Lord of the Manor: stay at Downton Abbey for just £150
It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for Downton Abbey fans — spend a night at Highclere Castle. On November 26, you can stay in one of the main bedrooms, have cocktails in the saloon, dine with the Earl and Countess of Carnavon in the state dining room and, the following morning, enjoy breakfast and a private tour of the grounds, all for a reasonable £150.
However, there's a catch: you need to persuade the Earl and Countess that you are really passionate about Downton Abbey through a creative message — they will pick the guests that most impress them. Applications to book will open on October 1 through Airbnb, and are only available to the app's registered users that have good ratings from previous stays.
Don’t leave them this way
The Victorian Society is shining the spotlight on ten important 19th-century buildings that are at risk of being lost.
The list includes some real treasures, such as Grade I-listed Shadwell Court (above), a Grade II*-listed colliery and a Grade II*-listed former church.
Hope for the climate crisis
Scientists believe that if a range of new technologies and social behaviours become more widespread across the world — from solar energy and electric cars to better land management and flexitarian diets — greenhouse gas emissions could be cut in half by 2030.
However, pressure movements across the world have a critical role to play in driving this change.
Calling all water-pistol owners
Own a water-pistol? September is the time to put it to good use: the National Trust for Scotland is looking for super soakers to test whether the new protective covering shielding Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House (below) is truly waterproof.
The Scottish architect’s masterpiece was ‘dissolving like a sugar cube’ under the impact of the elements and the new cover, made of 32.4 million chainmail rings, shields the building while walkways allow visitors to see it from a new perspective.
On this day … the first Cannes Film Festival was launched
The inaugural edition of the Cannes Film Festival opened its doors on September 20, 1946, seven years after it had originally been meant to launch (the war having put firm stop to the proceedings). Twenty-one countries presented their films, with The Battle of the Rails, which told the story of a group of French railway workers who sabotaged military trains during the German occupation of France, nabbing the International Jury Prize.
However, the most memorable screening was undoubtedly Hitchcock’s Notorious, albeit for all the wrong reasons — the reels were shown in reverse order. The Cannes Film Festival moved to the spring in 1951.
Digital divide is hampering rural areas, say MPs
The inadequate provision of broadband and mobile connectivity in the countryside risks turning rural communities into ‘second-class’ citizens, according to a new report by the House of Commons' Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
MPs are calling for urgent solutions to bridge the technology gap between town and country.
Skippers save seal pup
A seal pup that may have accidentally inhaled water was saved by the skippers of a tourist boat off the coast of Northumberland.
The men spotted the troubled two-day old pup off South Scarcar Island and pulled it up on the boat, saving its life.
And finally... why are conservationists burying underwear?
The Surrey Wildlife Trust placed 20 pairs of cotton underpants at different locations on Bonhurst Farm, in Bramley, near Guildford, and checked them after two months to assess the health of the local soil.
The healthier the soil, the less of the lingerie is left because worms, bacteria, fungi and beetles all eat the cotton it is made from.
Country Life Today: Banksy's Parliamentary masterpiece comes up for auction at what seems the perfect moment
In today's news round-up, we look at Banksy's derisive view of Parliament, discover which melodies people find most relaxing and
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Game, set, match: 12 of the world’s most beautiful tennis courtsFrom Italy to Indonesia, when it comes to hotel amenities, a picturesque tennis court will always trump a 24-hour gym. So, before you book your next holiday, take a look at our pick of the 12 best.
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Five frankly enormous mansions, including one with its own private swimming lake, as seen in Country LifeSometimes bigger really is better.
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The brilliant tractor tribute to the NHS from a group of Warwickshire farmersPeople around Britain have been paying tribute to the efforts of our NHS workers at the time of the coronavirus pandemic — but few have been as creative and clever as this one.
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London's iconic red bus at risk and 6,000 year old chewing gum gives clues into our DNA historyCuts to industry subsidies and an increase in fares has left bus use at its lowest point ever, while DNA extracted from ancient 'chewing gum' allows scientists to decipher the genetic code of a Stone Age woman.
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90-million-year-old 'swimming dinosaur' skeleton found by dogs out walking in Somerset, and the nonchalant moths who don't bother fleeing enemiesA superbly intact dinosaur skeleton — described as being 'museum quality' — has been discovered on a beach in Somerset.
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Battle to ban 4x4s from the idyllic Lake District spot bequeathed by Beatrix Potter, eagle fights octopus and the 'snail's pace' climate talksThis morning we look at Little Langdale's fight for peace, reflect on the climate change talks in Madrid and discover the soundtrack for Brexit.
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Country Life Today: How Greta Thunberg shifted the dial on climate change — and the backlash shows just how muchThis morning we ponder whether Greta Thunberg is the Joan of Arc for the environmental movement, look at a key election — one from 19 years ago — and ponder the marvel of 'dad tidying'.
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Country Life Today: Great news for those who love our great country pubs — the years of decline are overThere is a great sign of health in the pub industry, we look back at Edward VIII's abdication message and fret about Greenland's melting ice.
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Country Life Today: Spain accused of being 'a deplorable choice' for UN climate conferenceA no-holds-barred assault on the Spanish fishing industry, Banksy raising awareness of the homeless and the woes of the Christmas jumper are in today's news round-up.
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Country Life Today: 'This is perhaps the ultimate wake-up call from the uncontrolled experiment humanity is unleashing on the world’s oceans'In today's round up, we examine why oxygen loss is putting oceans at risk, discover that action to cut air pollution brings almost immediate benefits to human health and find out which bird's arrival marks the start of winter in Gloucestershire.
