and marvels at what we can easily take for granted. Its author, Ptolemy Dean, encourages us to recognise their importance and considers what we can learn from them. Illustrations by Ptolemy Dean.
One of the great masterpieces of 19th century, the original Euston Station, was built in the years after Queen Victoria came to the throne. Less than 125 years later it was razed to the ground; Martin Fone takes a look at the reasons why.
