The Finer Things
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The Aston Martin DBX707: A Bond car for all seasons, five days and Three Peaks
Scaling the Three Peaks of Britain is not for the faint of heart and neither is driving the powerful Aston Martin DBX707. Adam Hay-Nicholls tried his hand at both.
By Adam Hay-Nicholls Published
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The Pre-Raphaelite painter who swapped 'willowy, nubile women' for stained glass — and created some of the best examples in Britain
The painter Edward Burne-Jones turned from paint to glass for much of his career. James Hughes, director of the Victorian Society, chooses a glass masterpiece by Burne-Jones as his favourite 'painting'.
By Charlotte Mullins Published
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Curious Question: Did the limerick originate in Limerick?
Before workers wasted time scrolling Twitter or Instagram, they wasted their time writing limericks.
By Martin Fone Published
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The not-so-definitive Country Life guide to buying a car
Need to transport a falcon to Scotland? Drive the kids to school? Cruise silently on a beach? Escape from James Bond? These are all important questions. We have some of the answers.
By James Fisher Published
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The Legacy: Charles Rolls and 'the best cars in the world'
Tragically killed at 32, Charles Rolls accomplished plenty in his short life, including founding Rolls-Royce.
By Amie-Elizabeth White Published
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George Stubbs (1724–1806): Hero of the turf
George Stubbs, born 300 years ago, found Nature superior to art and approached his pictures with the eye of an anatomy scholar, yet no contemporary could rival him in capturing the elegance and character of racehorses, dogs and even zebras, as Jack Watkins discovers.
By Toby Keel Published
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The Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece that never was, thanks to an assassination, a war, an abduction and an invasion
The great master Leonardo da Vinci was on course to create an equine statue that could have rivalled his greatest pieces — until fate intervened. Carla Passino tells the tale of the da Vinci sculpture that never was.
By Carla Passino Published
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'I loved it like a best friend, and shed a tear when it was finally consigned to the great junkyard in the sky': Country Life's team on our first cars
The L-plates are off and it’s time to hit the road. Everyone remembers their first car, so James Fisher asked Country Life staff and friends to tell us about theirs.
By James Fisher Published
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The Rolls-Royce Cullinan II: As smooth as a 'bubble bath with Roger Moore'
The original was greeted with raised eyebrows, but, as Adam Hay-Nicholls explains, the latest offering is as much a Rolls Royce as any other.
By Adam Hay-Nicholls Published
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'But for a few twists of fate, she might well have been Queen of England': Who was the mystery woman in the Hilliard miniature?
A chance encounter with a cabinet miniature sent two art historians down a rabbit hole of Elizabethan intrigue, spycraft and courtship.
By Carla Passino Published
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Rolls-Royce launch the Phantom Scintilla private collection, one of its 'most personal vehicles to date'
Hot off the press: Rolls-Royce unveils a brand new, ten car private collection — inspired by the manufacturer’s iconic Spirit of Ecstasy figurine — at Monterey Car Show 2024.
By Rosie Paterson Published
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The tragic tale of Rex Whistler, the brilliant young artist whose time at the Front Line lasted less than 24 hours
Rex Whistler, determined that the Second World War shouldn’t be left to young boys, worked hard to become an officer and lead troops into battle, but the naivety of early courage cost him his life on his very first day of battle, as Allan Mallinson reveals.
By Alan Mallinson Published
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Gather, grow and regenerate at The Newt in Somerset, with star-studded festival lineup announced
The Newt has launched its first 'Gather & Grow' festival, which will dig into discussions on gardening, farming and wellness.
By James Fisher Published
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‘We nearly drowned a couple of times. I loved it': Meet the royal boat builder who's spent 45 years chasing perfection
Spending his days working with traditional techniques and timber as Old Father Thames flows by only feet away, boatbuilder Mark Edwards’s career is steeped in history, Hollywood and royalty, discovers Ben Lerwill.
By Ben Lerwill Published
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The £20,000 watch made from the wing of a Spitfire shot down in the Second World War
The ultimate enthusiast's timepiece?
By Annunciata Elwes Published
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'I can’t look away. I’m captivated': The painter who takes years over each portrait, with the only guarantee being that it won't look like the subject
For Country Life's My Favourite Painting slot, the writer Emily Howes chooses a work by a daring and challenging artist: Frank Auerbach.
By Toby Keel Published
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The years when Art was part of the Olympics — and the double-gold winning painter who became its greatest champion
For decades in the early 20th century, the Olympic Games included events in art, literature and music. Only one person won more than a single gold medal in those years: Jean Jacoby, a painter from Luxembourg who remains his country's most decorated Olympian.
By Carla Passino Published