Innholdsfortegnelse for 07-Oct-2020 i Country Life

MAISON FRANÇOIS, 34 DUKE STREET, SW1 Is this London’s most exciting new restaurant? Despite everything that 2020 has thrown at us, there are still plenty of good news stories coming out of the capital. Maison François-a Parisian-style brasserie-is one of them: less than a week after opening last month, the room was packed to the (20ft-high) rafters (020–3988 5777; www.maisonfrancois.london).The dining room is pared-back Art Deco style with pinky-hued patina-coloured walls; the food is simple, French cooking at its best. Plump Loch Fyne oysters, sizeable slabs of sirloin steak, John Dory fillets on a thick and glossy onion soup. The purple grape margaritas look menacing, but are, in fact, magnificent. Save some room for the puddings that are paraded around the room on an old-fashioned wooden trolley. All are made…

Chelsea Barracks, £24 million Situated on the fifth floor of 8, Whistler Square—one of the development’s eight garden squares—this 4,380sq ft apartment is only minutes away from the Thames. The elegant interiors include four bedrooms—the master suite comes with dressing room—light-flooded living areas that are perfect for entertaining (the fluted fireplace is a showstopper), plus bespoke kitchen, cinema room and study. There’s also a 24-hour concierge service, spa, gym, billiards room and two boardrooms. Savills (020–7590 5054; www.savills.com) Ebury Square, £2,900 per week Set on the first floor of a modern development, this 1,674sq ft apartment comes with a vast living and dining area, which looks out onto the building’s internal gardens, plus a contemporary kitchen with Gaggenau appliances, an opulent master bedroom with marble en-suite and a second bedroom.…

THE events leading up to the beheading of Charles I in 1649 are among the most discussed in British history, as befits a monarch whose association with central London can still be glimpsed in its streets, buildings and monuments. His influence even extends to its historic artefacts, although, sadly, the silk vest the King wore at his execution—which the Museum of London was primed to grant a rare public display of this autumn—will not soon be seen, as the exhibition in which it was to feature has been cancelled owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s not known through which window of Banqueting House the shivering, but dignified King stepped onto a makeshift scaffold, erected in front of the north annexe on a bitingly cold January day in Whitehall. A bust…

NOT everything is going well for the Prime Minister, but his commitment last week to protect 30% of the UK’s countryside ought to prove popular. Admittedly, the figure represents a modest advance on the 26% of England that is already protected by one designation or another. However, it not only supports the UN’s efforts to reduce the rate of species loss and implement green antidotes to climate change, but will give some cheer to the many people deprived of green space (Town & Country, September 30). Covid-19 has taken a severe toll on mental wellbeing, with many elderly and already isolated individuals living in conditions that resemble solitary confinement. Knowing that the Government recognises this may be some small comfort. Where should this land be found? A sensible policy would…

Quiz of the week 1) Which North Yorkshire coastal town features in an English folk ballad popularised by Simon & Garfunkel? 2) How many hedgehog species do we have in the UK? 3) Which disease is commonly known as ‘lockjaw'? 4) Which two key ingredients do Marie Rose sauce and Thousand Island and Russian dressings have in common? 5) The line ‘How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world' was written by which child diarist? Riddle me this I was born on December 25, but my birthday always comes in summer. How can this be? Oh, the agony! Resident agony uncle Kit Hesketh-Harvey solves your dilemmas The circle of life Q My wife insisted we get chickens during…

Letter of the week Silence, please HEAR, hear, Country Mouse (September 23)! I should immediately declare that I am a biker of a certain vintage, however, when I hear people using the A272 as a race track, my heart sinks and my head boils. We are, quite rightly, being encouraged to become ‘greener’ and more environmentally sensitive and yet bikers replace ‘silencers’ (I am deliberately using the old word used for exhausts), not to silence the engine, but to make their bikes more noisy and obnoxious. Ironically, many bikers wear earplugs inside their helmets. On a more positive note, I did hear that our local MP was trying to introduce ‘noise cameras’, although I can’t see this working. Surely the sensible approach is to introduce a law that prohibits silencers…

IN Andy Weir’s 2011 novel The Martian , an astronaut is accidentally abandoned on Mars. Determined to survive, the man attempts to cultivate potatoes in the red planet’s unforgiving landscape. A storm destroys the entire crop and there is no other food supply. It’s a stark reminder of the predicament our ancestors faced; a poor harvest was the difference between life and death. Myriad rituals developed around growing food stuffs, including offerings of the first fruits to the gods. Rites became increasingly theatrical. In the Hebrides, in one of many variations of the traditions around the goddess Brigid (or Brighde), households dressed a sheaf of oats in women’s apparel and put it by the hearth before going to bed. A club or wand was left with it for Brigid, who…

Our spider population, monitored by the British Arachnological Society, includes • Forty jumping spiders, which spin no webs, but can leap as far as 4in to seize their prey. They include the downy, sun, oak, mile end, fleecy and ant-mimic jumpers • Six spiders with visual resemblance to the black widow, known as false widow, but not sharing its deadly bite. The noble false widow first arrived in Dorset a century ago, with fruit from the Canaries • The cardinal, reddish-brown and up to 7in across, so-called because it’s said to have terrified Cardinal Wolsey in 16th-century Hampton Court • Varieties known as weavers, such as the common hammock, European sheet, misty ground, green orb or cucumber and the missing sector orb weaver, which leaves a section of its web…

• MP Sir John Bowring cogently stated the advantage of a decimal currency in 1847: ‘Every man who looked at his 10 fingers saw an argument for its use, and an evidence for its practicality’ • Contrary to overwhelming popular belief, decimalisation did not cause inflation. Shopkeepers might have rounded prices up more often than they rounded them down, but soaring commodity prices and high wage settlements were far more significant contributors • Britain may have led the Empire, but the old Empire led Britain towards decimalisation. The experiences of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand proved that it could be successfully implemented. A historian would call this ‘reverse imperial impact’ • The Royal Mint's Tower Hill facilities were antiquated and cramped. A new, purpose-built factory in Llantrisant, Wales, made…

Blue hue Burnham Overy, from the Countryside Collection by Norfolk-based paint company Fenwick & Tilbrook, is a shade inspired by the colour of the sunlit water at Burnham Overy Staithe. It costs £47 for 2.5L of water-based Pure Matt (01362 684125; www.fenwickandtilbrook.com) Tough choice The eco-friendly Modern Emulsion from Farrow & Ball is water-based and classified as Low VOC. Designed to be super-tough, washable and wipeable, it's a good choice for kitchens. Shown here in Purbeck Stone, it costs £49.95 for 2.5L (01202 876141; www.farrow-ball.com) Gentle warmth Solstice is a soft, faded sunlit-pink with a hint of brown from the Wonder Collection of 100% water-based paints by Atelier Ellis, designed to create a gentle backdrop. It costs £51 for 2.5L Matt Emulsion (020–3931 6296; www. atelierellis.co.uk) New neutral Sandy Castle…

Pick early apples Most apples should remain on the tree well into October to ripen properly and develop their flavour. There are exceptions, however, and these include the early season forms such as Worcester Pearmain, Windsor and Beauty of Bath. These develop their proper texture and flavour in late summer, and should be picked now. Some of these disappeared from the market years ago because they taste like blotting-paper after a week in store, but are lovely, sweet and fresh when new.…

THE decade was barely underway when the seven pairs who had qualified from the second long weekend of European Open Trials joined the three exempted pairs (including your columnist—in partnership with David Gold) to tussle it out over no fewer than 216 deals. The top two pairs would automatically represent England in the forthcoming European Champions in Funchal, Madeira, plus one other pair chosen by the selectors. Here is a very swingy deal from Round 14. It sounded the death knell of one of the pre-event favourites, the London duo of David Bakhshi and Artur Malinowski. West looked no further than his singleton Diamond to lead. It looked good for the defence for a while (as your columnist watched on nervously as dummy). East won the Ace of Diamonds and…

Shop of the month Persephone Books 59, LAMB’S CONDUIT STREET, WC1 THEY say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover and the same, it appears, applies to bookshops. Because Persephone Books is also a publisher, specialising on all fronts in forgotten female writers (mostly from the inter-war period). The business was founded by Nicola Beauman, a published author herself, in 1999. Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day, by Winifred Watson, is its bestselling title. It was first published in 1938, and again in 2008 by Persephone Classics (the publishing arm of the business) to much media acclaim. Others were discovered in second-hand bookshops and libraries and one (Fidelity, by Susan Glaspell) from a publisher’s advertisement in the back of a copy of Elizabeth Jenkins’s Virginia Water. All of Persephone…

In these strange times, encountering an old pal isn't the uncomplicated joy it used to be. Hugs, cheek kisses, grabbing a coffee -all the things we did pre-pandemic are now fraught with a potential for awkwardness (and worse). Will they strictly observe the two-metre rule or invade your personal space faster than you say ‘viral load'? Let's go back to 2012. Zédel, Chris Corbin and Jeremy King's Art Deco brasserie feels like one of my oldest London friends. It opened eight years ago. I had a taste for swank, but not the budget to match, so discovering a ballroom under Piccadilly that did a two-course French dinner for less than £10 was jaw-droppingly wonderful. Zédel was the backdrop to a decade's worth of memories: birthday dinners, dates in the Bar…

Inigo Jones, in addition to his work for the Stuarts, made alterations at Syon House for the 10th Earl of Northumberland, where Charles was allowed to visit his children during his imprisonment at Hampton Court. The property contains portraits of Charles and his family. Close by, the Battle of Brentford of 1642 (during which Syon House was damaged by Parliamentary cannon fire from the Thames) was one of the earliest confrontations of the Civil War. It raged along the High Street and up to modern-day Kew Bridge, before an indecisive conclusion at Turnham Green resulted in the Royalist forces retreating to Oxford the following day. A granite monument on Brentford High Street commemorates the event. Also close by, Boston Manor is a rare surviving red-brick house from the period, with…

YOU recommended grease-banding oak trees to get rid of pests. The difficulty arises that the bark being irregular in surface, space is left behind the band for the grub to escape. If one puts the stuff on the bark itself... a large quantity would be required.—Ernest J. Enthoven. Grease-banding is only of use on young oaks with smooth bark, against one or two common wingless moths the caterpillars of which are only partly responsible for the defoliation of oaks. The chief culprit is ‘Tortrix oisidana’, the eggs of which are laid in the July preceding the attack [so] grease-banding would be useless.…

• Hatton’s game-fishing shop in Hereford was the temple of Wye fishers—its many illustrious customers included Edward VIII and George VI—before closing in 2001 • Painter Brian Hatton, scion of the shop, was the river's most ardent painter. He died in the First World War, fighting to preserve the scenes he loved • Pumlumon Fawr is also the source of the Severn and the Rheidol • A sturgeon, 2.2m long (more than 7ft) and weighing 182lb was caught at Hereford in 1846. Its remains are on display in the town's museum • The Wye is one of only four rivers in Britain where twaite shad (a rare species of herring) spawn…

• Newcomers to straw work are recommended to start with wheat, making sure to use a hollow-stemmed variety. Oat straw is much softer, whereas rye is tougher to manipulate • Grade your straw before starting any work—three groups will suffice, but opt for more if you have the time • Lightly dampen the straw with a cloth as you work it, without allowing the pieces to get too wet. If hung in a dry environment, a completed corn dolly can survive for decades • Straw that is to be used in marquetry should be soaked, split and ironed on the inner side to flatten each piece. Cut pieces of straw into shapes and glue them into place…

Common fox ( Alopecosa pulverulenta ) Member of the Lycosidae or wolf family, this fast mover chases its prey Green orb-weaver ( Araniella cucurbitina ) Small with a bright-green abdomen, it is also called the cucumber spider Diving bell ( Argyroneta aquatica ) Living under water, this one spins a web capsule in which it traps an air bubble to breathe and lay eggs Giant house ( Eratigena atrica ) Our second largest, it spins sheet-like webs and sprints across the floor at 20in per second Harvestman ( Leiobunum rotundum ) A tiny body with fused head and abdomen, it has long thin legs that it may shed if attacked Zebra jumping ( Salticus scenicus ) Menacing in…

Bartholomew Landscaping (020–7931 8685; www. bartholomewlandscaping.com) Plants were sourced from Crocus (01344 578000; www.crocus.co.uk); shrubs and trees from Hilliers (01794 368733; www.hillier.co.uk) and Deepdale (01767 262636; www.deepdale-trees.co.uk) The terracotta pots came from Italian Terrace (01284 789666; www. italianterrace.co.uk) and were given a thin wash of white paint in situ The stone trough is from Lichen Garden Antiques (01608 678890; www.lichengardenantiques.com) The paving is all re-claimed French limestone and setts, sourced from BCA Matériaux in France (00 33 6 0701 9026; 00 33 2 4161 6240; www. bca-antiquematerials.com) Lighting is by LDI (020–8600 5777; www.lightingdesigninternational.com) The irrigation system was installed by Waterwise Solutions (01352 753812; www.waterwisesolutions.co.uk)…

WHEN a friend came to stay recently, we inevitably discussed current working life, new student life and all the bad bits in between. ‘Another thing I hate,’ he says, ‘is when did “shielding” stop being a transitive verb?’ The thing that Zam and I dislike is how uncomfortably aware we are that neither of us can do up our trousers. Action needs to be taken, so I sign back up to my exercise class, remotely. I sit the laptop on the laundry basket for the standing-up bits and shift it around until the teacher asks if she’s under my bed, which she is, for the lying-down bits. I try not to look at the dust, but concentrate on sticking my lower back to the floor as I lift my legs.…

Autumn is officially upon us and there’s no better way to celebrate (or commiserate) than with a serving of comfort food. Pies were enjoyed in Ancient Egypt and in England since the 12th century–the latter predominately meat. Thankfully, they’ve endured the ages and there are still plenty of places in London to feast your pies on Best for meat The Windmill Mayfair, W1—sister pub to The Guinea Grill—serves up award-winning meat pies. It also has a pie blog (www.windmillmayfair.co.uk) Best for fruit Chicken Shop (multiple locations) might not seem like an obvious choice, but its deep-filled apple pie is nothing short of spectacular. Choose between thick cream or vanilla ice cream (or perhaps plump for both?) (www.chickenshop.com) Best for eating at home The Ginger Pig (multiple locations) hand makes…

Profane parrots Five parrots at a wildlife park in Lincolnshire have been removed from public display after they wouldn't stop swearing at visitors. The African Grey parrots, which were adopted in August, have now been split up. ‘I'm hoping they learn different words within colonies,' says park chief executive Steve Nichols. ‘But if they teach the others bad language and I end up with 250 swearing birds, I don't know what we'll do,' he adds Irish bread The Supreme Court of Ireland has ruled that bread from fast-food chain Subway is no longer bread, after it was found to contain too much sugar For all the latest news, visit countrylife.co.uk…

co.uk, it's also a great way to get fit. According to the research, conducted using a Fitbit, sanding is the best activity to burn calories, but wallpapering is the worst Capital cyclists A ‘quite remarkable' increase in cycling has been seen in London post-coronavirus, says TfL boss Andy Byford. The activity is up 23% year-on-year on weekdays, 97% at weekends and 34% overall Injured walkers The Great North Air Ambulance Service has trialled a ‘flying paramedic' who could reach patients in minutes. The paramedic was wearing a jet suit and flew up to the top of a fell in the Lake District in 90 seconds, compared with the usual 30 minutes it takes to walk…

Complex for the price Bodegas Sumarroca, El Gran Amigo Gran Reserva, Cava, Penedès, Spain 2016. £10.95, The Wine Society, alc 12% Cava's image problem means many miss out on what can be a fantastic fizz. This is made by the same estate that produces the society's own-label Cava (a reserva). Gentle apple and lemon fruit; great complexity for the price. Floral and juicy Barone Ricasoli, Albia, Tuscany, Italy 2019. £11.99, Waitrose, alc 13% This blend is made in an unusual way-Merlot is used to create a classic rosé, then blended with Sangiovese that has been vinified as a white wine with no skin contact. An attractive, pale rose-gold, floral and juicy wine, with good acidity. White-pepper spice Bolney Wine Estate, Bacchus, Sussex, England 2019. £19.99, Noble Green, The…

The case for oaks, not houses IT’S all very well for the Government to talk boldly about streamlining the planning system as a means of driving forward development. In reality, however, there is a definite need for a much greater degree of nuance. Take a case where public interest can best be served by renewal and protection, as, for example, at Easton Park, formerly one of the great estates of Essex. Easton Park formed part of the estate of Easton Lodge, home of Daisy, Countess of Warwick, mistress of Edward VII when he was Prince of Wales. She inherited in 1865 at the age of three and lived there until her death in 1938. During that time, she employed Harold Peto to create famous gardens ( COUNTRY LIFE , November…

‘In my profession, I have an opportunity to get to know great paintings intimately; I can echo the same position in front of the canvas as the artist and reveal from under layers of dirty old varnish and mismatched later repaint what he or she was attempting to achieve. I love this painting because it shows Artemisia’s virtuosity in creating a three-dimensional object from a plain palette of earth colours. Look closely: there are small gaps between David’s arm and his bent leg, through which the landscape beyond can be seen, with reflections of light from the leg to the arm. This small, sophisticated detail makes a huge difference to the depth of the composition. What a privilege to have worked on this painting’ Simon Gillespie is a fine-art conservator…

WHEN Patrick Bark-ham’s first book, The Butterfly Isles, was published in 2010, critics hailed it as an exemplary example of the new school of Nature writing. Elegantly descriptive and personally questing, it contained truths about the outdoor world from which all readers, whether keen observers of wildlife or those with only a passing interest, could learn. Further books, such as Badgerlands and Coastlines, have consolidated his position as one of the most preceptive, balanced authors in his field. Perhaps reflecting growing anxiety about whether we can respond properly to species extinction and climate change, his latest publication, Wild Child, addresses the tragic, ongoing disconnection between children and Nature. Laments about over-supervised children who are never allowed to stray outside or away from adult eyes have been getting louder for some…

NW8, £17.25 million Behind the subtle Art Deco façade of 58, Hamilton Terrace in St John's Wood lies a family home of modern elegance and functionality. With 6,750sq ft of living space arranged over three floors, the property offers six bedrooms in total, all en suite, with the master bedroom taking up an entire floor and comprising two dressing rooms, a sitting room and balcony overlooking the garden. Speaking of the garden, Hamilton Terrace boasts 125ft of landscaped lawn and well-stocked borders and trees, to say nothing of the heated outdoor pool. Arlington Residential (020–7722 3322) NW11, £8.5 million The cuckoo is calling at Hampstead Heath and you'll no doubt be able to hear it from the garden of Ingram Avenue, which faces onto a bird sanctuary…

MATURE Wollemi pines, 10ft tree ferns, aged olives and bravura niwaki are all what I call VIPs, very important and/or impressive plants—singular specimens of high value and cost that are show-stopping and show-garden ready. Some worthy gardeners scorn them for being un-English, egregious, extravagant and bought not only ready-made, but often from growers overseas. I am emphatically not of their mind. Garden plants have disorders enough without tall-poppy syndrome. In any case, some VIPs can’t help their high status and price, being rare and extraordinary by nature. Such plants can be immensely rewarding if enjoyed as the treasures that they are, as the living equivalents of artworks and antiquities. Until yesterday, when I staggered indoors with it, one of them stood on a plinth as the focal point of…

LARGELY forgotten within a century of her death, Artemisia Gentileschi has undergone a resurgence of fame in recent decades. Films, novels and plays have been inspired by her life, art historians have reassessed her work through the prism of feminism and there have been international exhibitions and record prices paid at auction for her paintings. The National Gallery’s retrospective, which follows its acquisition of Self-portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria—Artemisia’s first work to enter a UK public collection—heralds a new wave of interest in this heroine of the Italian Baroque. Through a superb selection of her paintings, together with sensational documents and a scholarly catalogue, it offers a more rounded view of Artemisia and the relationship between her dramatic life and her art. Unlike so many celebrities today, she certainly…