Innholdsfortegnelse for 15-Mar-2023 i Country Life

1909 Unpublished This 17th-century table with curious, intermediate legs was one of a pair at Holme Lacy, Herefordshire. Both were in gloomy service rooms, which made them difficult to photograph. The table was taken outside, therefore, doubtless employing the same army of staff who then raked the surrounding gravel smooth. Every week for the past 125 years, COUNTRY LIFE has documented and photographed many walks of life in Britain. More than 80,000 of the images are available for syndication or purchase in digital format. To view the archives, visit www.countrylifeimages.co.uk and email enquiries to licensing@futurenet.com…

JUMP-RACING hearts skip a beat at the mention of the Cheltenham Festival, although a meeting at the track on any day of the season is special enough. A horse that has competed and won over this left-handed, undulating, stamina-sapping course with its big fences and daunting uphill finish can be assumed to be a good one. The four-day March festival taking place in Gloucestershire this week is the showpiece; despite some valid concerns that Cheltenham has allowed its standards to become diluted, it remains the jump-racing championship. Early racing at Cheltenham was on the Flat. The first meetings were staged on Nottingham Hill in 1815, then, from 1818, on neighbouring Cleeve Hill, the Cotswold escarpment of which now provides one of the most impressive backdrops of any British racecourse. A…

DRAWING on decades of research, Lars Chittka argues in his illuminating book The Mind of a Bee that bees—once considered little machines incapable of sophisticated cognitive ability—are, in fact, intelligent and sentient creatures, which can recognise flowers and human faces, learn by observing others, count, exhibit basic emotions and problem solve. It is not surprising then, that the bee is so pivotal in addressing some of the world’s greatest problems, such as poverty and climate change. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Bees For Development is a specialist beekeeping charity with a distinctive purpose —to make life better with bees. By providing training and reliable advice for those who have no access to educational resources, the charity develops beekeeping skills in the poorest communities of the world, giving those most…

THE designer of the finest cars in the world had only one regret: that he didn’t work harder. Sir Henry Royce’s obsessive pursuit of perfection and his almost ascetic-like dedication to efficiency is the stuff of legend in both automotive and aviation circles. However, the co-founder of Rolls-Royce, whose engines powered the Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft that helped win the Battle of Britain, was also a respected countryman, farmer and agriculturist. It was most likely the poverty of his childhood that made Sir Henry (March 27, 1863-April 22, 1933) strive for success in everything he did. The financial failure of his father, a miller in Alwalton, Huntingdonshire (now Cambridgeshire), dictated an impecunious existence in which his meals were ‘often two thick slices of bread soaked in milk’ and his bed…

Bronze beauty The impressive design of this new-build manor house is accentuated by a large bank of bronze windows set within stone mullions. The Advanced System casements house double-glazed units, with applied lead detailing, cost from £780 per window, Architectural Bronze Casements (01476 249494; www.bronzecasements.com) Interior to exterior The tumbled and etched finish of this Buscot limestone creates an aged and gently bleached look, making the stone very useful for creating seamless interior flooring to exterior paving, as well as for pool surrounds. It costs £99.25 per sq m, from Artisans of Devizes (020–3302 9996; www. artisansofdevizes.com) Natural selection British company Artorius Faber is known for its bespoke stone surfaces, including this Tyneham English limestone flooring, from £200 per sq m, extracted from its own quarry (01935 847333; www. artoriusfaber.com)…

IF only spread counted towards becoming a UK champion tree, the Magnolia campbellii at Lukesland, a former hunting lodge above Ivybridge and two fields below Dartmoor, would well qualify: its branches reach an impressive 95ft across. Alas, there is one at Borde Hill in West Sussex with a wider trunk girth, so it takes the credit, but, in the end, what’s in a title? In full flower in March, Lukesland’s magnolia is a magnificent sight. Although, says Rosemary Howell, such a display is a rare treat in a garden 600ft above sea level: ‘Most years, the flowers start coming out and then it is frosted.’ Good things come to those who wait, however, and Mrs Howell has witnessed the magnolia’s display many times. She has known Lukesland since the 1950s,…

Mascarpone salmon with steamed Jersey Royals Method Heat a large frying pan and add a splash of olive oil, followed by the salmon fillets. Brown them on both sides and set aside. Reduce the heat and add the shallots, cook to soften them and then add the garlic for a minute. Sprinkle over the flour and mix it in to create a paste. Pour in the stock, mix it with the paste and then add the mascarpone. Return the salmon to the pan to cook through and add the spinach, stirring it through the sauce to make it wilt. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, a squeeze of lemon, Parmesan, seasoning and end with a final scattering of basil leaves. Place the Jersey Royals in a steamer and cook until a…

Wild Britain faces ‘ticking time bomb’ OUR environment is facing a ‘ticking time bomb’ unless society acts now, the National Trust, WWF and RSPB have said. The three organisations, which have a combined 8.5 million members, have joined forces to launch the Save Our Wild Isles campaign, named after the latest documentary presented by Sir David Attenborough, who has also thrown his voice behind the campaign. In a statement, the organisations said that Save Our Wild Isles will ‘engage the UK public and inspire them to act—highlighting not only how Nature underpins everything that makes our lives possible, but also how profoundly threatened it is’. The organisations have commissioned a new YouGov poll, which found that more than 75% of respondents are concerned about the state of Nature. The…

Martin St Quinton is chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse and Gloucester Rugby In view of my racing involvements, it’s perhaps no surprise that my favourite painting depicts a groom trotting up a racehorse at Tattersalls sales in Knightsbridge Green, London. I love the way Bevan has the horse front and centre.The characters who attend horse sales are invariably inscrutable and, picturing them from behind, Bevan gives us no clue as to their impressions of the horse they are viewing. The use of block colours is unusual to me. The horse is nearly purple and the bidders are grey, black or blue. You can almost hear the sound of the hooves clattering on the brick tiled floor and the pre-sale tension is palpable Charlotte Mullins comments on Showing at Tattersalls ROBERT…

THE houses of architects always have a special interest, as they reveal much about their occupants’ taste and approach to professional practice. Church Cottage at Humbleton is no exception. It is the Yorkshire home of Digby Harris, who, for many years, was a senior partner in the Bridlington-based practice of Francis Johnson & Partners, until his recent retirement. The firm, founded by the late Francis Johnson (1911–95) in the 1930s, was a leading purveyor of traditional classical architecture in Britain for nearly 100 years and is best known for its country houses, many of which have been featured in COUNTRY LIFE. Mr Harris joined the firm in 1989, towards the end of Johnson’s life. He had studied architecture at Newcastle University and he has maintained the unique spirit of the…

THE thrill of visiting an historic site or official building is often heightened by the flamboyant fluttering of bright colours high above it, making some bold declaration that is sometimes lost to the uninitiated. During the past year alone, national joy and sorrow were expressed a great deal through the flying of flags. Their hoisting is a statement that anyone can make, but requires a few careful considerations to prevent an embarrassing faux pas. Most likely to be used across the United Kingdom is the Union Jack or Flag. Its design layers the cross of St George (for England) above the crosses of St Andrew (Scotland) and St Patrick (Northern Ireland). Unfortunately, Wales does not get a look in, being a principality. The Flag Institute (www.flaginstitute. org) warns that ‘the…

WHEN Edward Hudson founded COUNTRY LIFE in 1897, it was to celebrate ‘the search for beauty’ that was a city dweller’s ideal of rural England. It would open new horizons to urbanites adventuring forth in their new motor cars. A lucky few might even be enticed to go further, to find a second home in the bosom of Nature, the legendary ‘place in the country’. Today, that place is turning sour. Before the recent pandemic, it was estimated that half a million families had second homes somewhere in Britain. This might be only 2% of the housing stock, but it has surged in coastal and upland beauty spots, often to more than 70%. House prices are inflated and communities eroded. Streets lie empty for much of the year. Protests are…

Find the best properties at countrylife.co.uk DR CHRISTOPHER WREN was rector of the Wiltshire village of East Knoyle for 20 years and it was during that time that his son, the future astronomer, geometrician, physicist, mathematician and architect, was born on October 20, 1632. Local lore suggests Wren’s birthplace was knocked down during a project to widen the road—a plaque stands in the village today—but the current Old Rectory is equally charming. The Grade II-listed property, just launched on the market by Strutt & Parker, dates back in part to the Tudor period (there is a Tudor arched doorway with transom light); an extension was added in the 1930s by Canon Cross when he moved out of the original rectory. The size and the level of craftsmanship detailed within…

IT’S easy to see why the term ‘spring fever’ came into being. Those fine, clear days in the first half of February when the sun shone and warmed our backs, reminding us of the inexorable change in the seasons. The timing may vary, but the certainty is heartening. The lengthening days give us cause for optimism. Our shoulders come down after a winter of hunching, our spirits rise and we are assailed by an overwhelming feeling of optimism—things are changing for the better. We know that to assume we are over the worst of the weather is folly: cold snaps often follow mild spells; lowering skies and brimful clouds will appear to dampen our spirits and our tweed, but change is afoot. A holiday in late January took me to…

THE terseness of the text message belies the emotion that Bernie the Squirrel Man will be feeling: ‘Regret to inform you dead red found on Arbigland yesterday. Suspected squirrel pox; we have sent to lab, will let you know results.’ It’s a bitter blow after all our trapping of the grey invaders, especially by Bernie and other dedicated volunteers. The assumption had been that the local grey population is free of pox. That theory is quashed when the lab report comes back a few days later. It may not be terminal for Nutkin, however. Nature allows perhaps 5% of red squirrels to survive the pox and pass on a resistant gene to their offspring. There is a small chance if we can keep killing the greys, but trapping is fraught…

THE Buff Orpington is one of the matrons of the poultry world, irresistibly rounded and solid looking—the breed standard describes its build as ‘cobby’—and a distinctive, warm honey colour. Debo, Duchess of Devonshire, who had them clucking free range around the gardens at Chatsworth, and the Queen Mother were aficionados and The Princess Royal keeps them now (above). The chicken, which has its own breed club, founded in 1898, does, indeed, originate from Orpington in Kent, where William Cook, the son of an ostler, was a noted poultry breeder, writer and purveyor of poultry foods and fattening powders. It was the 1880s and Victorian enthusiasm for showing was at its height; Cook’s aim was to bridge the gap between ornate, fancy fowl and more useful egg layers. He first produced…

Choose the architect The process can begin from some desktop research—and the annual COUNTRY LIFE 100 (March 8) is a good place to start. Look through the work of architect practices that appeal. ‘You want to play to their strengths, so there’s little point commissioning a modern masterpiece from a practice that usually works with traditional designs,’ recommends Rupert Cunningham, a director at architectural practice Ben Pentreath. ‘Then meet the principal or one of the directors to see if they are a good fit.’ If there’s a plan to sell the house in the future, be cautious about designing something too outlandish, adds Ross Sharpe of Yiangou Architects. ‘Highly architectural projects that we as architects like may only have a limited number of admirers within the buying public, so it’s…

Suffolk, £995,000 There are many things to recommend about this five-bedroom home on the edge of Withersfield. Its gardens, which extend to just under 1½ acres, are a delightful mix of lawns, rose beds, mature trees, climbers and a fenced pond. The interiors have been tastefully rejuvenated, with exposed beams interlaced with fresh plastering and modern amenities. The extension has created a new hall and study on the ground floor, as well as the principal bedroom suite on the first floor. Our highlight, however, is the name, Nutcrackers, which is sure to draw interest at any parties you might host (or even attend), as well as ensuring that your post will never be lost. Savills (01223 347178) Derbyshire, £495,000 Situated in the pretty Staffordshire Moorlands, the hamlet of Brund…

Georgian Arcadia: Architecture for the Park and Garden Roger White (Yale, £40) THIS book is the result of more than 40 years of country-house estate and garden visiting. The author, an architectural historian and authority on Georgian landscape architecture, has tramped across the terrain in landscape parks and trawled through the published writings on the subject to produce a synthesis of this most alluring topic. The result is a richly illustrated volume, one that merits our attention. It was first inspired by an exhibition he organised for the Georgian Group in 1987. This was followed in 1991 by another show for the National Trust, curated by the late Gervase Jackson-Stops, himself a compulsive folly fancier, having masterminded a brilliant restoration of Thomas Wright’s Horton Menagerie in Northamptonshire. Several…