Innholdsfortegnelse for 26-Apr-2023 i Country Life

AS a nation, we owe our loyalty not to a party, a cause or even, strictly speaking, to a person, but to a concept made manifest in an object: the Crown. This is an emblem not only of the continuously operating institutions of our nation—including the legal system, Parliament, Armed Forces and the Church of England—but of those Commonwealth countries that recognise the Sovereign as their Head of State. In simple terms, therefore, the forthcoming coronation might be described as the ceremony that unites the Crown, both literally and figuratively, with the heir to the throne to create our new King, Charles III. Across the Commonwealth and in the diverse society of 21st-century Britain, there must necessarily be many views as to what exactly it means to place the crown…

Letter of the week Data roaming ALTHOUGH I am a Maid of Kent, I had not lived or worked there during the era of the mobile phone until 2021 (Letters, April 12). Driving to a new job in Sandwich that year, I was concerned to see the mobile-phone signal disappear after Canterbury. Imagine my surprise when, soon after reaching the location of my new role, the phone popped up with a message: ‘Welcome to France.’ With centuries of enmity between the two nations, it was a pleasure to see such cooperation. One might wonder, in the post-Brexit era, whether this still applies in 2023. Kate Lloyd, Surrey The writer of the letter of the week will win a bottle of Pol Roger Brut Réserve Champagne North tea…

WESTMINSTER ABBEY first became our coronation church almost by accident nearly 1,000 years ago. The last Anglo-Saxon king of the English, Edward the Confessor, had a particular fondness for Westminster—then a peaceful spot outside London—and not only created a palace for himself on the Thames here, but also patronised the ancient monastery beside it, rebuilding the church in a new and monumental idiom of architecture inspired by Roman example. He died in this palace and was laid to rest before the high altar of his Abbey on January 6, 1066. The Bayeux Tapestry shows his funeral procession entering the church as a workman erects a final weathercock on the roof. Taking advantage of the funeral gathering, Earl Harold Godwinson was acclaimed King and crowned in the same church on the…

2,868 The Imperial State Crown (worn when the monarch leaves Westminster Abbey) is set with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls and 4 rubies Three cheers for The King—hip, hip, hooray! 90 minutes The coronation ceremony is expected to be1½ hours long FORTIETH The King is the 40th Sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey £5, £10, £20 & £50 FOUR new banknote designs (£5, £10, £20 and £50) featuring Charles III were revealed on December 20, 2022. The new notes won’t be in circulation until 2024 SIX The coronation service falls into SIX parts: the Recognition, the Oath, the Anointing, the Investiture (which includes the crowning), the Enthronement and the Homage 4lb 12oz The solid gold frame of St Edward’s Crown (which is used at…

MUSIC is powerful, for it can beguile, annoy or inspire. One sentiment it readily inspires is patriotism—pride and love for one’s country. Thus, the world has followed Britain in adopting national anthems —a musical coat of arms, trademark or aural flag—for use on state occasions, sporting competition or in war. God Save the King will be the musical cynosure of Charles III’s coronation. Such anthems were rare outside England when, in April 1792, Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle, 31, a French army captain, heard the mayor of Strasbourg lament the lack of a good revolutionary song. De Lisle, a man of action, overnight wrote words and music for a ‘chant de guerre’ for the army of the Rhine. An instant success (which saved him from the guillotine), it was christened La…

AT her workbench in Pimlico, Jessie Thomas has a well-thumbed copy of Bradbury’s Book of Hallmarks. The compendium lists every mark of origin stamped on British and Irish silver, gold and platinum between 1544 and 1987, allowing Miss Thomas to date antique items based on a tiny likeness of a monarch and a leopard’s head. One of the earliest forms of consumer protection, these hallmarks are a pictorial language understood by jewellery’s inner circle. Future guides will include a new hallmark commissioned to commemorate next month’s coronation: a profile of Charles III that adorns creations by a number of British jewellers, including Miss Thomas. Hallmarks were introduced in 1300 by Edward I to prevent goldsmiths committing fraud. He decreed that ‘any manner of vessel, jewel or any other thing of…

‘Saint Francis of Assisi’ at the National Gallery PRESERVED on a splayed window in a small Kent church is a little-known image of St Francis made only a few decades after his death. This fragment in the chancel of Doddington parish church is unique among English 13th-century wall paintings in that it depicts the saint with his stigmata. St Francis, wearing his emblematic habit and triple-knotted girdle, stands on bleeding feet with hands raised in prayer. Overhead is a wing of the celestial seraph, who is described as having hovered over him, ‘fiery as well as brilliant’, imprinting his body with the wounds of the crucified Christ. The unprecedented miracle, which was revealed on his death in 1226, elevated Francis into a Christ-like figure; he was canonised two years later.…

WHAT a difference a name makes. On the one hand, there’s scampi, breaded and deep fried, yours for less than a tenner, preferably presented in a basket, with a fistful of proper chips and a couple of sachets of tartare sauce so sharp it strips the enamel from your teeth. The sort of pub grub that would accuse you of spilling his pint and challenge you to a fight in the car park, before planting a smacker on your cheeks and announcing that you’re his very best mate. Langoustines, on the other hand, are served whole, with fresh mayonnaise, or hewn in half, chargrilled and anointed with a herb- and garlic-infused dressing. They cost north of £20 each, serious restaurant food, elegant, but understated, like a minor Italian aristocrat, clad…

For all the latest news, visit countrylife.co.uk Birds are welcome down on the farm THE results are in from the Big Farmland Bird Count of 2023, organised by the GWCT, with more than 1,700 farmers taking part and some 460,000 birds counted. The event, which is in its 10th year, was especially successful due to the dry and settled weather conditions in February (when the work was undertaken) and has allowed the conservation charity to take a ‘vital snapshot’ of the health of our farmland birds. A total of 149 different species was recorded, from white-tailed eagles on Benbecula in the Hebrides to white storks in Cambridge and cirl buntings in Devon. The most spotted birds were blackbirds, woodpigeon and robins, which were seen on seven out of 10…

HEAD of state is not an easily accomplished role: sufficiently engaged as to be relevant, sufficiently influential to matter, yet sufficiently apart to be respected by all. There are presidents who are nonentities, so ceremonial is their role, and others so politically powerful that they are not a centre of unity for their nations. There are monarchs so involved that they limit democracy and others so marginal that the shine of royalty is dimmed and its majesty lost. Only this month, France, Israel and, as ever, the US, have shown how tricky is being head of state when the political role undermines the need to represent the whole nation. There is a serious gap when no one stands above the fray and embodies the nation’s spirit. That centre of unity…

Henry Dallal is a landscape and portrait photographer who was commissioned by Elizabeth II multiple times. For the late Queen’s 96th-birthday portrait, he photographed her with two Fell ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale ‘When I first saw this work at the Saatchi Gallery, I was struck by its beauty and the colours and the style. I am Persian and always appreciate the famous Shahnameh (also known as The Book of Kings), written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi more than 1,000 years ago and one of the sources that inspired this artwork, reimagined as art. I love the colours, the flow of the painting and, of course, the fact that horses are involved in depicting a love story set in Nature. I once met the artist and she explained the…

All hail the King NO monarch of our nation has been better prepared than Charles III. He has moved into the role with a sure touch and a deep understanding of all that will be required of him. I do not claim to be an intimate of The King —and nor should any politician—but I know enough to be confident that, as the years unfold, he will become a very successful monarch and a much-loved one, too. The nexus between the monarch and the Government is a sensitive one. It can easily be misunderstood and more easily misinterpreted. The monarch has every right to be fully informed about the actions and intentions of the Government, not least because each and every one of them will have an impact on…

JOHN, 1st Baron Rolle, must have believed in nominative determinism. So roll he did, true to his name, and at the least appropriate moment—during the coronation of Queen Victoria. The elderly peer might have been relieved to discover that his mighty tumble was hardly the only blunder to take place at a coronation. Britain is great at pageantry, but its ultimate, most meticulously planned ceremony has so often been riddled with mishaps that they have almost become a tradition in their own right. It all started with William the Conqueror and a misunderstanding. It was Christmas Day in 1066 and the King was about to be crowned. Asked whether William should take the crown of England, Norman and Anglo-Saxon notables roared their assent in their respective languages—but the soldiers stationed…

Eggcellent timing Famous for intricate jewellery eggs, Fabergé has designed two opulent pendants for the Coronation, one with a miniature carriage hidden inside (right) and the other with a crown. £12,960 each (www.faberge.com). If the shoe fits Manolo Blahnik is launching a new men’s collection inspired by the splendour of coronations. Exclusive to the Burlington Arcade boutique, there are four styles, each featuring exquisite materials. ‘From opulent gold embroidery, contrasting baguette crystal buckles and divine English silks, each style has a dazzling extravagance celebrating traditional English ceremony and reminiscent of the elaborate flocked interiors of historical palaces,’ enthuses the shoemaker. From £725 (www.manoloblahnik.com). Flutter by The King is famed for his love of Nature, so, to honour this, the jewellers at Hirsh London have designed a beautiful butterfly brooch,…

LAST May, the then Duchess of Cornwall spent £1.50 at a charity shop to acquire a mug celebrating her mother-in-law’s 1977 Silver Jubilee. A quick internet search brings up several similar mugs by various makers, differing slightly in shape and detail. The now Queen may or may not have hooked a bargain, as the current price range runs from 99p up to £60. As she apparently has a collection of such royal souvenirs, her purchase will probably join some of the 20 to 25 lines of official merchandise authorised for her own comparatively low-key wedding in 2005. There were about 1,600 for The King’s first marriage, 120 for the present Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s wedding, 700 for the Silver Jubilee and 800 for the Golden. Last year’s Platinum Jubilee…

A prize of £25 in book tokens will be awarded for the first correct solution opened. Solutions must reach Crossword No 4777, Country Life, 121–141 Westbourne Terrace, Paddington, London, W2 6JR, by Tuesday, May 2. UK entrants only ACROSS7 Dictionary definition of going by the book? (14)9 Dilemma when daughters are in bother (6)10 Chlorine colour scale (7)11 Bear to stop by river (6)13 Dungaree pattern is too young (8)14 Writer says Saul’s son joins fleet (8,5)16 Douse using replacement blend (8)18 Bacterium flees from foreseeable disaster (6)20 Period in canteen agency (7)21 Awkward when left in France (6)23 Throwing it out of a window sent federation away (14) DOWN1 Supply speech with nothing left out (6)2 Small sweet potato (4)3 Humble troops take time in cellar (8)4 Lewd queen…

Quiz of the week 1) Who composed the opera Gloriana in 1953? 2) Which tea-linked Whig politician became Prime Minister in 1830? 3) Who was the first British author to win a Nobel Prize for Literature? 4) Which main river flows across York? 5) The English word mayday derives from the call ‘help me’ in which language? Word of the week Bruiter (noun) Someone who spreads news or rumours 100 years ago in COUNTRY LIFE April 28, 1923 ALTHOUGH one swallow may not make a summer, the presence or absence of the King’s yacht Britannia (above) can make or mar a yachting season. As evidence of this, one needs look no further than last year, when His Majesty, from motives of economy, did not fit out his famous…

ATHENA delights in music of all kinds. When it is performed in a church, she is conscious that this art has a special power to move, adding weight, character and meaning to words and ceremony. For that reason, music is an essential ingredient of the forthcoming coronation. The pre-service programme and the ceremony itself will not only include works by such long-admired figures as Byrd, Handel, Parry and Elgar, but 12 new pieces by British composers ( page 224). They comprise six orchestral compositions, five choral works and a piece for organ. These compositions—some of which will hopefully come to be cherished in their turn—are produced at a crucial time. Our tradition of church music is unique within Europe, by virtue of its extraordinary longevity and also by its eclecticism,…

THE hand that descends from heaven holds above the king’s head a golden circlet. Jewels stud the sturdy band, alternating egg- and lozenge-shaped knuckle dusters. To the monarch’s left and right, in this 9th-century illustration of the coronation of the Frankish ruler Charles the Bald from a manuscript in Paris’s Bibliothèque Nationale, stand bishops. Their gaze does not dwell on the king himself. Instead, it is the crown that transfixes their attention. At this moment of royal transformation, the crown embodies Charles’s preeminence. Above it is a cross, which, like the crown, is golden, gleaming. Nothing expresses earthly kingship more powerfully than a crown. As an emblem of royalty and divinely ordained authority, it was assumed in evocation of Old Testament references by Byzantine Emperors from the 4th century.…

The patriotic policeman Disgracefully, some of Ron’s colleagues have been wondering how to get out of working on May 6 and he knows at least one who is planning to ‘develop’ flu, but he wouldn’t miss it for the world. Yes, it’s a long day on your feet and the weather is a lottery (he got stung by a wasp at the Platinum Jubilee), but the great thing about mass gatherings such as this one is that everyone is in a good mood. He loved the London Olympics for the same reason. It makes a change from apprehending discourteous oiks and mopping up after drunks—the wearying daily round of the bad, the mad and the very sad—and any protesters hanging around the fringes will simply be considered pathetic. He hopes…

The actress, author and celebrated cake expert became famous as a child actress and went on to work in film, television and theatre. This year, she has been asked by Royal Warrant holder Partridges to judge its World Chelsea Bun Awards Bake-Off Competition, supporting the Children’s Surgery Foundation. Jane Asher is the lead in Somerset Maugham’s The Circle at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, TW9, April 29–June 17. She lives in Sussex with her husband, illustrator Gerald Scarfe.…

Treasure or trinket? Whether you buy a commemorative mug for a chimneypiece or china for a dresser, you will be engaging with a long tradition of marking royal occasions with beautiful objects. ‘Creating commemorative ceramic wares for royal events has been at the heart of all good British potteries for at least 400 years,’ says Emma Bridgewater. ‘From the early days of the company nearly 40 years ago, I knew the importance of commemorative wares. We will all want to fly the flag, watch the ceremony and possibly gather family and friends to celebrate this rousing occasion—and there will be mugs!’ AS…

IF, by chance, you happen to be an earl, countess or viscount with an invitation to Westminster Abbey, but no idea what has happened to your coronet since its last outing, then you may be in luck. Three came up in an online auction at Christie’s in New York—perhaps the auctioneer could put you in touch with the buyers. Those of the earl and countess appeared to be in good order and ready to wear, but a needy viscount would have to move fast and find a goldsmith; although his had its 16 ‘pearls’, actually silver balls, it lacked its gold-tasselled crimson velvet and ermine cap of maintenance. The coronets were part of what, for sale purposes, was known as the ‘Orange Blossom’ collection of sculptural silver and works…

VAYNOL cattle, which can be described as semi-feral in personality and sometimes suspicious of humans, are among the rarest of the rare. Most of the current population (measured in the low hundreds), which was originally established at Vaynol Park near Bangor, north Wales, in 1872, is now owned by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST), of which The King has been patron since 1986—some of the animals are kept at his Dumfries House estate in Ayrshire. There is also a small herd grazing the flood meadows of the Duke of Westminster’s Eaton estate in Cheshire. However, the main herd remains at Leeds City Council’s Temple Newsam Home Farm in West Yorkshire, one of the largest rare-breed farms in the UK, having been moved there after the sale of Vaynol Park…

HERE are my two favourite boards of the 2022 Gold Cup—in which my team lost in the semi-finals. First, a pleasing declarer-play challenge. Plan the play in Four Spades on the nine of Diamonds lead—East’s bid suit. You have eight top tricks and there’s little possibility to score a sixth Spade trick. You need instead to make a long Heart and the King of Clubs and here’s the way to do both. Win the Ace of Diamonds (and know from the bidding West has no more Diamonds), cross to the Ace-King of Hearts (throwing either minor), ruff a third Heart and draw three rounds of Spades, finishing in hand. The scene is set. At trick eight, lead a fourth Heart and let West win the Queen, discarding (either minor) from…

THIS should be a very good week for the man who first constructed the coronation service, for King Edgar in 973. He happens to be my favourite homegrown saint and Archbishop of Canterbury, plus the feistiest blacksmith in the history of England. St Dunstan, who died in 988, was for years the most revered saint in Britain, until his cult was eclipsed by Thomas Becket. The latter, it is true, was assassinated in grievous circumstances, at the sanctuary of his own altar in Canterbury Cathedral, but I have always found him hard to love. At school, we learnt how Becket became the boon companion of Henry II. They roistered together, drank too much, and fooled around. When Henry wanted a new, compliant archbishop of Canterbury, he proposed Becket, who was…