Innholdsfortegnelse for 27-Jun-18 i Country Life

Julie, only daughter of Mr and Mrs Donald Hutchings of Orange County, California, USA, is engaged to be married to Robert Sancroft-Baker, elder son of Mr and Mrs Raymond Sancroft-Baker of Upper Lea, Oxfordshire. The founder of production company Spira Films, Julie will marry Robert at St Mary’s Church, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, this weekend. Robert’s mother, Caroline Adams, appeared on the Frontispiece in 1982.…

THE only surviving group portrait of the three novelist sisters Anne, Charlotte and Emily Brontë, who look typically gloomy, has returned to the family home in Howarth, West Yorkshire, to mark the 200th anniversary of Emily’s birth. Thought to have been lost for 80 years, the portrait was discovered folded up on top of a cupboard by the second wife of Charlotte’s husband, the Rev A. B. Nicholls, in 1914. In spooky Brontë fashion, the artist and brother to the three women, Patrick Branwell Brontë, emerges, ghost-like, from the centre of the painting, obscured behind a painted pillar. The portrait will remain on display at the Brontë Parsonage Museum (www.bronte.org.uk) until the end of August, when it will return to the National Portrait Gallery. Incidentally, 2018 is also the 40th-anniversary…

DISTANT Bamburgh and Lindisfarne were bathed in sunshine as I hurtled back from a short trip to Northumberland. One highlight of the visit was the opening of an impressive new exhibition at Alnwick Castle. It fills the upper floors of the 14th-century Constable’s Tower, which stands on the line of the outer wall and enjoys magnificent views across the park. Included within it is a display about the Percy Tenantry, a regiment of 1,500 volunteers raised in 1798, some rare ethnographic curios and even an early-19th-century velocipede, on which one Duke of Northumberland raced around the estate until a tumble destroyed his enthusiasm. It’s been a relatively peaceful week at home, with one of the children away on a school trip to Swanage. We’re fascinated to know how it’s gone,…

IT’S not every day that the pages of COUNTRY LIFE call attention to a building completed in 1982 and the demolition of which has been agreed with little concern or notice (aside from an unsuccessful attempt by the 20th Century Society to get it listed). At first glance why would it matter? It’s because the thought process behind the design of the threatened building deserves to be celebrated. If more developers and architects adopted the approach exemplified—and, indeed, pioneered—here, 21st-century Britain would be a much more beautiful place to live. Mitchinson’s Building is a long and low-roofed structure of flint, brick, render and tile that quietly occupies a site adjacent to Mint Yard, the northernmost extremity of the Canterbury Cathedral Close, now a part of the Kings School campus. The…

Douglas Boyd is artistic director of Garsington Opera, for which he is conducting Capriccio this season (until July 22). He is also music director of the Orchestre de chambre de Paris ‘I love this painting for the passion and empowerment one can sense in her profile and the complete control she exudes. And that astounding red dress: this is no Handmaid’s Tale gown of oppression, but a statement of the fire and brilliance that were characteristic of her playing. Three little anecdotes: my wife, Sally Pendlebury, cellist with the Fitzwilliam String Quartet, was inspired as a child by Jacqueline du Pré, who in turn was influenced by Suggia. Augustus John had a daughter, Amaryllis Fleming, whom I knew, who became one of the great cellists and teachers of her…

Domaine Dupont’s 17-year-old is a velvety mix of vanilla and apple, with a nice softening of oak. Berry Bros & Rudd (0800 280 2440; www.bbr.com ) Groult Réserve Ancestrale is an exceptional blend of the domaine’s oldest eaux-de-vie , with limited annual production. Vinotopia (01666 502262; www.vinotopiawine.co.uk) Réserve de Fiefs from Christian Drouin is clean and clear on the palate, with a fruit nose led by apple. The Oxford Wine Company (01865 301144; www.oxfordwine.co.uk ) Calvados Royal from Château de Breuil is extraordinary, deep in leather and dark fruit. Amathus Drinks (020–8951 9840; www.amathus drinks.com) Lecompte 25-Year-Old is a wondrous after-dinner special that’s perfect with a cigar. The Whisky Exchange (020–8838 9388; www.thewhiskyexchange.com )…

Antique Silver Finish hanging lamp, £75, Pentreath & Hall (020–7430 2526; www.pentreath-hall.com)…

‘I passionately believe in clothes that can be worn again and again ’Lalage Beaumont talks to Hetty Lintell TRYING to find the perfect mother-of-the-bride ensemble can bring even the most stylish of women to their knees in despair. However, there’s no need to fret, as a fairy godmother is at hand in the shape of designer Lalage Beaumont, whose boutique on Beauchamp Place in Knightsbridge, London SW3, is a haven of beautiful fabrics and colours. ‘It’s all about the fabric and cut, no frills or flounces,’ reassures Miss Beaumont, whose Christian name, Lalage, derives from Ancient greek and is pronounced La-la-ghee. The designer has specialised in the occasion-wear market for the past six years, in response to a growing demand from customers for wedding outfits that didn’t look too…

Many early-flowering perennials look increasingly dismal afterwards, so don’t give them the opportunity. The great bristly leaves of oriental poppies can be chopped to the ground and left reasonably invisible. Geraniums (cranesbills) of all sorts can be neatly sheared off and will produce a new tuft of pleasing green leaves in short order, then continue to look fresh for the rest of the season. Some will produce a second generation of flowers later in the year in obliging fashion. The larger campanulas will also put up with this kind of treatment, which is better than leaving them halfheartedly thinking about seeding.…

AT this busy time of year, it’s easy to overlook worthwhile events and happenings at all levels in the art market, so this is a housekeeping or late spring-cleaning column. Although they have closed down their Art Antiques London fairs, the organisers Anna and Brian Haughton continue to run their popular summer ceramics seminars. This year, the event will take place at Christie’s, King Street, St James’s, SW1, today and tomorrow. A strong line-up of speakers and panellists will consider the importance of ceramic, silver and sculptural items given as international diplomatic gifts through ambassadors to Courts around the world in the 17th and 18th centuries. As last year, the Brian Haughton Gallery in Duke Street (Fig 6) will host a ceramics exhibition (‘A Collectors’ Paradise’, June 29–July 6),…

THERE’S a scene in one of Richmal Crompton’s ‘Just William’ stories in which William, hearing that the evacuees from town are to get a jam tea, disguises himself as one of them. To improve his chances, he affects complete ignorance of country life—‘Wot’s cows, Mum?’—which goes down very well until the kind lady suggests they all go out and sit on the grass, when he overplays his hand. ‘Wot’s grass, Mum?’ attracts her suspicion and leads to his unmasking. ‘Wot’s hens, Mum?’ is not a question I would have expected the local foxes to ask, yet our neighbour up the hill has had fox trouble of a novel sort: young bravos who wander around in broad daylight and take the bantams in the farmyard from right under her nose. The…

“Hope, after recent disasters, may be irrational and yet we never give up” WHAT days for sport! Summer is a festival of delights for people who thrill to the spectacle of Royal Ascot, Wimbledon, Lord’s, Henley, Hickstead and Cowes. Oh, the strawberries and cream, the sun beating down on Panama hats and the jaunty extravagance of Ladies’ Day! So much richness and—on top of it all—the World Cup. Folk who haven’t kicked or hit a ball since childhood sit breathless with emotion as they follow the England team’s fortunes or Andy Murray’s recovery from injury. The names of players who were barely known a few weeks ago are in everybody’s mouths. There may be something of the Dunkirk spirit about it. Hope, after the disasters of recent championships, may be…

INSPIRED by the wild landscape and Celtic folklore of the Inner Hebrides, a new spirit has arrived in time for summer: Colonsay Gin. Husband and wife team Finlay and Eileen Geekie moved to the tiny island of Colonsay, between Islay and Mull, two years ago and, aided by Ferghus and Doughal, their Celtic Brownies (spirits who help with household chores), they founded Wild Thyme Spirits. With flavours of warm coriander, orange peel and ‘ginger-like rootiness’, the first batch of their handmade island gin is now available in a small edition of 162 bottles. From £11.25 (01951 200082; www.wildthymespirits.com).…

Quiz of the week 1) The lines ‘All the world’s a stage,/ And all the men and women merely players’ come from which Shakespeare play? 2) What does a fromologist collect? 3) Which is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world? 4) Meles meles is the scientific name of which mammal? 5) Which commonly used Latin phrase translates as ‘buyer beware’? Time to buy Eco Bug Hotel, from £350, The Garden Design Company Ltd (07973 261852; http://gardendesignco.co.uk) Greeting cards, £2.50 each, Lorraine Drewe Designs (www.lorrainedrewedesigns.com; 01235 813124) Picnic Delivery, from £90, GAIL’s (020–7625 0060; http://gailsbread.co.uk) Five things you (probably) didn’t know about… The Eiffel Tower When it was built in 1889, the Eiffel Tower became the tallest manmade structure in the world. It held this title for…

Our national fizz has come of age, says Harry Eyres It’s undoubtedly an exciting time for English sparkling wine. Established estates and brands such as Nye-timber, Wiston Estate, Coates & Seely and others are going from strength to strength, impressive newcomers are appearing on the scene and Champagne houses are investing in English vineyards. A few weeks ago, I attended the glitzy launch in London of Rathfinny, a hugely ambitious venture based inland from Cuckmere Haven in East Sussex. The lacy blanc de blancs (£37; www.bbr.com) was almost as fine as some of the frocks. Why you should be drinking it Judging at the recent WineGB Awards, I rated several wines in the classic-cuvée and prestigecuvée categories in the 90s—a high score, coming from a stingy marker such as…

In 2013, a large area of late-15th-century wall painting was discovered in the south nave aisle of St Cadoc’s Church, Llancarfan, in the Vale of Glamorgan. It has since been cleaned and conserved. Shown here is the spectacular centerpiece of the group, a gigantic figure of St George on horseback slaying the dragon. To the left is the kneeling princess with a pet lamb that he saves from the dragon and a castle, where her parents survey the scene. Across the background is a powdering of flowers, a decoration intended to make the paintings appear like fabric wall-hangings. In the window reveal is a skeleton leering at a well-dressed young man, a reminder of death. The scheme also incorporates a depiction of the vices, each emitting from the mouth of…

FOUNDED in 1710 as the first European porcelain manufacturer, Meissen is the embodiment of unique handcrafted and exclusive aesthetics. With unique methods practised for more than three centuries, precious pieces of art and table decorations are brought to life by artisans who have trained with Meissen for many years. For the new collection, creative directors Otto Drögsler and Jörg Ehrlich, appointed in June last year, have masterfully shown how innovative and contemporary designs can be applied to well-known and much loved Meissen® pieces, making them relevant to modern interiors. Exhibited for the first time in the UK at Thomas Goode this July, the highlight of the collection is the stunning Krater vase shown below, the form for which was first produced in 1856. Over the years, the techniques required to…

Zzz, zzz, zzz, zzz! Why lightning zig-zags, forks and flickers Electrical charge, like water, follows the path of least resistance. Due to impurities and moisture in the air, which is far from homogenous, this is never a straight line—the shortest distance—but a zigzag. Forking or branching occurs when charged particles in the lightning channel split from each other, chasing a path of potentially lower resistance. Flickers happen when charges from other regions of the cloud pass down the same channel after the first flash Snap, crackle and pop: what different thunders mean Thunderclaps are caused by the air around a lightning flash becoming fleetingly superheated to about 30,000˚C and expanding with explosive violence. The type of thunder we hear depends on the layers of atmosphere at different temperatures that the…

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The Summer Show at Chris Beetles in Ryder Street, SW1, is one of the best that I recall and has a particularly interesting catalogue. The 200 paintings, watercolours and a few prints range from Francis Towne’s 1777 View of Glastonbury Abbey to an Uluru, Ayers Rock by Anthony Eyton (b.1923) and a number of works by Keith Grant (b.1930). In fact, the best bookend to stand with the Towne might be John Piper’s 1982 18in by 24in lithograph of Long Melford Church, because, as has often been noted, Towne (1739–1816) stands as a remarkable forerunner of what the Modern British School was to do in the mid 20th century. It’s nice to be reminded of just how good some now rather overlooked 19th- and 20th-century artists could be. One such…

NATURAL ENGLAND (NE) will soon be recruiting a new chairman, following the announcement that Andrew Sells will retire in January 2019, after five years in the post. The Government quango bore the brunt of some heavy cuts, but Mr Sells (below), who is described by Defra Secretary Michael Gove as having ‘exceptional energy’, says that ‘thanks to the highly capable and committed staff, the organisation has changed for the better. We have tried to work much more with people to achieve shared outcomes’. Mr Sells lists NE’s principal achievements as radically reforming licensing activities, publishing a Conservation Strategy, shaping the 25-year Environment Plan, advising on 90 Marine Conservation Zones and getting nearer to completing the English Coastal Path.…

AMAGNIFICENT group of Royal Orders and medals that belonged to George III’s grandson, George, Duke of Cambridge, goes under the hammer next month. The pieces, which have remained with the Duke’s heirs since his death in 1904, appear on the market for the first time. Among the highlights of the sale is a Garter badge (above) given to the then Prince George by his uncle, William IV, in 1835, and a set of insignia from the Royal House of Chakri, which the duke received from the King of Siam in 1897. The auction, which is held jointly by Sotheby’s and medal and orders specialist Morton & Eden, will take place on July 3. For further information, visit www.sothebys.com…

OH, what a beautiful evening! Grange Park Opera is in its second season in a new home. Director Wasfi Kani, a lady it’s hard to refuse, has conjured up another refreshingly unstuffy treasure against the gracious backdrop of West Horsley Place, the brick house bequeathed to Bamber Gascoigne by his aunt. The car park is a hay meadow, roses bloom in the walled garden, rugs are spread under gnarled apple trees and tinsel trails from bucolic watering cans. It’s relaxed and glamorous, homespun and slick and everyone’s talking about the new loos in which descending flags signal a vacancy. There’s the odd moment of opening night-itis, but this Oklahoma! is exhilarating. The balletic Dex Lee (Curly) and glorious singer Katie Hall (Laurey) command the stage; at 19, Louis Gaunt (Will)…

WE now know what becomes of the meat coupons after they are snipped off by the butcher and restaurateur. The Food Control Committees have orders to collect them and send them to His Majesty’s Stationery Office when they will be re-pulped and made into paper once more. This is all part of a vigorous economy campaign which has devised means of using one envelope many times by affixing gummed slips, and has even made itself felt at Buckingham Palace, where, we read, the lists for the Investiture on Saturday morning “were printed on paper which may be described as ‘very cheap note’”.…

I LIVED in hope that the Jersey special (June 6) might answer a seasonal conundrum. What has happened to those wonderful, soily Jersey potatoes that were a meal in themselves, served dripping with butter and sprinkled with chopped mint? The test of rubbing the skin with a thumb to feel it yield and reveal the yellow flesh beneath was as true a signal as any that spring had really arrived. The Jersey Royal is an imposter. It refuses, with an unexpected 21st-century modesty, to disrobe at all and, although tasty enough, lacks the robust earthiness of its predecessor. Enlightenment, anyone? Helen Billing, by email…

HORSES graze in the verdant distance and a pair of oversized water voles plops into a pond as Jérome Dupont and I approach the old barn. Like thousands of others scattered across Normandy, it comes alive once a year when the small, hard fruit produced by Jérome’s 60 acres of orchards comes to rest during harvest. The apples are crushed and pressed into cider and their sweet, rich juice is distilled to make Calvados—the pure and fruit-driven signature brandy of northern France. Each is unique to its terroir and, here, in the heart of apple country—where wine grows poorly, but apple trees thrive with aplomb—it’s prized as an aperitif, a digestif and a useful cooking and cocktail spirit all rolled into one. ‘It used to be a peasant drink,’ explains…

More ways with blueberries Apple-and-blueberry bircher muesli Put 200g of porridge oats, 250ml of apple juice, 250ml of almond milk (or standard milk if preferred), 3 grated apples, 150g of blueberries, 100g of chopped almonds and a teaspoon of cinnamon into a large, airtight container. Put the lid on and leave overnight. The following morning, gently fold together and spoon into individual bowls with a scattering of extra blueberries, sliced apple and a drizzle of maple syrup. Almond pancakes with blueberries and yoghurt Combine 2 eggs, 100g of ground almonds, 75ml of almond milk, 1tbspn of wholemeal flour, 50g of blueberries and a pinch of salt. Drop small amounts of the mixture into a pan with melted coconut oil, frying gently on both sides. Divide between 2 plates and…

IN the heart of Palma, Mallorca, nestled close to the Basilica de Sant Francesc (dating back to 1281), is Sant Francesc Hotel Singular (right), my new favourite spot, where I spent a night with my mother in the temperate month of May. The dinner at Quadrat was delectable (complete with an impressive dry-ice presentation on one plate) and the interior decor is chic and modern, yet still celebrates the beautiful old cornicing, fireplaces and ceilings. We sank into the deepest of sleeps in the heavenly beds and woke to a proper Spanish breakfast, before rolling out of the hotel to enjoy Palma’s sites—and a few of its elegant shopping boutiques, too. From € 285 per night and the chef’s tasting menu at Quadrat starts from € 130 for two…

I HAVE never been very clever about garden machinery. My wife maintains that I broke our last garden tractor beyond repair—the one our children learnt to drive on—which isn’t true, although the happy upshot is that we now get contractors to cut the grass. It’s a win-win outcome, because we no longer have to plan our life around when the weather will be suitable for mowing. Anyway, once upon a time, I bought a hedge-trimmer. We have about 200 yards of hornbeam hedge, which we cut at about 9ft, and I have to admit that it’s one of the most handsome features of the garden. We did have contractors to do this cutting for us, too, but we paid them by the hour and they saw no reason to…