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From the Country Life archive: The 19th century answer to Swingball
Every Monday, Melanie Bryan, delves into the hidden depths of Country Life's extraordinary archive to bring you a long-forgotten story, photograph or advert.
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Canine muses: David Hockney's chocolate dachshunds who wanted for only two things — food and love
In the second edition of our limited series, we meet some more of the dogs who've inspired our greatest artists.
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‘There are moments of formal dressing where one is humbled by the rules of it all’: A New Yorker tackles Royal Ascot for the first time
A day at the races filled with Royal processions, fantastical picnics and top hats might not sound particularly odd to us, but to visitors from America it’s a spectacle that has to be seen to be believed. One New Yorker recounts what he saw — and what he thought about it all.
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The golden eagle: One of the Great British public's favourite birds of prey — but devilishly tricky to identify
We are often so keen to encounter this animal that ambition overrides the accuracy of our observations, writes Mark Cocker.
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From turtles to pink sea fans: Why Mediterranean marine life is drifting into British waters
Both leatherback sea turtles and the soft corrals’ presence near our shores coincides with our warming seas, Lotte Brundle writes.
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Critics be damned, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral gets Grade I status on advice from Historic England
Looking a bit like a large piece of moon-landing equipment on which you’d best not sit, with indoor lighting that wouldn’t look out of place in a nightclub, the building has ever divided opinions.
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These rarely-seen images of Glastonbury in the 1980s capture the world’s most famous music festival in its rawest and most magical form
Long before the luxury yurts, pop-up spas, and Champagne bars, Glastonbury looked like something else altogether.
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It's a cruel summer to be a bee with up to 80% of swarms dying if they cannot find a safe place to settle — but here is how you can help
Currently, swarms of bees are taking flight to search for new homes and up to 80% of these swarms will perish if they cannot find a safe place to settle, but we can all help, says the BBKA.
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Canine muses: The English bull terrier who helped transform her owner from 'a photographer into an artist'
In the first edition of our new, limited series, we meet the dogs who've inspired some of our greatest artists.
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For every new stone mason, seven retire: St Paul's plan to save heritage crafts — and itself in the process
As St Paul’s Cathedral launches the Wren Centre of Excellence to train young people to repair Britain’s historic buildings, Lotte Brundle talks to restoration workers about why their industry is on a cliffs edge.
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Horses eating ice cream and buying a last-minute Ascot winner: An evening at Goffs London Sale
With some smart bidding, you could end up in the winner's circle in less than a week.
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These are the 10 best places to live in the world — and nowhere in the UK or US made the cut
London, Edinburgh, New York? Move over. Copenhagen is the place to be.
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My piece of heaven: The Vale of Belvoir by Lady Violet Manners
Lady Violet Manners, who grew up in Belvoir Castle, shares her love of the area around her ancestral home.
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Hen harriers: The 'marvels of evolutionary adaptation' that are 'ballet and theatre and poetry inscribed on air'
The hen harrier is one of the most glorious birds of prey in Britain — yet it provokes fierce debate. Mark Cocker unpicks why this breed is among the most controversial of all British birds.
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300 laps, thousands of tires, 24 hours of non-stop racing: Up close and personal at Le Mans 2025
At this year's iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, British car manufacturer Aston Martin returned to the race's top category — and they invited writer Charlie Thomas along for the ride.
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Death, taxes and Country Life on dogs
A new book celebrates the many dogs that have appeared on the pages of this magazine, and chronicles our love affair with our four-legged friends.
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Clare Balding and Andrew Balding's day-by-day guide to Royal Ascot 2025
Country Life caught up with Clare Balding and Andrew Balding to get their expert view as Royal Ascot 2025 gets under way.
