Country Life 30 November 2022

Masterpiece

Jack Watkins investigates the record-breaking phenomenon of The Mousetrap as its West End run stretches to 70 years

Fair-feather friends

Stephen Moss charts the long and gruelling journeys made by birds migrating to Britain from the Arctic, Scandinavia and Siberia

Lost London

Intriguing historic photographs from a book by Philip Davies reveal how the city looked before its 20th-century transformation

Interiors

Party barns are enhancing rural properties — and earning their keep, finds Arabella Youens

Trumpet majors

John Hoyland says it’s time for hippeastrums to come in from the cold, as he visits West Dean

Bearing gifts we traverse afar

Henrietta Bredin goes in search of that most elusive of festive productions — a Christmas opera

Jemma Powell’s favourite painting

The artist and actress selects a work that celebrates family life

Show me the way to go home

John Lewis-Stempel stumbles upon a magical fungi fairy ring

The English home

In the 11th part of this 12-part series, John Goodall examines the early-20th-century house

Taking the right turn

Master craftswoman Joey Richardson explains the art of woodturning to Serena Shores

Luxury

Hetty Lintell has the latest luxury news and the best bow jewellery all tied up, plus tailor Edward Sexton shares his favourite things

Kitchen garden cook

Melanie Johnson’s delicious sweet and savoury walnut dishes

In the cage with the cornered tiger

How will England’s cricketers fare on their first Pakistan tour in 17 years, asks James Fisher