For almost 120 years, Country Life magazine has been the property bible for anyone looking to buy a grand country house. Jane Treays, (Inside Claridge's), spent a year visiting cottages, manor houses and castles through the eyes of the magazine - and seeing how people live in them - from a crumbling historic mansion in Oxfordshire and a glorious Scottish estate basking in it's £13 million refurbishment to the inherited turrets of Picton Castle in Wales, and the noisy environment of the huntsman's 18th century kennels and cottage.
Our obsession with the rural dream - if money were no object, what sort of house would we have ... However, only 18% of us live in the country and many of us are divorced from a rural way of life... What is the reality of the rural dream?
** Milton Manor, Oxon - Anthony Mockler Barratt and Gwenda, ancestral inheritors, John Goodall
** Nicky Haslam - renting the hunting lodge - Arabella Youens
** Kinross - Donald Fothergill, millionaire owner- Clive Aslet
** Nicky Philipps - Picton Castle, descendant and artist
** Chiddingfold, Leckonfield and Cowdray hunt - Sage Thompson, huntsman, Rupert Uloth
** Annie Tempest, cartoonist, Norfolk
** Wardington Manor, Molly Walters, amazing plasterwork, Mary Miers
** Sir Roy Strong
** Read more about Land of Hope and Glory: British Country Life
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The century-old enamelling technique used to create Van Cleef's lucky ladybird brooch — which has something in common with Country LifeThe technique used in the jeweller's Geneva workshop has been put to good use in its latest creation.
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‘The best sleep in the sky’: What it’s like to fly in United’s Polaris cabin, approved by American icon Martha StewartUnited’s Business Class cabin goes by the name Polaris and Martha Stewart is a fan. So, how does it fare?
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The First World War, as seen through the unique Country Life Picture ArchiveCountry Life looks back at the First World War through the lens of the Country Life Archive. View images, read a selection of wartime articles, and also download war artist Muirhead Bone’s first catalogue of drawings, originally published in 1917.
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Country Life says: Save our SealyhamsThe delightful Sealyham terrier is on the verge of extinction. We must reverse the fortunes of this doughty little dog.
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Meet Rabbit, Britain’s naughtiest dogLovable, scruffy and nearly always in trouble, this Heinz 57 terrier has won Country Life's quest to find the UK's most disobedient dog.
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Top 15 naughtiest dogs in BritainWe reveal the winner and runners up of our competition: Britain’s Naughtiest Dog in association with Lily’s Kitchen.
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8 famous Jack Russell terriers (and their owners)Top terriers.
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Silver sea trout fishing in North UistCountry Life's Editor Mark Hedges goes fishing for silver sea trout with David Profumo.
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7 heritage sites in need of rescueHistoric England publishes an annual Register of Heritage at Risk. Here are seven sites added to the list this year.
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Hunting Act: 11 years onHunting is alive and well.
