Country Life 19 April 2023
Country Life 19 April 2023 looks at painting horses, Georgian fashion and Nature's greatest impersonators.


Alive and wool
Jane Wheatley spins a yarn in anticipation of Wonderwool, a creative showcase for sheep
‘Painting horses is, to me, the breath of life’
Octavia Pollock celebrates the genius of Lucy Kemp-Welch, an artist who portrayed animals with an admirable empathy
That sounds just like you
From talking budgies to dawn-chorus impersonators, Stephen Moss meets the birdsong mimics
Dressed to impress
Amid the towering headdresses and voluminous skirts, Matthew Dennison discovers that fashion was fun in the Georgian era
Raynor Winn’s favourite painting
The author and walker chooses a striking Snowdonia landscape
Totally foxed
Wildlife will suffer as a result of unworkable new Scottish hunting legislation, argues Jamie Blackett
Is the ‘tourist tax’ realistic?
Charging visitors to our national parks could so easily backfire, suggests Douglas Chalmers
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A future in the Arts
John Goodall investigates the colourful history of remarkable West Horsley Place in Surrey
Native breeds
Kate Green admires the noble Bluefaced Leicester, one of the UK’s most elegant sheep breeds
Return of the Mac
The magnificent Mackintosh is 200 years old and still keeping us dry, as Julie Harding discovers
The good stuff
Hetty Lintell earns her stripes with an attention-grabbing array of multicoloured marvels
Interiors
Giles Kime is dazzled by David Hicks in full colour and Amelia Thorpe brushes up on paints
Fronds in high places
Tiffany Daneff visits The Palm Centre in Surrey, home to some of the world’s most exotic plants
Kitchen garden cook
Melanie Johnson celebrates the sheer joy of the springtime forager’s friend: wild garlic
Simply the best
Michael Billington immerses himself in Sir Nicholas Hytner’s spectacular Guys and Dolls
And much more
Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.
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A well-connected rural playground with 23 acres on the edge of the South Downs National Park
Old House Farm is an impressive family home with a wealth of amenities that would inspire any rural passion.
By Arabella Youens Published
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The UK gets its first ‘European stork village’ — and it's in West Sussex
Although the mortality rate among white storks can be up to 90%, the future looks rosy for breeding pairs in southern England.
By Rosie Paterson Published