In 1917, the newly restored Chequers was gifted to the nation as the country seat of Britain’s Prime Ministers. John Goodall turns to a personal diary to explain how this came about; photographs by Paul Highnam.
It was within sight of Stirling Castle that two of the most famous Scottish victories over the English were won. John Goodall takes a look at this impressive building and its history; all photographs by Paul Barker for the Country Life Picture Library.
Chequers Court, Buckinghamshire, is the country seat of Britain’s Prime Ministers. By courtesy of the Chequers Trust, John Goodall paid a visit to find out more, and uses a diary to explain the circumstances of its magnificent Edwardian transformation. Photographs by Paul Highnam.
In all of its 2,000-year history, it seems unlikely that the City of London has ever stood so silent as it does presently. Can we learn from the quiet, asks Architectural Editor John Goodall, who also took the photographs on this page.
John Goodall looks at the remarkable history of the 900-year-old Llandaff Cathedral, from its early beginnings to the trailblazing post-Second World War restoration. Photographs taken by Paul Highnam for the Country Life Picture Library.
John Goodall visits Shawford Park, Hampshire, the home of Peter and Elisabetta Mallinson, and finds an idyllic 17th-century house set between two branches of the River Itchen. All photographs by Paul Highnam for the Country Life Picture Library.
Encircled by water in the shadow of its cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace at Wells is a captivating survival. John Goodall looks at the history of this outstanding building 800 years after its construction. Photographs by Paul Highnam.
John Goodall reports on the latest at Brighton Pavilion, detailing how an extraordinary loan from The Queen has made it possible to enjoy the inside of the building more completely than at any time in living memory.
One of the grandest Regency clubs in London has undergone a revival in recent years. John Goodall looks at the remarkable story of its development on the former site of Carlton House.
This year, a remarkable educational foundation in a spectacular parkland setting celebrates its 70th anniversary. John Goodall considers the history of the building it occupies in the Great Park at Windsor.
Undertaken by the National Trust with the aid of the donor family, the restoration of Mount Stewart has restored it to its rightful place as a gem in Northern Ireland's countryside.
There is perhaps no building in Britain that connects the modern visitor more immediately with the foundational figures of English history. John Goodall explains more; photographs by Paul Highnam.
The spectacular stained glass at Sherborne Abbey is only part of what makes this building one of the grandest in England, as John Goodall explains.
Following a boldly conceived restoration, the interest and quality of Sir John Soane’s Pitzhanger Manor in Ealing villa shines out again. John Goodall reports, with photographs by Will Pryce.
There are many nominations for the oldest home in Britain — in this piece from the Country Life archive, John Goodall gives as close to a definitive answer as we may ever get.
John Goodall looks at New College, Oxford, the most widely copied university college in England, a building inspired by a great 14th-century palace.
To coincide with the publication of his new book illustrated from the archives of Country Life, 'English House Style', John Goodall considers the long tradition of the magazine’s peerless interior photography.
The redevelopment of a house within a former windmill complex has inspired a remarkable contemporary home with striking interiors. John Goodall reports, photographs by Will Pryce.
As the new Downton Abbey film hits cinemas, John Goodall takes a look at the real history of what has become one of the world’s most famous stately homes, the seat of the Earl of Carnarvon. Photography by Paul Highnam for the Country Life Picture Library.
Ardgowan House in Renfrewshire, the seat of Sir Ludovic Shaw Stewart, is a remarkable building that's coming back to life, as John Goodall reports.
