Britain

BRITAIN
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
TRAVEL CULTURE HERITAGE STYLE HOLIDAY MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
HENRY VIII TRAIL
Hidden Tudor Palaces Little-known castles and manors in the Heart of England
PRIVATE LIVES OF
THE GEORGIANS
COTSWOLD WAY
Follow the prettiest
path in Britain
LONDON
LANDMARKS
The story of Big Ben
Inside Blenheim
Win tickets + tours that take you behind closed doors
MAY/JUNE 2017 4.50
www.britain-magazine.com
Quote Britain_MarApr17_UK
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EDITOR'S LETTER
This issue, weve
explored relatively
unknown territory in
Englands heartland
and discovered secret
Tudor palaces and manor houses,
each with their own story to tell,
that deserve every bit of recognition
as those on the more travelled path.
Read all about these hidden treasures
in On the Tudor Trail (p14).
As its now officially spring, we sent
one of our trusted writers for a walk
along the picturesque Cotswold Way.
You can follow his journey as he passes
through quaint villages and impossibly
gorgeous countryside (plus one or two
pubs) in The Prettiest Path (p24).
If its history youre after then youll
love The Secret Lives of the Georgians (p53),
where we delve into the private letters
of King George III to discover another 24 6
side to the monarch labelled mad.
CONTENTS
Finally, if you want a taste of how
the other half live, then come with us
as we go behind the scenes at Blenheim
Palace in Be Our Guest (p60), to see VOLUME 85 ISSUE 3
how the Duke of Marlboroughs lucky
visitors are treated
during their stay.
FEATURES
14 ON THE TUDOR TRAIL
38
Discover the hidden stately homes and castles in
70
PHOTOS: COTSWOLDS PHOTO LIBRARY/LORDPRICE COLLECTION/ALAMY/MARK HEMSWORTH/BLENHEIM PALACE
Sally Coffey, Editor the Heart of England that were visited and specially
granted by the notorious Tudor king, Henry VIII
24 THE PRETTIEST PATH
60
@BRITAINMAGAZINE
In the first of a two-part series, we journey along the
FACEBOOK/BRITAINMAGAZINE Cotswold Way via quaint villages and ancient sites
PINTEREST/BRITAINMAGAZINE 35 TRENCH CONNECTION

We chart the history of Burberry, the British
@BRITAIN_MAGAZINE brand beloved by adventurers and A-list alike
38 AN INDOMITABLE DOUBLE ACT
BRITAIN
We explore the longevity of one of Britain's most

TRAVEL CULTURE HERITAGE STYLE
HENRY VIII TRAIL

HOLIDAY MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR
successful songwriting duos, Gilbert & Sullivan
Hidden Tudor Palaces Little known castles and manors in the Heart of England
PRIVATE LIVES OF
THE GEORGIANS
47 A QUIRKY NIGHTS SLEEP
Forget the usual hotels and B&Bs, Britain
COTSWOLD WAY
Follow the prettiest
path in Britain is home to a world of unusual places to stay
LONDON
LANDMARKS
The story of Big Ben 53 THE SECRET LIVES OF THE GEORGIANS
Inside Blenheim
Win tickets + Tours that take you behind closed doors
MAY/JUNE 2017 4.50
www.britain-magazine.com The publication of private letters, diaries and

essays kept by King George III reveal a different
OFC_BRI_May/Junenew.indd 1 24/03/2017 11:55
Proud protector of Scotlands capital
Cover image: Baddesley Clinton, Warwickshire

National Trust Photo Library/Alamy side to the king labelled 'mad' and his family
FEATURES
60 BE OUR GUEST BRITAIN is the official magazine of
Peek into the lives of the Marlborough family on VisitBritain, the national tourism agency.
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YOUR LETTERS
Write to us with your thoughts and memories about Britain and the magazine
A HUNGER
LETTER OF THE MONTH CANTERBURY TALES FOR BRITISH TRAVEL
My husband Maurice, aged 96, has
failing eyesight and resides in an Aged With the aid of BRITAINs back issues, we
Care Home. He enjoys me reading him planned a return to England last September
BRITAIN from cover to cover and found after enjoying a group tour four years ago
the article on the BBC fascinating, having this time confident we could go it alone.
as a young navigator in the RAF in WWII Accommodation, public transport, and
been allowed to broadcast a message to lifetime experiences (including a street chase
his parents in what was then Rhodesia. by a London bobby, who turned out to be
However, we really enjoyed the article very friendly) exceeded expectations.
on Canterbury (Volume 85, Issue 1). In In London, we cruised the River Thames,
l996 we were living in Zimbabwe but we visited the Victoria & Albert and the Natural
visited Canterbury where our daughter History museums, spent more than just time
had bought a house with a plaque outside at Harrods, and dined along
stating 1886. We attended services in the romantic
the magnificent cathedral and in a month Southbank.
we explored the many nearby Broad Oak
picturesque treasures. Cottage at
Now we live in Stow-on-the-Wold
proved charming
in every manner:
Australia and are old but we have our we hiked overland
memories of Canterbury still alive in our paths to nearby
hearts. Once read, I pass BRITAIN on to villages, spent a
the other residents of the Aged Care day at Chipping
Our favourite letter wins Home, many of whom come from Britain. Campden and
these gorgeous lightweight leather The March issue had everything we could journeyed by rail
gauntlets with floral rose cuffs, ideal for all gardening wish for and made our day. to Blenheim Palace.
tasks and handmade in Great Britain, from Felicity Rooney, Victoria, Our English diet
annabeljames (25.95). www.annabeljames.co.uk Australia included savoury
pies, bangers and
mash, fish and
NARNIA DISCOVERED chips, a Sunday roast,
I was thrilled to see an article on CS Lewis and Narnia in a ploughmans lunch, scones with jam
the latest issue of Britain (Volume 85, Issue 2). I am a huge fan of and clotted cream, fresh berries with
heavy cream, lardy cake and sticky toffee
his writings, and Im working on a collection of his first editions, pudding you get the picture.
to include six of the seven Chronicles of Narnia so far. Mary and Tom Friggens, Michigen, US
As a fan, Ive made sure to visit the Kilns and Magdalen College
at Oxford, and Ive read much about his life in England. Thank you
so much for highlighting the much less discussed Irish influence on @Buffymarie1
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Lewis and his timeless stories. I learned plenty of new information

FORTNUM & MASON/ANGUS MUIR 2012
with this engaging article. Jared Detter, Santa Maria, CA, US

I stayed with my cousin
in Eastbourne last summer.
A beautiful city and many
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The
BULLETIN From remembering a princess to a
virtual tour of the Houses of Parliament,
we bring you the latest news
ANNIVERSARY
Diana, Princess of Wales
August 2017 marks 20 years since the untimely death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
To commemorate the adored princess, Althorp Estate in Northamptonshire,
the family home of the Spencers since 1508 and the final resting place of the late
princess, will host Diana, Princess of Wales (1 May to 8 October), a photographic exhibition
of her final official portraits.
Held in the exhibition rooms of the Grade I-listed Stables at Althorp, the exhibition
will showcase 15 stunning images of the princess shot in 1997 by internationally
renowned photographer Mario Testino for Vanity Fair, as well as a selection of
remembrances of Dianas legacy and her charitable works. Entrance to the exhibition
PHOTO: MARIO TESTINO
is included in the regular Althorp ticket price. www.spencerofalthorp.com

HISTORY / NEWS / REVIEWS / INSPIRATION
SHOPPING
Curious keepsakes
Forget buying a kitsch trinket or keychain

as a souvenir of your British travels a
bespoke keepsake, inspired by the models
commissioned by 18th-century travellers of
the Grand Tour, is the real ticket. Artist
Timothy Richards of the Modern Souvenir
Co. uses the traditional method of plaster
casting, established in the 1800s, to create
whimsical bookends (see below), busts of
HISTORY famous Britons, (including Jane Austen and H E R I TAG E
Queen Victoria), as well as famous buildings
Domesday display such as Kensington Palace and Somerset
House. www.modernsouvenir.com
Affairs of state
Lincoln Castle, built by William the It may have been 30 years in the making but
Conqueror in 1068, will display the earliest the spectacular restoration of 18th-century
surviving public record, the Domesday mansion Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire is
Book, in the Magna Carta Vault from complete. The National Trust has worked
27 May to 3 September. On loan from The tirelessly to return the interiors to their
National Archives, the book forms part of a former glory and the style intended by
major exhibition, Battles and Dynasties, to architect Robert Adam when he designed
mark the 800th anniversary of one of the house as a rival to Chatsworth.
Englands lesser-known battles, the Battle of The final touches of the project included
Lincoln. The historic book, commissioned finessing the State Apartments and the
by William the Conqueror in 1086, recorded Adam-designed state bed that had become
the taxable value and resources of all the badly damaged over the years with flaking
boroughs and manors in England and had gilding and broken carvings. Thanks to
two volumes Little Domesday and Great archive material and cutting-edge technology,
Domesday the latter of which will be shown. skilled craftsmen were able to faithfully
www.lincolncastle.com TECHNOLOGY restore the rooms. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Virtually there
PHOTOS: TERRY MATHEWS/ALAMY/THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES UK/JAMES DOBSON/NATIONAL
TRUST IMAGES/DAVID JAMES WOOD PHOTOGRAPHER 2015/CHAPTER OF DURHAM CATHEDRAL
Dreamt of visiting London and touring the

Houses of Parliament? Now you can before
youve even left home. UK Parliament has
launched an interactive 360 virtual
tour highlighting the fascinating history and
interiors of the Palace of Westminster, one
of Britains most visited buildings. Head
online and discover the famous Parliament
rooms, including the medieval Westminster
Hall and the Commons and Lords debating
chambers. This tour will also become part
of the Google Maps world, alongside other
landmarks, including Buckingham Palace.
www.parliament.uk/virtualtour
OPEN HOUSE
Law and order

Set between the two buildings of the Old Royal Naval College If thats not reason enough to visit, it is likely to be the home
in Greenwich, London, the Queens House was England's first of the historic Armada portrait of Queen Elizabeth I (pictured
As part of
classical its continued
building, built in transformation
the 17th-centuryofbyitsarchitect
Open Treasure
Inigo of England
above), oneasofitthe
expanded
most iconicon several
imagesclauses,
of any most
Britishimportantly
monarch.
exhibition spaces,
Jones for Anne ofDurham
Denmark, Cathedral will display
as a gift from an original
her husband, 1217I.
James returning Royal Forest
The painting has been to the
common
subjectland, allowing fundraising
of intensive ordinary
Forest
FourCharter
hundredalongside thethe
years later, only surviving
splendid 1216villa
royal issue of Magna
is due to people
to save the
it forright
the to gather
nation wood,
since graze
it was put animals andWith
up for sale. forage the
Carta in a new exhibition, Magna Carta and the Forest
reopen on 11 October following extensive renovations, which Charters without fear of capital punishment. The exhibition
funding target due to be hit this summer, the Queens House will explore
(19
haveJune
seentoan
9 September).
overhaul to theA companion document
galleries housing to the
its famous the be
will lasting nationalplace
the perfect impact to of
viewthese
thetwo documents
portrait: Elizabeth three
I was
800-year-old
collection Magna
of art Carta, The
including Forestby
key works Charter was an and
Gainsborough clauses
born at of which arePalace
Greenwich still in in
force
1533today and which
and Queens House remain
is thealast
especially
Hogarth important document
and original features, for
suchthe
asheavily
the Tulipforested north
Staircase. cornerstone
remaining part of of
British democracy.
the palace www.durhamcathedral.co.uk
complex. www.rmg.co.uk
HISTORY / NEWS / REVIEWS / INSPIRATION
READING CORNER
Discover our fair isles
from the comfort
of your armchair
Arthur and the

Kings of Britain: the
historical truth behind
the myths by Miles
Russell (20, Amberley
Publishing) Explore
the historical accuracy
of the medieval
bestseller, The Historia.
Plump and juicy,
the British raspberry I Never Knew That
About Englands
season runs from Country Churches by
June to October Christopher Winn
(8.99, Ebury Press)
Discover the
RECIPE hidden stories and
forgotten pasts of
Raspberry ice-cream England's many
county churches.
Insider London by
Raspberries: beloved by the Romans and the Victorians, who used them in cordials and Rachel Felder (16.99,
vinegars, these sweet berries have only been cultivated in Britain since the 17th century. For Harper Collins) A
a surplus of fruit, a raspberry ice-cream makes the perfect solution, and as it can be made in lovely guide to more
than 200 London
advance, its the ideal dessert for summertime soires. Try this version from The Great
destinations, including
Dixter Cookbook: Recipes from an English Garden by Aaron Bertelsen (Phaidon, 24.95).
stylish shops,
I n g re d i e n t s : FOR 4-6 SERVING restaurants, and
cultural experiences.
250g/9 oz (2 cups) fresh raspberries, 2 eggs, plus 4 egg yolks
(save the whites for another dish) The Private Lives of the
plus extra to serve Tudors by Tracy
Borman (9.99,
225g/8 oz (1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar 600ml/1 pint double (heavy) cream
Hodder Paperbacks)
All the intimate secrets
Method: of the Tudor court
and private lives of
Put the raspberries and 2 tablespoons of the sugar into a small pan. Cook over a medium
Henry VIII, Anne
heat until the sugar dissolves, keeping your eye on it the whole time. Simmer for about
Boleyn and Elizabeth I.
5 minutes until thickened, then push through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding the
seeds. Put the eggs, yolks and remaining sugar into a heatproof bowl and whisk briefly to The Really Quite Good
combine. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure it does not actually British Cookbook
touch the water, and whisk for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is thick and pale and has edited by William
doubled in volume. Take off the heat and continue whisking until the mixture is cool (about Sitwell (25, Nourish
3 minutes). Whip the cream in a separate bowl until it forms soft peaks. Fold it gently into Books) 100 of Britain's
the cool egg mixture until just combined. Pour into a shallow freezer-proof container or finest chefs and food
dish. Gently swirl the raspberry coulis through the mixture, cover with cling film or a lid heroes share their
and freeze for 3 hours. Remove and beat with a fork to break up the ice crystals,then return favourite recipes.
to the freezer for another 3 hours. For easier serving, allow the ice-cream to soften slightly
at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Scoop into bowls and serve with extra berries.
DISCOVER TWO THOUSAND YEARS
OF HISTORY AT DURHAM CATHEDRAL
Durham Cathedral is one of the finest examples MAGNA CARTA AND
of Romanesque architecture in Europe. Renowned THE FOREST CHARTERS
for its stunning location at the heart of the Monday 19 June - Saturday 9 September
Durham UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is In the 800th anniversary year of its first issue, see
the resting place of St Cuthbert and St Bede, the 1217 Forest Charter, and the 1225 and 1300
issues alongside all of Durham Cathedrals Magna
two of Northern Englands greatest saints.
Cartas, which includes the only surviving 1216
Durham Cathedral also boasts the most intact issue, and further issues from 1225 and 1300.
surviving set of medieval monastic buildings TREASURES OF ST CUTHBERT
in the UK, home to the world-class exhibition From 29 July 2017
experience Open Treasure. Journey through Marvel at the Treasures of St Cuthbert in the
the 14th-century Monks Dormitory and spectacular Great Kitchen, including St Cuthberts
Great Kitchen, and marvel at objects from the wooden coffin, pectoral cross and portable altar.
Cathedrals collections as the remarkable story Together these Treasures represent some of the
of Durham Cathedral is revealed through most significant surviving Anglo-Saxon artefacts
temporary and permanent exhibitions. in the UK.
For opening times and ticket prices visit www.durhamcathedral.co.uk

TUDOR TRAIL
On the
TUDOR TRAIL
The Heart of England hides some spectacular
stately homes and castles, which attracted even
the most notorious of Tudor kings, Henry VIII
WORDS SALLY COFFEY
The stunning garden

and entrance pathway
leading to 16th-century
Packwood House
in Warwickshire
TUDOR TRAIL
www.britain-magazine.com BRITAIN 15
TUDOR TRAIL
T hough his daughter Elizabeths annual progresses

may have been better documented, King Henry VIII
also embarked on a royal progress each summer
to escape the heat in London, which would cause the smell
daughter, Catherine Willoughby and her much older
husband (and previous ward), Charles Brandon, Duke
of Suffolk, who had been Henrys brother-in-law.
The couple went to great expense to extend the house
PHOTOS: CHRIS LACEY/JOHN HAMMOND/JAMES DOBSON/NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES. ILLUSTRATION: MICHAEL HILL
from the already pungent open sewers to become unbearable. for the visit by Henry and his fifth wife Catherine Howard,
For the king, this exodus from the capital was a chance using limestone from the nearby Abbey of Vaudey, which
to flaunt his kingship as he stayed with courtiers along the had been dissolved in 1536.
route, who would virtually bankrupt Henry must have been impressed
themselves by going to extreme he held a privy council here on
measures to ensure their homes were fit two days but unfortunately for
for royal guests and their entourage his wife, her alleged affair with
(which went into the thousands). Thomas Culpeper was about to
It was during Henrys Great Progress be uncovered, bringing about her
of 1541 in which the progress took downfall and subsequent beheading.
the king all the way from London Catherine Willoughby went on to be
to York that he stopped off at lady-in-waiting for Henrys 6th wife,
Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire. Catherine Parr, and in his book Henry
Henry had granted Grimsthorpe VIIIs Last Love, historian David
Castle to William Willoughby, 11th Baldwin submits his theory that Henry
Baron Willoughby de Eresby, in 1516 was lining her up to be his 7th wife.
when he married Maria de Salinas, Today Grimsthorpe Castle bears
lady-in-waiting to Henrys queen at the the hallmarks of its later architect
time, Catherine of Aragon. Sir John Vanbrughs Baroque style but
By the time of the 1541 visit, the its Tudor quadrangle is a reminder of
house was in the hands of their its former guise.
TUDOR TRAIL
Set high on the rugged,

windswept Cornish coast,
few places beat the drama and
romance of Tintagel Castle
PHOTOS: RIK HAMILTON/NATURESLIGHT/ALAMY/GETTY IMAGES/MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY
The view down the long

gallery towards the entrance
hall at Packwood House
With Kensington Palace at your doorstep and some of Londons
best attractions and museums minutes away,
the Royal Garden Hotel is ideally located to experience
the London way of life.
Join us for a great family getaway at our 5-star hotel and enjoy family
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TUDOR TRAIL
The Great Hall at medieval

Baddesley Clinton in
Warwickshire
Inside, tours take you through the grand interior, Edwardian ownerships, was restored to its Tudor glory
including the Vanbrugh hall considered Vanbrughs in the first half of the 20th century by owner Baron Ash.
noblest while outside you can explore the impressive The painstaking project included converting a large cow
grounds, where deer have walked since medieval times. barn into a Tudor-style Great Hall with a sprung floor for
Further south, Henry granted the Norman fortress of dancing, which was linked to the main house by a Long
Rockingham Castle in Leicestershire, which had fallen into Gallery whose walls were adorned with giant tapestries.
disrepair, to Edward Watson, a local landowner in 1530. To create his effect, Baron Ash acquired antiques from
Edward, ancestor of the current other historic houses, including
owner, transformed Rockingham
into a comfortable Tudor house,
The well-preserved house of bringing the hall table from
nearby Baddesley Clinton,
although it was later changed Baddesley Clinton is nothing a medieval moated manor
PHOTOS: JAMES DOBSON/NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES
again into a Victorian mansion. located just a few miles away in

In the hall you can see reminders short of an architectural gem the beautiful Forest of Arden.
of its Tudor past, including a The well-preserved house of
portrait of Henry hanging next to one which some Baddesley Clinton is nothing short of an architectural gem.
historians believe depicts Mary Boleyn, the Other Boleyn Home to the Ferrers family for 500 years, it is now in the
Girl and sister of Henrys doomed second wife, Anne. hands of the National Trust and includes a moat, bridge
One place where Tudor heritage has been revived rather and crenelated gatehouse entrance.
than forgotten is at Packwood House in Warwickshire, Throughout the house you can see examples of the
further west. This formerly modest Tudor manor house, Ferrers coat of arms in the stained glass and carved wood,
which had evolved through its Georgian, Victorian and a tradition begun by Henry Ferrers the Antiquary, who
TUDOR TRAIL
lived at Baddesley from 1564 to 1633, and who is thought

to have built the magnificent Great Hall.
Following the Reformation, Henry Ferrers rented the
house to two Catholic sisters and it became a hiding
place for Jesuit priests its three surviving priest holes
are testament to this.
Another Tudor house worth a visit in Warwickshire
is Coughton Court, which retains many original features,
including its elaborate 16th-century gate tower, which was
dedicated to King Henry VIII by the houses owner, Sir
George Throckmorton. Throckmorton was once a favourite
courtier of Henrys but he risked execution when he sided
with Henrys first wife Catherine of Aragon when Henry
wanted a divorce and he stood against the Reformation.
The house at Coughton Court is like a time capsule into
the life of an early Tudor family, with incredible portraits
and memorabilia on display, including a chemise, which
was apparently worn by Mary, Queen of Scots, on the day
of her execution and a bishops cope, which Catherine of
Aragon is said to have once worked on.
It is the houses links to two gruesome plots that earns it
PHOTOS: PEAKSCAPE/ALAMY
its place in the history books, however, as it was here that the
Throckmorton Plot was first hatched a plan by Catholics
to murder Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with her cousin,
Mary, Queen of Scots while conspirators of the 1605
Gunpowder Plot rode here after their plans were thwarted.
Medieval manor house

Haddon Hall, which has been
the location of many films
Above: Grimsthorpe Castle
in Lincolnshire
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TUDOR TRAIL
THE PLANNER
GETTING THERE
There are mainline train stations within half an hour of each of the
properties with regular connections to London. To explore the region fully,
however, a car is invaluable. www.thetrainline.com; www.auto-international.com
TAKE A TOUR
Rockingham Castle and Grimsthorpe Castle form part of the Hidden
England collection of properties, which this year has launched group tours that
include visits to both these, plus the burial place of Henry VIIIs first wife Catherine
of Aragon at Peterborough Cathedral. www.hiddenengland.org
FOOD AND DRINK

Take afternoon tea in the 17th-century stable block at Haddon Hall,
which overlooks the River Wye, while The Case is Altered is a convivial old pub
near Baddesley Clinton, which has served locals for centuries but you won't
get food here: just good beer and conversation.
www.haddonhall.co.uk; www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk
TUDOR HAVEN
Complete the experience with a stay in your very own self-catering Tudor
cottage, located near Bidford on Avon in Warwickshire. www.tudorcottage.me.uk
WORCESTER CATHEDRAL
PHOTOS: ROCKINGHAM CASTLE

Factor in a visit to this, the final resting place of Arthur Tudor, older brother
of King Henry VIII and the first husband of Catherine of Aragon, who succumbed
to a mysterious sweating sickness in 1502. Arthur's remains lay beneath a lovely
Aerial view of Rockingham chantry chapel and the cathedral is also home to King John's tomb the king
Castle in Leicestershire visited often to see the shrine of Saint Wulfstan. www.worcestercathedral.co.uk
Heading north into Nottinghamshire, Wollaton Hall With its stunning location overlooking the River Wye
is an Elizabethan mansion, built in the 1580s by the great outside the Derbyshire town of Bakewell, Haddon Hall
grandson of one of the richest men in England, Sir Francis is rightly considered one of the most romantic Tudor
Willoughby. Sir Franciss great grandfather had made what houses in Britain, not least because of a love story that
is now Wollaton Old Hall the familys main home so he has been passed down by generations.
could exploit the local coalmines for further riches. The story goes that in 1563 Dorothy Vernon, daughter
Sir Francis obviously felt the family home was no longer of the then owner Sir George Vernon fell in love with John
suitable for a man of his status and so he commissioned Manners, the second son of the First Earl of Rutland, but
Robert Smythson, the architect behind the magnificent her father condemned a union.
Longleat in Wiltshire, to create Quite why Sir George
an ambitious country house that
would leave visitors in no doubt
Haddon Hall is considered disapproved, nobody knows,
perhaps it was because the
as to the extent of his wealth. one of the most romantic Manners were Catholics
The familys former hall house while the Vernons were
is located by the church in the Tudor houses in Britain Protestants. Whatever the
village (where Smythson is reason, during a ball at Haddon
buried). Also in the village is Wollaton Village Dovecote Hall, the couple slipped away and eloped to be married.
Museum, housed in the old redbrick dovecote (one of The rest, as they say, is history.
the oldest in Britain) that Sir Francis built before the new Today Haddon Hall is one of the seats of the Duke of
house in Elizabethan times a dovecote was a status Rutland in the 1920s the 9th Duke and his wife revived
symbol as only feudal lords were allowed to erect them. the decaying house after 200 years of neglect and it is
Further north on the edge of the Peak District, Haddon now inhabited by Lord Edward Manners, brother of the
Hall is one of Britains finest medieval manor houses. 11th Duke, meaning it is still in the hands of Dorothy
Such is its period appeal that it has provided backdrops and Johns descendants almost 500 years on.
in no fewer than three screen versions of Jane Eyre, as
well as films Elizabeth, Pride & Prejudice, The Other To find out more about the Tudors and England's spectacular
Boleyn Girl and The Princess Bride. stately homes and castles, visit www.britain-magazine.com
visitguildford.com
Guildford Tourist Information Centre

tic@guildford.gov.uk 01483 444333
THE COTSWOLDS
Almshouses built
by renowned architect
Sir George Gilbert Scott
Right: Wildflowers
growing near the stone
folly, Broadway Tower
The
P RETTIEST PATH
Part One
In the first of a two-part series, one writer journeys along the

Cotswold Way, via quaint villages and ancient sites
WORDS ADRIAN MOURBY
THE COTSWOLDS
I
t feels a very long time since breakfast but as we
struggle up hill into Winchcombe, pride and relief
mingle with the sensation of sore feet. Our first
18 miles on the Cotswold Way has involved a lot
of ups and downs mainly literal ones and some of
the best views in southern England.
We almost didnt start. Breakfast at Cotswold House in
Chipping Campden was beguiling. Oh dear, it would have
been all too easy to linger at our table in the window of
this 18th-century townhouse and watch the life of this
ancient market town pass by. But the Cotswold Way runs
immediately outside, so eventually there was no avoiding it.
We laced up our walking boots and set off in the
direction of Broadway, pausing to photograph the sloping,
cobbled floor of the ancient market hall in Chipping
Campden, which marks the start of the Cotswold Way.
If youre carrying a backpack, theres a bit of a struggle
up to Broadway Tower, a tall stone folly built in 1799 so
that Lady Coventry would have something imposing to
look at on the horizon from her home, 22 miles away in
Worcester. Fortunately wed sent our luggage on ahead.
Our way up to the Tower through sheep-cropped
PHOTOS: TONY PLEAVIN/VISITBRITAIN/PAUL WESTON/BRIAN JANNSEN/STUART BLACK/ STEVE TAYLOR ARPS/ALAMY/ DENNIS GILBERT/
pasture included a field where in 1612 the British made

the first attempt in modern times to revive the Olympic
Games. To this day shin-kicking a little known
Olympick sport - is still played annually in the fields
between Chipping Campden and Broadway.
Golden maple trees encircle the Tower itself. In the
1880s it was rented as a country retreat for pre-Raphaelite
artists William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones. You can
climb up to their studio level. We did and experienced
great views of the Avon Valley below but also a dawning
realisation that we had nearly 100 miles still to cover over
the next four days.
The Cotswold Way is a 102-mile National Trail
running mainly through Gloucestershire all the way
NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES. ILLUSTRATION: MICHAEL HILL
to Bath. It links some of the loveliest rural views and

villages youll find in England, as well as some
great pubs and a few stately homes of boutique
dimensions. Its a leisurely walk if you allow
seven days and a bit of a push to do it in
five as my wife and I were planning.
Fortunately, with our luggage
already in Winchcombe, all we had
to do now was amble down for
our first stop at Broadway
Clockwise, from top left:

A limestone cottage in the Cotswold
village of Broadway; a field of red
poppies near Winchcombe; the
ruins of 13th-century Hailes Abbey;
Ann's room at Snowshill Manor,
Gloucestershire
THE COTSWOLDS
Come
BRUEGEL
and
discover
DEFINING A DYNASTY
Wiltshires 11 February to
hidden treasure 4 June 2017
History, heritage, arts and
crafts, great places to eat and
drink and lots of independent
shops plus BBC Ones
www.corsham.gov.uk/visit Poldark was filmed here too.
IMAGE CREDIT: MAMMOTH MEDIA
Just 8 miles from Bath on the A4, 4 miles from the

M4 (J17), or 3 miles from Chippenham Station.
PRINCIPAL SPONSOR
WWW.HOLBURNE.ORG
THE COTSWOLDS
The Armillary Court and

Well Court Gardens at
Snowshill Manor
Snowshill is a small diversion off the Cotswold extraordinary treasure trove theres also a caf on site
with (the wonderfully named) Mad Goose Pale Ale on sale.
Way but the 16th-century house is unmissable An hour later we resumed our route following the
mossy wooden Cotswold Way signs over lovely green
rolling fields. Another hour on and we reached Stanway
itself. This graceful over-sized village was once a major House, a beautiful Jacobean manor that has recently had
trading post between London and Wales but is now a its impressive gravity-fed fountain restored. If the fountain
place for shoppers and diners. is on, you cant miss it as you walk past: a 100,000 gallon
PHOTO: NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/JONATHAN BUCKLEY
We could have easily stopped here for lunch The Lygon reservoir in the hills above the house drops water down
Arms has log fires and Tudor decor but wed determined a sheer incline into a two-inch nozzle causing the
not to eat before Snowshill Manor and Garden. pressurised water to shoot up 300 feet into the air
Snowshill is a small diversion off the Cotswold Way, and create the tallest fountain in Britain.
accessed uphill through Buckland Wood, but its an This charming, gold-hued Cotswold stone house with
unmissable stop if you can get timed tickets to see the its ornate gateway and massive mullioned windows is open
16th-century house of Charles Paget Wade, an early to the public at select times from June to August, as is its
20th-century eccentric, who filled it with everything he watermill. When we passed through, both were closed but
could lay his hands on. Samurai armour, toy trains and then we met the assistant miller taking his dog for a walk
religious artefacts make this National Trust property an and he advised us to check out the churchyard.
THE COTSWOLDS
We followed his advice and in the churchyard found

some delightful and affectionate memorials. One to
Graydon Sykott Sweet commemorated A fine soldier
and a great gardener and another honoured Lord
Charteris, Private Secretary to Her Majesty the Queen
and Provost of Eton.
Before we left we looked in at Stanways thatched
cricket pavilion which was donated by JM Barrie, the
author of Peter Pan, after a happy stay at Stanway House.
From here we headed up into some deeply forested hills,
turning right at Stumps Cross to look back at Stanway
from above and to rest by an odd niched stone memorial
in among a copse of trees.
Down below rose the remains of 13th-century
Hailes Abbey, destroyed by King Henry VIII during
the Dissolution of the Monasteries. I later read that the
uninscribed memorial where we rested is supposed to
mark the spot where Thomas Cromwell sat and ate
lunch as he watched the abbeys destruction, but Im
not sure how clear his view would have been. In any
case, if historians are to be believed its more likely that
Cromwell was down on the ground supervising, before
quickly returning to London.
Nevertheless, because we carried English Heritage cards
we got into the abbey grounds where, as ever in Britain,
neat lawns have been laid to make all that turbulent
history and destruction look a lot more palatable.
We resumed our route following

the wooden Cotswold Way signs
over lovely green rolling fields
PHOTOS: VISITENGLAND/ADAM BURTON/AWL IMAGES
Beautiful fields of lavender

near Snowshill Manor.
Top: Roses at Sudeley Castle
A great place to stay,
visit and explore
t 01432 268430
e reception@visitherefordshire.co.uk
@visitherefordshire
@VisitHfds
www.visitherefordshire.co.uk
THE COTSWOLDS
PHOTOS: COTSWOLDS PHOTO LIBRARY/ALAMY

The beautiful Jacobean
manor, Stanway House
We lay down on the grass for 20 minutes and it was

THE PLANNER a very welcome break before beginning the final section
of our walk, down Puck Pit Lane to Winchcombe. This
GETTING THERE Cotswold town is full of small idiosyncratic shops but feels
Cheltenham is the main train and bus hub if you are starting the Cotswold Way in like a real community. Its air of tranquility ought to be
Chipping Campden. Trains run regularly from London Paddington, usually with one change undermined by the fact that during the English Civil War
at Bristol Parkway. There are also direct bus services from London Victoria. Both journeys summary executions were carried out against the walls of
take around two and a half to three hours. its parish church you can still see the pockmarks that the
bullets created but no. Everything is very restful and we
WHERE TO STAY saw some sweet neo-gothic almshouses below the church,
Cotswold House in Chipping Clockwise, from left: designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1865 the architect
Painswick Rococo
Campden is a splendid Georgian building
Garden;
best known for the Midland Grand Hotel, St Pancras.
directly on the route of the Cotswold Woodchester Finally we arrived at The Lion Inn where we were
Way, while the medieval Lion Inn (right) Mansion; Queen welcomed by the landlady and her two dogs and, I have to
in Winchcombe is only a few hundred Elizabeth I admit, I immediately fell asleep in front of a roaring fire.
yards off the route. We had been given a lovely bedroom for the night in this
www.bespokehotels.com/cotswoldhouse old coaching inn but for the moment at least getting up the
www.thelionwinchcombe.co.uk stairs and into a hot bath felt pleasurably beyond me.
The next day our route took us towards Cheltenham,
WHERE TO EAT past the crenelated gatehouse of Sudeley Castle, around
There's a new brasserie at the Lygon Arms in Broadway, which is ideal for a light lunch. a commune that was set up in Jacobean Postlip Hall back
This imposing 17th-century inn also has an atmospheric Edwardian dining hall with vaulted in the 1960s (and is still going strong) and up Cleeve Hill,
ceilings and oak-panelling for more leisurely meals. www.broadway-cotswolds.co.uk/lygonarms the highest point on this route there were certainly a lot
more ups and downs to come.
FURTHER INFORMATION Part two next issue
i www.nationaltrail.co.uk/cotswold-way; www.cotswolds.com
For more Cotswolds inspiration, visit www.britain-magazine.com
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Thomas Smiths Trug Shop

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www.sussextrugs.com
Coming to South East England? Dont miss a visit to Thomas Smiths

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Were right on the main A271 road in a 100 year old building very fitting
2018 for our craft. Making Sussex Trugs since 1829
dates now Walk our workshop and see the original Royal Sussex Trug Gardening Baskets
available being made by our craftsmen and apprentices and view most of the 35 different
Why journey to the Rhine styles of the Royal Sussex Traditional Trugs that we hand craft here in our
own workshop. Why Royal Sussex? The inventor of the Trug, Thomas Smith,
when 98% of our guests recommend us? was awarded Queen Victorias Royal Warrant after Her Majesty personally
purchased some at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851 as gifts for members
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Unpack once En-suite cabins You can also see our equally famous South Down Contemporary Trug, that we
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BUY BRITISH
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF BURBERRY/PHOTO RESEARCHERS/ALAMY
The Burberry trench is

still an iconic fashion item
Below: Antarctic explorer
Ernest Shackleton, who
wore Burberry during his
1914 expedition
TRENCH C ONNECTION
We chart the history of Burberry, the British heritage brand
beloved of adventurers, pioneers and the A-list
WORDS ROSE BATEMAN
T
he British institution that is Hampshire, having earlier learned his trade
Burberry can have no better as an apprentice to a local draper. Specialising
endorsement than from national in outdoor wear, it was here, in 1879, that he
treasure, Emma Watson, who said: invented and later patented gabardine a
If I could wear any label forever, it would be tough, tightly woven fabric designed to
Burberry. You cant go wrong with a classic be both weatherproof yet breathable.
trench and jeans. Its a sentiment echoed by By 1891, the Burberry name was
scores of fashions elite. However, Burberry sufficiently esteemed and established to
is more than just the fashion darlings latest graduate from its premises in Basingstoke
fad; the now globally distributed luxury to an additional location in London.
brand is steeped in very British history. A shop on the Haymarket caught the eye
Today, familiar images of Eddie Redmayne of customers both at home and overseas.
and Kate Moss clad in classic Burberry check In circa 1901, a new logo for the brand
emblazoned across billboards worldwide are included the word Prorsum (from the Latin,
undeniably glamorous but its a far cry from meaning forwards). The brand certainly
the companys more humble early days. lived up to its new nominal addition, insofar
It was in 1856 that a 21-year old Thomas as allying itself with those who made it their
Burberry opened his first store in Basingstoke, mission in life to push boundaries.
BUY BRITISH
Opposite, top to bottom: In 1911, Burberry gabardine was the

Burberry catwalk show fabric of choice for Norwegian polar explorer
February 2017; a 1916
Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the
war-time advertisement
for the Burberry South Pole. Three years later in 1914,
trench coat Sir Ernest Shackleton headed a mission
to cross Antarctica wearing none other than
Burberry gabardine; and a decade after that,
the legendary George Mallory met his end on
Everest in 1924 clad in Burberry gabardine,
in which he lay, preserved by the cold, until
the discovery of his body in 1999.
It is unknown whether Mallory died
en route to the summit, or on the way
down, having reached it; either way, it
was Burberrys British-made and resilient
outfitting that kept the elements at bay for
the first man to get closest to Everests peak.
As well as keeping adventurous pioneers
protected from nature at its most hostile,
Burberry was tasked with keeping the
military similarly defended against the
elements gabardine was worn by soldiers
in the Boer War, but it wasnt until the
This page, clockwise from above: The First World War that the classic trench coat
Duchess of Cambridge wearing
a Burberry trench; the iconic
was born.
checked cashmere Burberry scarf; Named after the narrow and often squalid
aviators Betty Kirby-Green and dug-out ditches that constituted living
Charles William Anderson Scott quarters for soldiers in war-torn France,
with The Burberry racer Burberry supplied some half a million
BUY BRITISH
weatherproof coats to the forces their heritage brands, uttered in the same breath
hard-wearing material invaluable in the as Barbour and Hunter on the one hand for
harsh conditions. Lord Kitchener himself, its history, but with the same fashion
Secretary of State for War in 1914, wore credentials as designers Vivienne Westwood
Burberry as his stern portrait implored and Paul Smith.
legions of young men that Your Country The brand fell victim to its own success
Needs You via war-effort posters. at the turn of the millennium when its iconic
While the countrys needs abated after check was adopted by football hooligans and
the war, the call for trench coats did not. consequently maligned for the association.
What had been strictly military attire Happily, its heritage stood Burberry in good
became adopted by civilians, who couldnt stead and its reputation proved as hard
deny the practical and aesthetic merits of wearing as its fabrics. Today, Burberrys
the Burberry trench, which had, by this trench remains an icon, while its runway
time, acquired the addition of the now-iconic collections are revered on the world stage.
check lining. It is likely that, if Thomas Burberry could
But despite the cross-over from outdoor have seen celebrations for last years 160th
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF BURBERRY/MARK CUTHBERT/UK PRESS/IMAGNO/
AUSTRIAN ARCHIVES/GETTY IMAGES/MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY 2015
staple to fashion garment, the companys anniversary of the brand he created in a shop
original raison detre as providing a in Basingstoke, he would have been stunned.
protective outer layer for the intrepid had For not only does Burberry continue to
not dwindled; in 1937, the clothing label command global respect, but a short glitzy
not only created special aviation pieces, film was created for its latest Christmas
worn by Flying Officer Arthur Clouston campaign to tell the story of the brand and
and Betty Kirby-Green when they flew the the man who founded it, featuring a stellar
record-breaking fastest return flight from cast including Domhnall Gleeson, Sienna
Croydon to Cape Town, but it actually Miller, Dominic West and Lily James.
sponsored the plane, a de Havilland DH.88 Thomas Burberry, youve come a long way.
Comet Racer, called The Burberry.
Fast forward to the present day and For more stories on iconic British brands, visit
Burberry remains one of this countrys true www.britain-magazine.com
THEATRE
Left to right: Jonathan Miller

production of The Mikado at the
London Coliseum, 2015; 1881
caricature of Gilbert and Sullivan
THEATRE
An
INDOMITABLE
DOUBLE ACT
Fish and chips, bacon and eggs, Gilbert and Sullivan:
it could be argued that Britains most successful
exports come in pairs and few have had the
longevity of this songwriting duo
WORDS RUTH MATTHEWS
B
etween 1871 and 1896, Gilbert novels and short stories later in life, with his
and Sullivan collaborated on son contributing illustrations to his books.
14 comic operas in a partnership As well as similarities, there were
so successful they continue to be differences between the two though they
performed with regularity throughout the were both perfectionists, Sullivan was
world to this day. Their works have shaped ebullient and sociable, Gilbert famously
the development of musical theatre, as well dour and prickly. In their lives before
as appearing in and influencing literature, collaborating, Gilbert wrote widely short
television and film and even political and stories, plays and poems including his famous
daily discourse. If youve ever hummed Bab Ballads, where early ideas for his
Three Little Maids or uttered the phrase
Let the punishment fit the crime, Gilbert
and Sullivan have found their way to you.
It is possible, of course, that the name
of Gilbert or Sullivan might have endured
without the partnership, but more likely that,
as director Mike Leigh puts it, without
each other, both Gilbert and Sullivan would
probably have sunk without trace. He
explains: Each of these men was an
extremely skilled craftsman in his own
PHOTOS: THEATREPIX/ALAMY/MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY
right. But the key to their success is that

they knew how to write for each other.
Gilbert and Sullivan were both born in
London, with six years separating their
births: Gilberts in 1836, Sullivans in
1842. Each, to some extent, followed
in the footsteps of his father. Sullivan was
the son of a military bandmaster by the
age of eight the child could play most
of the instruments in the band. Gilberts
father was a naval surgeon, but he wrote
THEATRE
PHOTOS: WORLD HISTORY ARCHIVE/ALAMY/GILBERT AND SULLIVAN FESTIVALS
librettos can be found. The wunderkind

Sullivan composed as a child and received
the first Mendelssohn Scholarship, which
enabled him to study at the Royal Academy
of Music and Leipzig Conservatory.
It was John Hollingshead, manager of the
Gaiety Theatre on the Strand, who matched
the talents of the two for a musical burlesque
called Thespis, or The Gods Grown Old.
The show was not an unqualified success,
opening on Boxing Day in 1871 to some
booing from the audience and poor reviews,
but there was praise too. Sullivan himself
wrote to his mother to say, flaws aside,
I have rarely seen anything so beautifully
put upon the stage. No vocal score was
ever published and today the manuscript is
lost, although one ballad, Little Maid Of
Arcadee, and one chorus, Climbing Over
Rocky Mountain, which found its way into
The Pirates of Penzance, survive.
Top to bottom: An illustration of the Savoy Theatre c.1881;

a performance of The Gondoliers at the International
Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, Harrogate
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HOUSE
GARDEN
FARMYARD
SHOP & EAT
STAY
Its all Theres something

for everyone at
Chatsworth in 2017
Discover our most ambitious exhibition to
date, House Style: Five Centuries of Fashion
DW&KDWVZRUWKRUMRLQXVIRUWKHUVWHYHU
RHS Chatsworth Flower Show. Explore the
garden throughout the seasons or visit the
farmyard and adventure playground for a fun-
OOHGGD\RXW
2017 is set to be another remarkable year

at Chatsworth, featuring a host of events and
activities. The house, garden, farmyard and
adventure playground are open every day.
BOOK ONLINE AT CHATSWORTH.ORG
Book tickets THEATRE
for the International
Gilbert and Sullivan
Festival at www.britain-
magazine.com/gs
festival
PHOTOS: NEIL MCALLISTER/ALAMY/MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY 2015
The pairs next collaboration and first muscle to seize the scenery during a
hit came in 1875. At the suggestion of performance. The thugs were unsuccessful,
impresario Richard DOyly Carte, who was but the fallout left Carte free to form, with
managing the Royalty Theatre and looking Gilbert and Sullivan, the DOyly Carte Opera
for something to accompany Offenbachs La Company, which would go on to perform all
Prichole, the pair collaborated on Trial by their operas and continue for over a century
Jury, a work for which Gilbert mined his until it closed, in its original form, in 1982.
former short-lived experience as a barrister. Carte was a force of nature. To prepare
Keen to establish a new genre of English American audiences for Patience, Gilbert and
comic opera, Carte nurtured the partnership. Sullivans sixth collaboration, he dispatched
The Sorcerer, in 1877, featured Gilberts Oscar Wilde on a lecture tour in the US, so
famous magic lozenge device, which would audiences over there might better understand
later become a bone of contention (Sullivan the satire, which focused on the aesthetic
had a hankering for realism rather than movement and its colourful characters
magic), but it was with HMS Pinafore that poets such as Wilde, Swinburne and Rossetti.
the pair had their first international hit. During the run of Patience, Carte
There is so much to love about Pinafore, determined to build his own playhouse.
which, like many of Gilberts librettos, pokes On the banks of the Thames, the Savoy
fun at the British establishment. Featuring Theatre, which took its name from the site
hits such as When I Was A Lad, the famous of the former palace on which it is built,
refrain What, never? Hardly ever! and a opened in 1881 and became the permanent
typical topsy-turvy twist at the end, the work home of Gilbert and Sullivan. Patience
is a masterpiece with Gilberts razor-sharp transferred to its stage and each subsequent
lyrics and Sullivans music brimming with joy. work would open there, with the canon
HMS Pinafore enjoyed the second longest becoming known as the Savoy Operas.
run of any piece of musical theatre in history Above: A Vanity Fair caricature of Richard DOyly Carte Always forward-thinking, Carte must
up to that point. During that time Carte Top: The beautiful Royal Hall in Harrogate, where the have been proud to unveil the theatre as
quarreled with his investors, who sent hired annual International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival is held the first public building in the world to be
BRITAIN 43
THEATRE
illuminated entirely by electric lighting, controversy (although Jonathan Millers

which would have enhanced the lavish decor. enormously successful production for English
Iolanthe, which premiered there in 1882, National Opera has seen at least 14 revivals)
would take advantage of the electricity too, but nevertheless it contains some of the pairs
furnishing the female chorus of fairies with best-loved songs, such as Three Little Maids
sparkling magic wands. The theatre, gutted From School Are We and As Some Day It
by fire in 1990, was restored in the early 90s. May Happen (aka Ive Got A Little List).
Carte next set his sights on building a hotel The Gondoliers, which was performed
on land adjacent to the theatre, which would for Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle in
offer accommodation to tourists, particularly 1891, was Gilbert and Sullivans last great
Americans, who travelled to London to catch success. The relationship deteriorated,
the latest Savoy Opera. After five years of reaching a nadir with what is cited as the
building, the Savoy opened its doors in 1889. carpet quarrel over furnishings at the
Meanwhile, during the run of Iolanthe, Savoy Theatre, which took place between
Sullivan was knighted by Queen Victoria Gilbert and Carte (in truth, it was about
for his services to music. Increasingly the Cartes honesty in his business dealings.)
composer began to view his comic operas Sullivan sided with Carte and a court
with Gilbert as beneath his talent. He had it case ensued. Eventually an uneasy peace was
in his head he would like to write a serious reached in time for their later collaborations,
opera (which he would later go on to do but these never reached the heights of their
with Ivanhoe in 1891) and a long-standing best work. Sullivan died in 1900, with Carte
argument between the pair about whether the following him shortly after in 1901. Gilbert
quality of the music was sacrificed for the was the last of the three to go, in 1911, after
good of the words (or vice versa) brewed. receiving a knighthood from Edward VII.
It cant have helped that Princess Ida was There are many ways to remember
no huge success in 1884. That same year, Gilbert and Sullivan, with memorials to
Sullivan wrote to Carte, It is impossible for Sullivan in Embankment Gardens and St
me to do another piece of the character of Pauls Cathedral and one to Gilbert on the
those already written by Gilbert and myself. Thames Embankment, which reads His
When Princess Ida closed, for the first Foe was Folly, and his Weapon Wit. But
time in the partnerships history no new the best way to know the pair is through
opera was ready and Carte was forced to their glorious works, celebrated most notably
put on instead a revival of The Sorcerer. at the annual International Gilbert and
The situation, however, was resolved by Sullivan Festival in Harrogate and London.
Gilberts trip to the Japanese exhibition, The festival celebrates its 24th birthday
which planted the idea of The Mikado in August 2017, offering a wide range
finally a project Sullivan could get excited of Gilbert and Sullivans works. To
about. Today, the work is not without paraphrase the great WS Gilbert, its
not one to be missed.
Top to bottom: 1881 poster for satirical opera, Patience;
music sheet for Three Little Maids From School ; stage For more on this years festival and to book
shot of a London performance of comic opera, Iolanthe tickets, go to www.britain-magazine.com/gsfestival
PHOTOS: LORDPRICE COLLECTION/CHRONICLE/ALAMY/MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY
Stanhope Forbes (1857 1947) Gala Day at Newlyn, 1907 Oil on canvas, 106 x 136 cm, Hartlepool Art Gallery The Artists Estate / Bridgeman Art Library
Forbes (1857 1947) Gala Day at Newlyn, 1907 Oil on canvas, 106 x 136 cm, Hartlepool Art Gallery The Artists Estate / Bridgeman Art Library
Stanhope Stanhope
Forbes (1857 1947) Gala Day at Newlyn, 1907 Oil on canvas, 106 x 136 cm, Hartlepool Art Gallery The Artists Estate / Bridgeman Art Library
Bristol Cathedral
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House and Gardens

open for Group Tours
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from
1 April until 29 September 2017
201 7 T H E 20 0 T H
AN N IVE R SARY O F H E R D E AT H
2017 marks the 200th anniversary of the death of Jane Austen. Buried
in the north nave aisle of Winchester Cathedral, Janes work has
inspired people from all across the world, generation after generation.
For entry fees and further information please visit our website Join us for events, services, tours and much more taking place in 2017
or contact the Administrator to celebrate the life of Hampshires favourite author.
Telephone 01780 450278 | Email admin@deenepark.com
T
Further information and enquiries
www.deenepark.com www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk | 01962 857 200
@deenepark.com facebook.com/deenepark winchestercathedral @WinCathedral janeausten200.co.uk
South West Coast Path/Roy Curtis
Praa Sands, Cornwall, England.

visitbritain.com
One of the finest Cathedrals

Follow in the footsteps of kings and scholars and learn about the legends, characters and stories of the
Cathedral; stories of battles, power, politics, romance and pilgrimage. Stunning architecture, fascinating history
and arguably one of the finest Cathedrals in the world. This living, breathing church is open for everyone to
enjoy.
www.LincolnCathedral.com
PLACES TO STAY
A UIRKY Q
NIGHTS SLEEP
Far from standardised hotels and B&Bs, Britain is home to a world
of unusual places to stay that offer a unique place to rest your
head while providing an interesting travel tale or two
WORDS HEIDI FINNANE
PHOTOS: RIK HAMILTON/KEVIN BRITLAND/ALAMY
PLACES TO STAY
Clockwise, from left:

One of the bedrooms in a
converted Pullman carriage
at the Old Railway Station
in Petworth; the lovely
exposed-beam interior
of Old Smock Mill;
West Cornwall's exotic
Egyptian House; West Usk
Lighthouse in Newport
offers four lovely bedrooms
PHOTOS: RICHARD GADSBY PHOTOGRAPHY/PAUL GRUNDY/MANOR PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY/JERZY BIN
PLACES TO STAY
C
ornwall may exude boutique houses and
cosy cottages but for a night inspired by the
Pharaohs themselves, the Egyptian House,
in the centre of Penzance, West Cornwall,
makes for one of Britains quirkiest stays.
This beautifully preserved example of Egyptian Revival
architecture a somewhat rare style inspired by
Napoleons late 18th-century campaigns in Egypt was
built in 1835 by mineralogist and bookseller John Lavin
and includes a grand faade with traditional pylon and
lotus bud capitals. The design is reminiscent of the famed
1812 Egyptian Hall in Londons Piccadilly that was sadly
demolished in 1905, and is often attributed to Plymouth
architect John Foulston, although there is little to no
evidence to validate this.
The exotic exterior of the Grade I-listed building, which
interestingly combines two small shopfronts into one,
was used by Lavin to lure customers in to buy fossils and
minerals some brought back by overseas explorers but
many found by local Cornish miners working in the area
as well as maps, guides and stationery.
The Lavin family sold the building in the early 20th
century and it became dilapidated over the ensuing years
before being rescued by The Landmark Trust in 1968.
Renovated in 1970 and returned to its former grandeur,
the house has been converted into three compact
self-catered
apartments, sleeping For an ever-unique
either 3 or 4, with the
top-floor apartment stay, a night in one
including a view over of four beautiful
the chimney pots to
Mounts Bay. Edwardian train
Although the interiors
are not as rich as carriages is a must
the exterior, the
apartments do make great bases for exploring the historic
port town of Penzance with its beautiful beaches, markets,
1930s Art Deco lido one of Britains last remaining
examples and the island fortress St Michaels Mount.
For a truly lavish experience, The Witchery by the Castle
on Edinburghs Royal Mile should not disappoint. The
rather unassuming 16th-century building by the gates
to Edinburgh Castle was originally built for merchant
Thomas Lowthian in 1595 and the doorway still bears his
initials and motto O Lord in thee is all my traist. Rather
darkly named after the hundreds of witches burnt at the
stake on Castlehill during the 16th and 17th centuries, the
multi award-winning restaurant, which first opened on
Halloween in 1979, is now lauded as destination dining at
its best with its delectable food and candle-lit dining room.
In more recent years, nine luxurious suites have been
added upstairs in the adjacent 17th-century Sempills
Court and continue the indulgent Gothic-style of the
restaurant. The suites are opulence at its finest. Each room
is uniquely decorated with plush interiors featuring rich
antique furnishings, huge four-poster beds lavishly
PLACES TO STAY
Above: The opulent interior

of the Heriot suite at The
Witchery, Edinburgh
Below: Star Castle Hotel on
St Mary's, Isles of Scilly
Right: The self-contained
Old Smock Mill, Benenden
PHOTOS: ROBERTHARDING/SIMON EVANS/YURIFINEART/MINDEN PICTURES/ALAMY
For more
amazing British
draped with embroidered velvet, gilded ceilings, intricate of the castle that still bears the initials ER for places to stay, go
tapestries, wood-panelling, marble floors and roll-top Queen Elizabeth I herself. to www.britain-
baths built for two. The ultimate in decadent escapes, Named after the unusual outer wall shape, which
guests receive a bottle of Champagne on arrival and comes from the eight-pointed star plan of the
magazine.com
breakfast hampers delivered each morning. ramparts, Star Castle Hotel is a character-filled
Step back in time to the golden age of railway travel Grade I-listed castle set among 4 acres of secluded
at The Old Railway Station in Petworth, West Sussex. The gardens. Guests can opt to stay in one of the contemporary
derelict site once considered Britains most beautiful suites set outside the starred walls or in one of the small
railway station was lovingly transformed into a glorious selection of rooms in the original 16th-century fortress,
bed and breakfast in 1995 and is the ideal spot to access complete with creaky staircases and furniture dating from
nearby National Trust properties Uppark House and the Jacobean period. With breathtaking views over the
Petworth House, which both date from the 17th century. sand-fringed coastline, two restaurants and a dungeon bar,
Built in 1892 at the behest of the then Prince of Wales, its a great base for exploring the islands.
who would later become King Edward VII, so he could Known as the Garden of England, Kent with its many
travel to Goodwood for the horseracing, both the station stately homes and castles has no end of attractions and for
and Petworth line (which had been opened some years a truly unusual night for two, the early 19th-century grain
earlier) were very rarely used. Located on the branch line mill, Old Smock Mill in Benenden, is spot on.
between Pulborough and Midhurst in the middle of the Exquisitely restored in 2011, the smock mill, a design of
West Sussex countryside, the line was eventually closed in mill built using a wooden framework rather than masonry,
1966 and the disused railway track replaced with a garden. is sadly still missing its rotted sails (locally known as
The wooden station has been completely overhauled with sweeps) and cap, however a request for funding is hoping
the waiting room and parcels office now the reception area, to soon reinstate the building to its full former glory.
and the upstairs area converted into two large suites. And Operational until the Second World
while the beautiful station is one draw, for an ever-unique War, when it was used as a gunners
stay, a night in one of the four Edwardian train carriages is lookout, the three-storey mill now
a must. The wooden Pullman carriages, the oldest dating features: a kitchen and living area
from 1912, have been converted into four luxury suites and with fireplace on the meal floor, where
retain their original brown-and-cream livery, mahogany the ground grain would have been
interiors and windows, and feature large, comfy beds. processed; a French-style bedroom
The unusually short West Usk Lighthouse, situated on the second floor or stone floor,
between Newport and Cardiff and overlooking the River so called because this is where the
Usk and the Bristol Channel, provides an intimate stay just millstones were housed; and a huge
over two hours drive from London. Built in 1821 by the bathroom on the third floor or dust
Scottish architect James Walker, the once fully operational floor, reached by a spiral oak staircase.
lighthouse was decommissioned in 1922, when the Views across the beautiful Kent
property became a family home, before being used as a countryside complete this charming
look-out post during WWII. In 1987 the lighthouse was self-contained accommodation.
restored into the sweet B&B that it is today.
Decked out in maritime memorabilia, the Grade II-listed
building now features four comfortable wedge-shaped
rooms that, unusually due to the large circumference of the BOOK AHEAD
building, are all contained within the lighthouse. Found at
the end of a long stony drive, the lighthouse sits snuggly The Egyptian House, Penzance, West Usk Lighthouse, St. Brides, Newport
against the clifftop with lovely sea views. West Cornwall Cosy bed and breakfast set in an unusually
Fans of Doctor Who, will love the Dalek in the entrance Stay in one of three apartments set in this short yet once fully functioning lighthouse
hall downstairs and the Tardis on the roof next to the hot extraordinary 19th-century house, which with plenty of maritime memorabilia.
tub. And if youre keen for a little adventure, West Usk is a features a beautiful Egyptian Revival faade. www.westusklighthouse.co.uk
great spot to take in some of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path www.landmarktrust.org.uk
the rugged clifftop walk that hugs 186 miles of coastline Star Castle Hotel, Isles of Scilly
from St Dogmaels in the north to Amroth in the south. The Witchery by the Castle, Edinburgh Original 16th-century Elizabethan fortress
The archipelago of the Isles of Scilly, to the southwest For a truly lavish experience, book into one on the Isles of Scilly, which features 4 acres
of Cornwall, is a truly beautiful place to explore, and if of these nine opulent suites, which include of secluded gardens, two restaurants and
you fancy a night in an original Elizabethan fortress, antique furnishings, four-poster beds and a rather scary-sounding dungeon bar.
then family-run Star Castle Hotel, on the west of St roll-top baths. www.thewitchery.com www.star-castle.co.uk
Marys, is ideal.
Commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I in 1593, the The Old Railway Station, Petworth Old Smock Mill, Benenden, Kent
castle was built as a military outpost during the Anglo- This wooden railway station has been Have a romantic stay for two in an early
Spanish War to strengthen the islands defences against transformed into a luxury B&B, with options 19th-century mill, featuring original
continued Spanish raids. Today it is one of less than 10 to overnight in an Edwardian railway carriage. beamwork, copper sinks, a freestanding bath
recorded fortifications that survive from the period, and www.old-station.co.uk and charm a plenty. www.oldsmockmill.com
history fans will enjoy finding the plaque in an upper room
More than just an air museum!
O P E N D A I LY
Burial place of
Katharine of Aragon
and first burial place of
Brilliant
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Down
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Prominent and majestic, the cathedral is believed to have the grave of St Patrick in its grounds.
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HISTORY
Top to bottom:
King George III with his wife
Queen Charlotte and six
of their children; a 1754
portrait by Jean-Etienne
Liotard of a 16-year-old
Prince of Wales, later
King George III
PHOTOS: ART COLLECTION/ALAMY
THE SECRET
LIVES OF THE
GEORGIANS
The publication of private letters kept by
King George III reveal a different side to
the king labelled mad and his family
WORDS NEIL JONES
HISTORY
PHOTOS: HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES/CHRISTOPHER HURST/JOHN HAMMOND/NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/FINE ART IMAGES/HERITAGE IMAGES/GETTY
Portrait of six of
King George III's children:
Princess Augusta, Princess
Elizabeth, Prince Ernest,
Prince Augustus, Prince
Adolphus and Princess Mary
T
he notepaper may be mottled by age, but the & Culture and the College of William & Mary. The trove
handwriting is clear, the words full of anguish. of secrets promises especially to change opinions on
It is 8 August 1781 and King George III, sitting George III, Britains longest-reigning king (17601820).
at Windsor Castle, is penning a letter to Usually caricatured as the sovereign who lost America
his prime minister, Lord North, informing him that and went mad, George was nevertheless the first king
the wayward Prince of Wales had fallen into a very of Australia, presided over the union of Ireland with
improper connection with an actress and woman of Great Britain into the United Kingdom, and held onto
PHOTOS: JLIMAGES/FRANCISCO MARTINEZ/ALAMY/MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY 2015/NATIONAL CIVIL WAR CENTRE
indifferent character. With the woman now threatening the throne while revolution swept through Europe.
to make public letters from the prince that reveal sensitive A champion of the arts and sciences, he was a prolific
political matters, the king has employed an intermediary writer and hoarder of documents now giving us vivid,
to buy her off with 5,000 (circa 750,000 today): first-hand insight behind closed royal doors.
undoubtedly an enormous sum, but I wish to get Take, for example, the touching, handwritten
my son out of this shameful scrape. instructions on how to be king, given to the young George
The letter is just one of many extraordinary documents by his father Frederick (13 January 1749), counselling
from the Royal Archives and Royal Library at Windsor him to be honourable, just, humane, generous and brave,
Castle being revealed for the first time to the public and to play down the familys German roots. Convince
online through the Georgian Papers Programme (GPP). this nation that you are not only an Englishman born
Launched by the Queen in April 2015 and now live on and bred, but that you are also this by inclination.
the GPP website, the project will take until 2020 to
complete: bringing over 350,000 pages of Georgian
royal love letters, diaries, classified state documents, ROYAL SPIES
essays and even abdication plans into the open after
over 200 years under lock and key. George III employed a network of spies. One, codenamed
Covering the reign of the Hanoverian dynasty Aristarchus, specialised in lurid warnings of impending peril, including
(17141837), the project is a mammoth task being telling the king he had been seen walking at night in the Queens
orchestrated by the Royal Archives, the Royal Library and Garden and that the French planned to assassinate him there.
Kings College London, with primary partners in the US Aristarchuss scribblings proved rubbish and the king sacked him.
the Omohundro Institute of Early American History
HISTORY
Clockwise, from this painting:

State Portrait of George III in
coronation robes; The Prince
Regent, later King George IV
in field marshal's uniform;
Queen Charlotte
HISTORY
King at the age of 22, George III quickly married DOOMED LOVE
17-year-old Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
and bought a new London home, todays Buckingham Princess Amelia (right, painted by Peter
Palace. Papers reveal just how devoted the couple were Edward Stroehling c.1805), George IIIs
to their 15 children, an early model for the modern youngest child, had an affair with a
notion of the Royal Family. Charlottes letters describe kings equerry, Charles FitzRoy, and
the children missing their Papa when he is away; even signed her letters to him AFR
George meticulously records each childs height (Amelia FitzRoy). Amelia died from
in growth charts to the nearest 1/16th of an inch. tuberculosis at the age of 27 and in her
But it is the kings insatiable hunger for knowledge will of 28 July 1810 left almost all her
and tireless obsession with detail that really strikes. His possessions to her most valuable
countless essays on history, the constitution, revenue and friend FitzRoy. Subsequent letters
tax, languages, maths, geography, philosophy, music and between FitzRoy, the Prince of Wales
natural sciences show a busy brain processing almost every and royal solicitors chart wrangles to
subject under the sun: not least jottings On Turnep- override the will and avoid a scandal.
Rooted Cabbage and plans for a turnip prize he was
PHOTOS: PAUL MAQUIRE/ALAMY/ ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II, 2016/WWW.BRIDGEMANIMAGES.COM
Left: The Dutch

House, one of the
few remaining
sections of Kew
Palace, the home
of King George III
where he had an
observatory built in
1769 to view
the transit
of Venus
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HISTORY
Delve into the Georgian Papers

online, for there you will find
the real King George III: dutiful
to both his family and his nation
nicknamed Farmer George for his interests in agriculture.

He had a private observatory built near Kew Palace to
observe the 1769 transit of Venus and predicted the
recurrence of the phenomenon in 1874 and 2004.
George had restless feet, too, and his constant travelling
between Kew and Windsor exasperated Charlotte, though
curiously he never ventured further north than Worcester.
But he did travel the world in his mind witness his
secret instructions to Captain Cook to find the Northern
Passage by sea from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean.
George was a manic micro-manager, and with the
American War of Independence looming we find him
considering in a 1775 memorandum to himself the
number of troops to send will probably exceed
38,000 right down to calculating the need for
52,000 Blankets and 4,200 Watch Coats. Three
years later he wrote to Lord North to express disapproval
of the prime ministers desire to negotiate for peace.
In 1783, George is in the thick of horse-trading between
ministers to form a new government, scribbling letters on
a Sunday, the exact times noted right up to 35 mins past
10pm. Thwarted in his ideals and feeling let down by
scheming politicians, on 28 March he drafts with
agitated crossings out a message of abdication at the
most serious, as well as most painful moment of My
Life, concluding, I trust this Personal sacrifice will
awaken the various parties to a sense of their Duty.
His sense of duty prevented him from actually abdicating.
It is easy to see from such papers how Georges frenetic
Above: activities, his anguish over losing America and worries
A satirical 1795 over the Prince of Waless louche lifestyle might
caricature of precipitate mental crises. His bouts of madness began
Farmer George
PHOTOS: HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES. COPYRIGHT: ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST/HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II 2016/
by famous political in 1788, yet far from conventional pictures of him as a
cartoonist straitjacketed lunatic, he appears lucid about his
James Gillray condition as he recovers the following year, writing
perfectly reasonably to the queen about avoiding
all discussions that may in their nature agitate me.
TRAGIC PRINCE It was once thought George suffered from porphyria
(a blood disorder), but now medical opinion suggests
Among the most poignant discoveries a form of mania. Sadly, the death of his favourite
to come to light is a letter from Queen daughter, Princess Amelia, in 1810 triggered a relapse
Charlotte to Lady Charlotte Finch, and his dissolute eldest son became Prince Regent
from 1811. George would die, blind and living alone,
ROYAL ARCHIVES WINDSOR/ROYAL LIBRARY WINDSOR
governess to the royal children.

Thanking her for caring for Prince in a secluded corner of Windsor Castle in 1820.
Alfred, who died just before his second But set aside this final, tragic image and delve into
birthday, the queens note has a tiny the Georgian Papers online, for there you will find a
keepsake attached with the words: hardworking polymath, dutiful to family and nation
Prince Alfred's Hair. Cut off during his and his legacy, despite the odds, is an enduring
Illness Augt 1782 at the Lower Lodge constitutional monarchy.
Windsor. The curl of blond hair (right)
is as shiny as if just cut. To find out more and to access the fascinating Georgian
Papers Programme go to gpp.royalcollection.org.uk
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STATELY SECRETS
BE OUR GUEST
Take a peek into the private lives of the Marlborough family and
their friends on one of Blenheim Palaces behind-the-scenes tours
WORDS SALLY COFFEY
STATELY SECRETS
STATELY SECRETS
STATELY SECRETS
Castle Howard is a
Left: catodpsof psiouf;liduflkdsfl;kjsd Baroque masterpiece
jsdfkjsd oisdufo psdiufkljsdf Inset: The 1981 adaptation
Below: sofsdfjkls sdf;lisdflkjsdf ;sdlf of Brideshead Revisited
doiudfklsdjf sdfoiusdlkjoje was filmed at the house
T
he Baroque masterpiece of Blenheim Palace Guests for both the Upstairs Tour and the Dukes Floor Top to bottom: The
is a sight to behold particularly when Tour meet by a doorway to the left of the palaces main China Room, seen on
approached via the Woodstock Gate entrance on the Great Court, which is used by the Duke the Downstairs Tour;
magnificent Baroque
where you are granted uninterrupted views and his family today. Blenheim Palace
across Capability Brown-designed parkland towards When he is at home, the 12th Duke drives right onto Left: The red-carpeted
architect John Vanbrughs Grand Bridge but have the Great Court which although once grassed over by north corridor east
you ever wondered what it is like to arrive as a guest Capability Brown was returned to its original Vanbrugh Previous page:
of the Marlboroughs? design by the 9th Duke and parks outside this rather The Sunderland
Bedroom
Until 30 October, visitors to Blenheim Palace, the modest front door.
family seat of the Duke of Marlborough, can join one
of three tours of the Duke of Marlboroughs private
apartments to get an insiders view of the familys life
away from the public glare, and how their (often
illustrious) guests are taken care of during their stay.
The tours include a Dukes Floor Tour, which takes
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF BLENHEIM PALACE/MARK HEMSWORTH
in the familys sitting room, dining room and the master

bedroom; an Upstairs Tour, which showcases guest rooms
interlinked by secret corridors; and a Downstairs Tour,
which gives a glimpse into life behind the green baize door,
such as how staff endeavour to lay food on the dining
room table 34 seconds after it has been served up by the
Michelin-starred chef one floor below. Downstairs you
can also see special areas such as the China Room where
the family once (rather recklessly) played table tennis.
Tours are capped at 12 people at a time, giving you an
intimate experience, although you are advised to book
ahead (please note the tours will be closed on select dates).
STATELY SECRETS
Once through the doorway, guests

of the Upstairs Tour are escorted along
It is imperative that guests
a red-carpeted hallway and through a never witness the extraordinary
pair of double doors to the back stairs,
which are used by staff. lengths to which staff go to
Halfway up the spiral staircase you
come to a mezzanine floor, between the
ensure their every need is met
Dukes Floor and the guest bedrooms
above. This is the housekeepers area The first guest rooms you enter as part of this tour
and if a guest needs a button added to are the Blandford Rooms, which have been freshly (and
a shirt or some such, the garment will tastefully) decorated in the past year, making them a far
be whisked away here, mended, ironed, cry from the decaying rooms found in many stately homes.
wrapped in tissue paper and returned In the 1970s these rooms would have been the nursery
to the guests bedroom as if by magic. and bedrooms of the Dukes half brother and sister, Lord
If you look down the staircase from Edward and Lady Alexandra.
here you can see some odd marks on From the window of Lady Alexandras bedroom you can
the wall, caused by years of friction see out across the Great Court to the Column of Victory,
as footmen employed a novel way commissioned by the first Dukes widow, in honour of her
of transporting laundry baskets husbands military successes. From here you can also see
downstairs jumping in them and Vanbrughs famous Grand Bridge and the nearby plinth
using the staircase as a slalom course. that marks the site of Woodstock Manor, where Henry IIs
Top to bottom: Of course, guests would never be privy to this mistress, Rosamund Clifford, once resided.
The Duchess's sitting they would use the much more inviting ducal The nanny and her husband would once have occupied
room in the private staircase and it is absolutely imperative that they never the room that adjoins Lady Alexandras room, but today it
apartments; the
Duke's sitting room witness the lengths to which staff go to ensure their is laid out for a lady guest, with a breakfast tray on the bed
bell forms part of an every needs are met (nor how they behave when they women guests are not expected at breakfast and
iconic bell system are not on show). Blenheim water on the bedside table.
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STATELY SECRETS
HM The Queen and The In the adjoining bedroom there are original
THE PLANNER drawings by Capability Brown, who designed
Duke of Edinburgh have the parkland in his trademark naturalistic way
been guests at Blenheim GETTING THERE
Direct trains to Oxford Parkway
to great expense, which depict future plans for
Blenheim, but sadly it appears the 4th Duke
from London take just over an hour. filed them away as he did not have the funds
Next you come to the Sunderland Rooms, Oxford Stagecoach operates a bus service to realise Browns further ambitions.
whose walls are adorned with family portraits, from the station to Woodstock, which If you want to get insight into some of the
paintings by some of the female members of takes 20 minutes. www.thetrainline.com; lucky people to have stayed at Blenheim then
the family and huge tapestries, as well as British www.stagecoachbus.com take the extended tour of the Dukes Floor (daily
walnut cabinets dating from the reign of at 10.45am and 1.25pm) where you can see the
William and Mary. TICKETS visitors book, which is turned to the page of
Each room is connected to the room beyond it Tours last about 45 minutes and cost Clementine Hozier and Sir Winston Churchill,
and at times guests have to go through someone 5 (4.50 concessions) per tour on top of dated just after Churchill, who was born here,
elses room to get to their own a bit of an the entrance fee to the palace and grounds. proposed to his beloved by the Temple of Diana.
inconvenience if you dont like someone but it We cant think of a lovelier setting for a
could also come in handy if planning clandestine WHERE TO STAY romantic proposal and we wonder whether
meetings. Apparently at one point in the palaces The Feathers is a stylish townhouse like Lilian Hamersley, the 8th Dukes second
history a bell would sound at 6.30am to give hotel by the Woodstock gate to Blenheim. wife, who refused to accept his proposal until
people time to get back to the correct bedroom. www.feathers.co.uk she had seen Blenheim Palace, and Sarah
Were sure when the Queen and the Duke Churchill, the first Dukes wife who once
of Edinburgh stayed in the opulent Tower had a plunge pool installed in what is now
Bedroom they required no such alarm. This bedroom is Above: Youll see the the billiards room, Clementine had some rather
located on a corner with windows on to the east lawn and smoking room on exacting demands of her own.
the south lawn, making them very secure. The beautiful The Duke's Floor tour
Georgian bed is decorated with oriental motifs (as was For more stories on stately homes from around Britain,
the fashion of the day) but is entirely English in its design. visit www.britain-magazine.com
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A DAY TO REMEMBER
D I S C OV E R O N E O F E N G L A N D S M O S T
B E AU T I F U L A N D H I S T O R IC C A S T L E S
The
The Historic FamilyHome
Historic Family Home
N N estledininthe
estled theWeald
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of Kent,
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(c) Peter Smith & Nick McCann, Jigsaw Design and Publishing
h e verc ast l e.c o.u k

(c) Peter Smith & Nick McCann, Jigsaw Design and Publishing
Penshurst Place boasts

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COMPETITION
W IN A DAY OUT AT
BLENHEIM PALACE
& STAY IN WOODSTOCK
W
eve teamed up with Blenheim Palace provide stunning settings for a range of sporting
and The Feathers Hotel, Woodstock, and cultural events throughout the year. HOW TO ENTER
to offer you the chance to win an For the ultimate day out, Blenheim Palace
overnight stay for two with dinner and breakfast now offers a selection of VIP Experiences,
at The Feathers Hotel, together with a pair of including The Sir Winston Churchill Experience For your chance to win this fantastic
tickets to Blenheim Palace, with access to the and The Garden Experience. prize go to www.britain-magazine.
Palace State Rooms, Park and Formal Gardens. Part of the very fabric of Woodstock since the com/blenheimcomp or fill in the
A true masterpiece of Baroque architecture, 17th century, The Feathers is a chic townhouse coupon below with the answer to the
Blenheim Palace delivers an awe-inspiring hotel located by the gates of Blenheim Palace, following question:
experience. Inside the Palace you can discover which offers guests boutique but traditional
more than 300 years of captivating stories from bedrooms and a warm welcome. Food and Q: Which British leader was born
the Palaces past in the animated and interactive drink are the focus here the award-winning at Blenheim Palace?
visitor experience, The Untold Story. restaurant serves the best of modern English a) Winston Churchill
With over 2,000 acres of Capability Brown cuisine and locally-sourced ingredients, while b) Oliver Cromwell
landscaped Parkland and Gardens, theres The Feathers bar was first into The Guinness c) Margaret Thatcher
always something to explore outside, whatever Book of World Records for offering the greatest
the season. Enjoy open spaces punctuated by variety of gin in the world. The stylish garden TERMS AND CONDITIONS
mature trees, through intricate features like the courtyard at the rear of the Gin Bar is arguably Closing date for entries is 7 July 2017. Prize to be redeemed by
7 July 2018, subject to availability. For full terms and conditions
water terraces, to more peaceful areas such as the best place to enjoy a G&T on a warm spring go to www.britain-magazine.com/blenheimcomp
the Secret Garden and the Churchill Memorial or summers evening.
Garden, which celebrates the life and legacy of
our Greatest Briton. These outdoor areas also
ENTRY FORM
SEND YOUR COUPON TO: US readers Blenheim Palace Competition,
C/O Circulation Specialists, 2 Corporate Drive, Suite 945, Shelton, CT 06484
PHOTO: NICKSMITHPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
UK and Rest of World readers Blenheim Palace Competition, BRITAIN magazine,

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LANDMARKS
B IG
EN
As a major restoration project gets underway
at Londons most recognisable landmark,
we tell the story of our iconic bell
WORDS DIANA WOOLF
LANDMARKS
LANDMARKS
T
he famous Big Ben bongs will fall silent this Below, left to right: the clock. The original bell weighed a staggering 16 tonnes
spring as a 29 million restoration programme The Great Bell, and was cast by Warners of Norton. It was hung in
gets underway. The clock has been telling the affectionately New Palace Yard temporarily but when tested in October
known as Big Ben;
time for Londoners since the mid 19th century the rear face of the 1857 an alarming 1.2m crack appeared. Everyone blamed
and now needs serious attention, with works including great clock in the everyone else for this, with the foundry accusing Denison
repair to the clock, as well as the fabric of the tower. Elizabeth Tower of insisting on a hammer too big for the bell. Eventually
Big Ben the name given to the great bell rather than the the bell was broken up and a lighter bell recast by the
actual clock was installed in the Palace of Westminster Opening page, left Whitechapel Foundry. It was soon known affectionately
to right: Big Ben
clock tower in 1859. Since then it has become Britains and the Houses of as Big Ben, possibly getting its name from Sir Benjamin
most famous bell. Its iconic chimes were first recorded Parliament seen Hall, First Commissioner for Works at the time.
by the BBC on New Years Eve in 1923 and are now through an arch The next task facing Denison was installing the bell.
recorded live by the BBC twice a day, every day, at 6pm under Westminster Problems arose when it was discovered that the bell
and midnight. And the clock itself, with its four, huge cast Bridge; the Yorkshire was too large to be winched up the tower as it was wider
Anston stone and
iron dials is equally famous. Dominating the Westminster Cornish granite than it was tall. Luckily someone had the bright idea of
skyline and the Houses of Parliament, its one of Londons exterior of the turning it on its side, and finally, on 11 July 1859 Big Ben
most recognisable monuments. However, its journey to Elizabeth Tower chimed the hour for the first time. However, the problems
national treasure status has not been entirely easy. were not over: within three months this second bell also
Architect Charles Barrys original designs to replace cracked. Given that the clock had been installed below
the old Palace of Westminster, after the catastrophic fire the belfry and the cracked bell couldnt be removed
of 1834, didnt even include a clock tower. The design without dismantling the entire clock, it seemed like an
for the current tower, known since 2012 as the Elizabeth impasse had been reached. It wasnt until four years later
Tower in honour of HM the Queens Diamond Jubilee, that Sir George Airy, the Astronomer Royal, came up
was only added a couple of years later, with the help of with a solution: the bell was rotated by a quarter turn (so
fellow architect Augustus Pugin. Once Barry had designed the hammer would strike a different spot) and the original
a clock tower he was faced with the challenge of finding hammer was replaced by a lighter version.
a clockmaker capable of making a big enough clock to go The 2017 conservation programme will ensure that the
inside his elegant new creation. The problem was bell continues to ring as reliably in the future. The clock
compounded as one of the specifications for the hasnt been overhauled for 30 years, although the face is
new clock was that it should be so accurate that the first cleaned by a hardy team of abseilers every few years, and
strike of each hour shall be accurate to within one second. the hands, mechanism and pendulum all need immediate
This was considered impossible and it was only after a attention. There are also cracks in the Tower masonry, and
seven-year delay that an amateur clockmaker, Edmund problems caused by erosion, rusting metalwork and water
Beckett Denison, came up with a design. His clock was damage. The entire tower will be scaffolded, but one clock
finished in 1854 at a cost of 2,500. face will be visible at all times and it is hoped the bells will
As well as a functioning clock the new tower also still sound for important events. The works will take up to
needed a series of bells. These three years to complete, but as Steve
included four small bells to chime the DID YOU KNOW? Jaggs, Keeper of the Great Clock,
quarter hours and a big bell to sound says, This project will enable us to
the hour; each bell makes a different It is widely believed that the melody of Big Bens chimes is based give one of Britains most famous
note and together they sound the on a phrase from Handels aria, I Know That My Redeemer Liveth. landmarks all the TLC it deserves.
famous Westminster Chimes, but Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which cast Big Ben, is due to close
making and hanging the main bell its Whitechapel site, where it has been based since 1738, in May. For more stories on Britain's historical
was to prove as challenging as making buildings, visit www.britain-magazine.com
PHOTOS: JON ARNOLD/WWW.AWL-IMAGES.COM/GETTY IMAGES/

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Travel from Toddington, Winchcombe or
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Morton Old Road, Brading, Isle of Wight, PO36 0PH

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WALKING HOLIDAYS IN
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Daily guided walks with Welsh speaking guide.
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Short breaks also available in the Brecon Beacons.
For brochure ring
Richard: +44 (0)1873 810970
or visit
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DAY TRIPS
PHOTOS: DARREN GALPIN/AMMONITE FOSSIL/ALAMY
The seafront at Lyme Regis

Below: An ammonite fossil
(Oistoceras figulinum) found
on the Jurassic Coast
N LYME
estled on the Dorset coast History buffs should settle in at the Royal
youll find historic Lyme Regis Lion Hotel, a 17th-century coaching inn with
a perfectly formed pearl of sea views, a swimming pool and sauna. Local
a seaside town sloping down
from high cliffs to a seafront peppered
with pastel-coloured beach huts and
REGIS legend has it that a ghost stalks the corridors,
although its notoriously camera-shy
The star of the local dining scene is HIXs
holiday rental cottages with spectacular Oyster & Fish House a seafood restaurant
views of the beaches of Lyme Bay.
The Pearl of Dorset is the with a panoramic view of the Jurassic Coast.
Lyme as the locals call it has a long, crowning glory of Englands All fish is sourced daily and, if you look
and illustrious history. It was founded in carefully, you can see boats arriving down
the Saxon period, is listed in the Domesday
jaw-dropping Jurassic Coast at the harbour with the evenings catch.
Book and received its first Royal Charter WORDS MATT KEMP Once youve checked into your hotel and
from King Edward I in 1284 (hence its royal dined on the catch of the day, a stroll along
title of Regis) a charter confirmed by the Marine Parade will take you to the Cobb
Queen Elizabeth I in 1591. the towns harbour. Dating from the 14th
Even without its royal nomenclature, century, it was here that, in 1685, the Duke
Lyme is a jewel in its own right, the bustling of Monmouth moored three ships, hoping to
centre of the Jurassic Coast a UNESCO overthrow his uncle, King James II. The
World Heritage Site boasting breathtaking Monmouth Rebellion was unsuccessful,
coastlines that have provided the backdrop Monmouth was beheaded and 12 local
for many TV dramas and movies including rebels were hanged by George Jeffreys
Brad Pitts World War Z, Meryl Streeps the infamous hanging judge.
The French Lieutenants Woman and, most A century and a half after Jeffreys
recently, British crime drama Broadchurch. message to the anti-royalist rebels, Mary
On arriving in Lyme, weary travellers can Anning made her living on the towns beach.
rest their aching limbs at HIX Townhouse. Its believed that the tongue-twister She
Opened in 2015 by Dorset-born restaurateur sells seashells on the seashore was based
Mark Hix, the Townhouse has eight cosy on Anning, who became world-famous
rooms with delicious breakfast hampers. thanks to her fossil finds, which included
DAY TRIPS For more
photos of Britains
seaside towns, go
to www.britain-
magazine.com
The sun sets

over Lyme Regis
Below: Bright and colourful
houses add charm
Just moments away from the Cobb, youll

find local landmark Grannys Teeth a
perilous set of steps that feature in Jane
Austens Persuasion as Louisa Musgrove flirts
with eligible bachelor Captain Wentworth.
Austen herself visited Lyme twice, in 1803
and 1804, and most likely stayed at Pyne
House on Broad Street.
The steps have lent their name to a local
ale, made on site at the Lyme Regis Brewery
based in the Town Mill the self-styled
creative heart of the town. This thriving
artisan complex also includes a working
watermill, numerous art galleries and a caf.
complete skeletons of an Ichthyosaur, THE PLANNER In the town centre, Ammonite Fine Foods
Plesiosaurus and Pterodactylus. is packed with local delicacies, including
The harbour area was immortalised in GETTING THERE tasty cheeses, pts, wines, beers and spirits.
the 1981 movie The French Lieutenants By train: Axminster train station is five miles They also offer a bespoke hamper service.
Woman, starring Streep and Jeremy Irons. from Lyme Regis and has direct trains to London Elsewhere, The Lyme Fossil Shop offers a
During the shoot, Broad Street the towns Waterloo every hour. www.thetrainline.com range of gifts for budding palaeontologists,
main thoroughfare was transported back in although those with a keen eye will find the
PHOTOS: GRAHAM HUNT/STEVE VIDLER/ALAMY
time by the film crew, thanks to the addition WHERE TO STAY coastline and its beaches offer an equally
of rubber cobblestones and a flock of sheep. The HIX Townhouse is a welcoming B&B, fruitful supply of ancient offerings.
Avid sailors can hop on a boat from the or step back in time at the Royal Lion Hotel in the If youd like to emulate Mary Annings
Cobb and try their hand at mackerel fishing, heart of town and just 100 metres from the sea. fossil hunt, relax with a fish and chip supper
while larger charters for families can also www.hixrestaurants.co.uk/restaurant/hix-townhouse; on the promenade, or explore the majesty of
be hired, allowing young and old to enjoy www.royallionhotel.com Englands south coast by boat, then Lyme
the stunning coastline with layers of Regis offers a magical mixture of geological
sedimentary rock providing a glimpse of the FURTHER INFORMATION splendour, fine food and drink, and good
last 185 million years of Dorsets history.
i www.lymeregis.org old-fashioned seaside fun.
PROMOTION
Beautiful
BOURNEMOUTH
This gorgeous Victorian spa town on Englands south coast is steeped
in history, heritage and bundles of attractions
With seven miles of golden Theatre also ensure a choice

sands and sparkling sea, the of top-quality concerts,
vibrant cosmopolitan town of exhibitions and West End
Bournemouth has it all. Explore theatre productions during
a vast variety of shops, your stay.
restaurants and holiday Bournemouth also makes an
accommodation, seafront ideal base for discovering the
hotels, quality B&Bs, a rich riches that the area has to
history and endless offer. The towns perfect
countryside with beautiful, seafront location in
award-winning gardens. picturesque Dorset means that
Much acclaimed in it has both the New Forest and
the Victorian era for its the Jurassic coastline on its
pine-scented air and medicinally doorstep. It also provides the
beneficial seawater, perfect backdrop for a wide
Bournemouth established its range of major events and
reputation in the 19th century festivals, including the
as a rejuvenating destination. multi-disciplinary
Investment and regeneration mean that it remains gardens that run from the town centre to the beach Bournemouth Arts by the Sea Festival
the quintessential British resort town, complete with still bloom with Victorian-themed plants and trees (14-21 October) and the 10th Bournemouth
its historic pier, a promenade with 2,000 beach huts throughout. The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Air Festival (31 August to 3 September), complete
including Englands first and more Blue Flag Museum sits proudly on the clifftop showcasing a with pyrotechnics.
beaches than any other. fascinating chapter in Bournemouths history via a
The history and culture of Bournemouth is still world-class array of paintings and sculpture. The For more information on Bournemouth, call
prevalent to this day and the beautifully landscaped Bournemouth International Centre and Pavilion (01202) 451734 or visit www.bournemouth.co.uk
GREAT BRITONS
Stained glass window

at Stationers' Hall,
London, depicting
William Caxton
Inset: First page of the
1476 edition of Chaucer's
Canterbury Tales
GREAT BRITONS
William Caxton
Celebrated as the man who introduced the printing press to England,
15th-century merchant and diplomat William Caxtons legacy was in
bringing books to the masses
WORDS SALLY COFFEY
T
o many the name Caxton is synonymous with printing. in the 11th century, Johann Gutenberg is widely credited as being the
Before William Caxton introduced the printing press to first person to use this technique in a full-scale book in the 1450s).
London in the 1470s, books were handmade, making Caxton would have traded in books before but he now learned
them the preserve of the wealthy. However, with the how books were made. Alongside Johann Schilling, he published an
formation in either late 1475 or early 1476 of his own printers, edition of a 13th-century encyclopaedia, De proprietatibus rerum
Caxton put the wheels in motion for mass printing in England, (On the Nature of Things) by Bartholomeus Anglicus.
thereby bringing books and literature to the people. Armed with his new knowledge and expertise, Caxton returned
Born in Kent in the 1420s, Caxton moved to London as a teenager to London and founded a press at Westminster.
where he was apprenticed to a successful merchant and he quickly Among the books he published are two editions of Geoffrey
flourished in his new career. For around 30 years he worked and Chaucers Canterbury Tales (the first in 1476 and the second in 1483)
lived in the Low Countries, a coastal region of western Europe that as well as an edition of Thomas Malorys Le Morte dArthur, a
encompassed the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, and it was famous depiction of the legend of King Arthur. His books were
while working there, trading in woollen cloth and luxurious overseas renowned for their level of detail and accuracy and Caxton even
goods, that he first came across the techniques that would later spur translated much of the works himself, drawing on his knowledge of
on his new venture. the Dutch, French and Latin languages.
These were turbulent times: the Until Caxton, books in England were
War of the Roses, an epic power prohibitively expensive for many but
struggle between the Houses of York with his techniques, which included
PHOTOS: WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF STATIONERS AND NEWSPAPER MAKERS/ALAMY/GRANGER HISTORICAL PICTURE ARCHIVE
and Lancaster, raged on for much of using smaller type as he honed his skills,
the latter part of the century and like he was able to keep production costs down
most merchants, Caxton sided with the and eventually the cheaper costs trickled
House of York, but he was no fool and down to the people, who were gradually
knew that for his career to progress he able to afford books.
needed friends in high places. Despite appealing to a wider
Caxton formed close allegiances readership, Caxton was in no doubt that
with Margaret of York, Duchess he needed to remain in favour in the
of Burgundy, sister of Yorkist King higher echelons of society and so when
Edward IV, and later with the family King Edward IV, a great patron of his
of Edwards wife Elizabeth Woodville. work, died in 1483, he wasted no time the following year in
His connections served him well for he was appointed Governor dedicating his Ordre of Chyvalry or Knyghthode to Edwards
of the English Nation of Merchant Adventurers in Bruges by the successor King Richard III.
king, a role he held from 1462 to 1470. As Governor, Caxton both When King Henry VII defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth
represented his fellow merchants and acted as a diplomat on behalf just two years later, heralding the start of the Tudor dynasty and
of the king, but by 1471 he had been removed from his post uniting the two houses, Caxton was once again a favourite in court.
perhaps as a result of a Lancastrian coup in which Edward Caxton died in either 1491 or 1492 and he is buried in St
was removed from the throne, replaced by King Henry VI. Margarets, Westminster. In 1954 a plaque was unveiled by the
So it was that Caxton found himself in Cologne, which at the door to Poets Corner in Westminster Abbey, which reads: Near
time was an important trading centre for books. Printing had been this place William Caxton set up the first printing press in England
introduced in Cologne in the mid 1460s by Ulrich Zell, who had small recognition for this greatest of literary heroes.
learned his trade in the workshops of Gutenbergs successors in
Mainz (although the technique of moveable type originated in China Next month: We chart the extraordinary life and reign of Queen Victoria
THE ENGLISH GARDEN
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HERITAGE
PHOTOS: STEPHEN BENNETT PHOTOGRAPHY
PRECISION PRINTING
We visit Britains last commercial Monotype printer as
he presses a very special edition of James Bond
writer Ian Flemings, The Book Collector
WORDS SALLY COFFEY
HERITAGE
HERITAGE
H
and printing in Britain is a dying trade, Clockwise from top left:
yet one man has made it his lifes work The type comes out line
to perfect the art of Monotype printing, by line and is pushed onto
a tray; Stanley prepares
and now he is the last commercial printer the type; each font and
to offer this unique way of typesetting, which creates type size is carefully
beautifully precise typography. stored; the special
In our fast-moving modern age, sometimes its nice anniversary edition of
to slow down and do things the old-fashioned way. The Book Collector
At Gloucester Typesetting, a modest operation on the Previous page, clockwise
outskirts of Stroud, Stanley Lane is doing exactly that. from top: Stanley Lane;
Having worked as a printer for more than 60 years, the ink is prepared and
Stanleys attention to detail is second to none and his checked before printing;
techniques, which have been honed meticulously since an example of Stanley's
Monotype printing
his apprentice days, have earned him a select group
of clients, from The Folio Society for whom he prints
Shakespearean texts to The Book Collector, a journal
that was set up by James Bond writer Ian Fleming and
which this year celebrates its 65th anniversary.
Though he is best remembered for the antics of
his philandering secret agent, Ian Fleming was also
a prolific book collector, and according to his nephew,
James Fleming, he was a trailblazer in the field.
James says: His collection was remarkable, it was
unique. He collected the first editions of all the books
that were important in our civilisation. No one had
had this idea before. He had the first book on TV, the
car, boy scouts, atomic fission, Einstein you name it.
It was Ians love of books that led him to set up
The Book Collector, a journal
that lauds our literary heritage,
in 1952 the same year that
Stanley is using the
his first book, Casino Royale, traditional Monotype
was published.
To celebrate the completion methods that Ian himself
of Casino Royale, Fleming
bought himself a gold-plated
would have employed
Royal Quiet Deluxe portable
typewriter for the princely sum of $174. When it sold
at Christies in May 1995 it fetched 56,250 making
it the worlds most valuable typewriter.
Flemings famously raffish lifestyle eventually took
its toll he was a heavy drinker and smoker and he
was just 56 when he died of a heart attack in 1964.
Following his death, The Book Collector passed
into the safe hands of Nicholas Barker, who edited
it for decades, but for the past 18 months it has been
back in the care of the Fleming family.
James says: Its nice that its come back to the
family, its marvellous and its marvellous to have
Stan setting this whole thing by hand for Ian.
To print the special anniversary edition of The Book
Collector, Stanley is using the traditional Monotype
methods that Ian himself would have employed.
Stanley says that Monotype, which was invented
in the US in the late 19th century and developed in
Britain, was revolutionary. Prior to this new system,
which has changed very little since its 1920s heyday
PHOTOS: NICK TURNER
(despite the industry taking a slump), printing presses

had compositors who would each hand set a few lines.
However, Monotype allowed pages to be set by one
hand using individually cast letters.
HERITAGE
Below image: Writer Ian He says: It created a system where you could contributed to the special edition. Luckily the Fleming
Fleming working on his produce books cheaply and you could spread knowledge. family does still have many first editions of the Bond
gold-plated Royal Quiet Monotype wasnt always so perfectly printed. What books, but one copy eludes them: Casino Royale.
Deluxe typewriter
Im trying to do now is to turn it into an art form and We dont know where that went, James says,
try to get every page precisely right. Fergus always thinks Ive taken it.
This art form includes using a pneumatic typewriter But werent the books safely hidden away for
each typeface has its own set of key bars that match posterity? Not at all. Every year these books would
the matrices in the matrix-case layout to produce a arrive, James explains, And of course, we the children
perforated spool that goes into the Monotype caster. there were a lot of us, 8 starting with the oldest,
Using molten metal this caster produces individual pieces would go through them looking for juicy bits and the
of type, which it pushes onto a books got frightfully battered in
tray, which is then carried to a The results are immaculate the course of going round all the
stone and made ready for press. children. We had no idea to us
The results are immaculate, with type perfectly he was just an uncle whom we
with type perfectly justified and
the ink absorbed into the page,
justified and the ink never saw who appeared in the
press from time to time.
showing the full body of the text. absorbed into the page That uncle is now remembered
The Ian Fleming Special across the world for his famous
Edition of the Book Collector includes articles on all spy, James Bond, as well as his childrens book,
aspects of Ians life, including My Uncle Ian, written by Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, published posthumously.
James and Ian Fleming and The Book Collector, For Stanleys part, with retirement looming, unless
written by Jamess brother Fergus, who runs part of the he can find someone to take over the business, he will
Bond business and the Queen Anne Press (Ian Flemings have to shut up shop one day, which makes this issue
publishing house), so it is important it looks the part. of The Book Collector particularly poignant.
The Lilly Library in Bloomington, Indiana, is now
home to Ian Flemings book collection as well as the For more on this special anniversary edition of The Book
manuscripts for 11 James Bond novels and it too has Collector, go to www.thebookcollector.co.uk
PHOTO: THE IAN FLEMING ESTATE
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Advertising feature
November isnt just a time for remembrance, but also a time

for celebration. In the spirit of excitement, pomp and pageantry,
Britains biggest indoor tattoo (a type of military show) returns to
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Britains biggest indoor tattoo, with over 1,000 performers, will return to Birmingham
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the Massed Pipes and Drums and Highland Dancers join this years line-up. Plenty of thrills
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Now in its 29th year, the Birmingham Tattoo would not be complete without the ever-
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Birmingham International Tattoo
Photo by Ben Collins

ST ALBANS
With a colourful Roman history, authentic
cobbled streets and hotels housed in former
coaching inns, this Hertfordshire city is
a great heritage destination
WORDS SARAH FINLEY
Turn over
for your handy
PHOTO: GREG BALFOUR EVANS/ALAMY
cut-out-and-go
city guide
CITY GUIDE
DON'T THE ROMAN BRICKS THAT

MISS WERE REMOVED FROM
VERULAMIUM AND CAN
STILL BE SEEN IN THE CATHEDRAL
T
Front page: he ancient city of St Albans, just For this, Alban was arrested and beheaded The citys 15th-century Clock Tower is still
Quaint houses north of London, has many stories local legend says his body lies somewhere used today, but purely for telling the time
along St Albans
to tell from its Roman settlement outside the city walls, though this is disputed. rather than for any political statements. The
Fishpool Street
and the history of how it got its name to the Today the cathedral includes a picture of Saint only medieval town belfry in England, locals
Below, left to right: stunning cathedral at its heart. Alban in its stained-glass window at the west once used it as a way to declare their freedom
The Grade II-listed Lying on the River Ver, Verulamium (as it end of the cathedral. and power against the church. It was also used
Town Hall; one of was then known) was built in AD50 and was Walking through the cobbled streets of as an alarm to warn the townspeople of fire or
many street stalls; the third largest town in Roman Britain. The city St Albans, there are plenty of reminders of the battles. The last time the great bell was rung
the Clock Tower was named after Saint Alban Britains first citys past, from the medieval buildings of was in 1901 for Queen Victorias funeral. Its
saint a martyr who gave up his life to French Row, once called Cordwainers Row now a piece of St Albans history and from
protect a priest, who had taught him about (or shoemakers row) due to the citys once Easter to September for just 1 on weekends
Christianity. Alban shielded the priest, who was thriving trade in leather working, to the you can climb the stairs for views over the
fleeing from persecution, by exchanging Grade II-listed Town Hall, which is currently whole of the city, including the famous
clothes with him and allowing him to escape. being converted into a museum and art gallery. cathedral, and the gorgeous countryside.
PHOTOS: MAURITIUS IMAGES GMBH/ ROBERT STAINFORTH/GREG BALFOUR EVANS/KEITH LARBY/
BRIAN ANTHONY/ARCAID IMAGES/ALAMY. ILLUSTRATION: MICHAEL HILL
CITY GUIDE
CUT-OUT-AND-GO GUIDE: ST ALBANS
GETTING THERE WHERE TO EAT

You can get to St Albans from London You cant visit St Albans and not pop
St Pancras by train in under 20 minutes. into its popular The Waffle House,
If youre coming by car take the M1 north out a family-run business located in a working
of London. www.thetrainline.com 16th-century watermill in the pretty parish of
St Michaels. You can order sweet and savoury
WHERE TO STAY waffles, with tea, coffee and milkshakes.
An old Georgian country home, www.wafflehouse.co.uk/st-albans
Sopwell House is set on the outskirts If youre looking for a traditional English
of the city and with luxury rooms, a spa and roast then look no further than The Six Bells
afternoon tea available, it has a real English (below), which is located down the cobbled
feel to it. www.sopwellhouse.co.uk streets of St Michaels. Booking is essential but
The White Hart Hotel is conveniently its worth it for the delicious homemade food.
located opposite the cathedral in one www.the-six-bells.com
of St Albans oldest buildings. Sleep in If puddings are your thing then The Pudding
their quaint bedrooms and dine in the Stop, in the city centre, wont disappoint. You
oak-panelled Tudor-themed restaurant. can enjoy classic English puds, all washed down
www.whiteharthotelstalbans.co.uk with a cup of tea. www.thepuddingstop.com
The cathedral is the centre stone of the Above, left to right:

city. Originally founded in 793, it wasnt The surviving
completed until 1115 under the tenure of gatehouse of the
medieval abbey; St
Abbot Richard dAlbini when it became Albans Cathedral
Englands premier Benedictine abbey and it is
best known for its shrine to St Alban, which
has attracted pilgrims for over 1700 years.
If you follow the cathedral park down
it will take you past the River Ver and into
Verulamium Park, a picturesque park with
a lake that was constructed in 1929 to give
unemployed locals a chance to work during
the Great Depression. Here too you will
find the remains of the city walls, which
CITY GUIDE
CUT-OUT-AND-GO GUIDE: ST ALBANS DON'T THE BUSY 160-STALL MARKET

MISS HELD ON WEDNESDAYS
AND SATURDAYS, WHICH
RECEIVED A ROYAL CHARTER IN 1553
VISIT the street market, which dates JOIN in the fun at the annual St Albans Folk DID YOU KNOW? were built between AD265 and 270,
back to the 9th century, where you can get Festival, where Morris dancers and local bands Sarah Churchill, the to defend the city.
anything from fruit and veg to flowers. Be perform on the streets of St Michaels and first Duchess of At the Verulamium Museum, on the edge
Marlborough, who
prepared to haggle with the market traders the pubs welcome everyone in for a great was born in St of the park, you can view the Sandridge Hoard
and they may even give you a discount. summer party. Albans in 1660, a collection of Roman coins found
founded by a metal detectorist in 2012, on private land
WATCH a football match at St Albans HAVE a drink in Ye Olde Fighting Cocks pub almshouses on just north of St Albans. The collection of
Mighty Saints homeground in Clarence Park (above), next to Verulamium Park, which claims Hatfield Road 159 gold coins dates back to near the end
in 1736 for the
even when the football is not on, the park to be the oldest pub in England. The pub dates support and of the Roman occupation of Britain in the
is a nice place to be. from the 8th century (though the building maintenance of the last decades of the fourth century AD.
you see today was built in the 11th century) elderly and poor. The remains of the Roman Theatre
and is a great place for a Sunday roast. She also made the of Verulamium also lie in the park. Built in
Vicar of Sandbridge AD140, the arena, which could seat up to
one of the trustees
BROWSE the independent shops, on 2,000, would have been used to host wild
Read more Market Place and George Street. Take your
a tradition that
still exists today. beast shows, wrestling and dancing. The
time wandering down the cobbled streets ruins were discovered in 1847 and following
looking in the antique shops and stopping a refurbishment in 2014, shows are once
at the quaint tea rooms. more being held here. This July, you can catch
Above: Roman one of several performances of A Midsummer
mosaics on display Nights Dream from the Ovo Theatre group,
Live like at the Verulamium
Museum
a lovely way to soak up the history.
a local Below: The ruins of
For more on Britain's historic towns and
PHOTOS: GREG BALFOUR EVANS/PRISMA BY DUKAS PRESSEAGENTUR GMBH/ALAMY/ADAM WOOLFITT

the Roman Theatre
Melanie Thomas runs of Verulamium cities go to www.britain-magazine.com
a small craft business
in Hertfordshire called
St Albans History Tour by Robert
Bard (Amberley Publishing, 6.99) Crumbs and Sparkles.
On a Sunday afternoon, I love wandering

down George Street in St Albans and looking
around all the independent shops and
browsing their unique items. My husband,
Andy, and I frequently book into La Cosa
Nostra, which is a lovely little Italian restaurant
where the service is so personalised. If were
feeling like a dance then we head to the pub.
The Boot, right next to the Clock Tower, is a
St Albans: A History And Celebration tiny pub but the live music in there is fantastic,
by Tom Doig (Frances Frith
with everyone getting a real slice of good
Collection, 18)
local bands.
www.crumbsandsparkles.co.uk
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Website: www.albrohotel.co.uk
Located near Hyde Park, public transport and convenient for sightseeing and shopping.
Established 1980 Comfortable rooms all with TV, private facilities, tea / coffee maker, phone, radio
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LONDON APARTMENTS Families and small groups welcome. Tours booked. Luggage storage. Free WiFi
Central, suburban and commuter areas Rates per person including cooked Low High
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Web: www.visitapartmentslondon.co.uk A GOOD VALUE HOTEL IN CENTRAL LONDON
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in the UK and Ireland
www.ruralretreats.co.uk
Or call 01386 897959 for our 2017 brochure
BRITAINS CHOICE places to stay
Discover the UK & Ireland...
La Sablonnerie
First established in 1948, La Sablonnerie retains the characteristics
of an old farmhouse built some 400 years ago and is situated on the
lovely island
Our brochure of Sark
The Little in Book
Green the Channel Islands
and website list
inspected B&Bs, and a selection of selfcatering accommodation.
La Sablonnerie is a hotel of rare quality the highly coveted award from Cond
Illustrated in colour with detailed descriptions and maps, B&Bs that- Small Hotel of the Year.
Nast Johansen
situated in the southern part of Sark,
are pet friendly, have facilities for the less mobile and those offering
Needless to say, you have to visit us to
and is owned and managed by Elizabeth
something extra such as gardens open to the public, sheepdog
Perre. Guests UKV\[L_HJ[S`^OH[L]LY`VULPZ[HSRPUN
demonstrations and flyreturn-year-after-year
fishing courses. Includesto tourist information.
recapture the beauty of the island and to about.
Book direct with the B&Bs or use our Booking
enjoy the excellent cuisine, and the cosy Service Nestled in gorgeous gardens, a haven
We alsoandprovide Bespoke
friendly Toursthat the hotel
atmosphere for lovers of peace and tranquillity;
For a brochure
radiates..(postage & packing payment is required) how could one not enjoy this amazing
email: office@bbnationwide.co.uk
Of course being so close to or the
tel: sea,
+44 (0)1255 672377even if you just arrive for one
paradise, The hotel has been extended and
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ref: B 170 of our glorious cream teas or a Lobster discreetly modernised to provide 22
See thelobsters
B&Bs andarealso
popular specialities.
pay for a brochure La online: Salad in the garden. rooms, each individual in style and dcor,
Sablonnerie has been featured by the
www.bedandbreakfastnationwide.com Sark offers exceptional star-gazing Open from
including April Honeymoon
a delightful 1st 2017 Suite.
Which? hotel
See selfcatering guide as The
accommodation at:place to stay due to its lack of light pollution andContact
La We provide
Info Lineimmaculate
01367comfort,
240932 excellent
or
in the Channel Islands,
www.holidaycottagesnationwide.co.uk and also received Sablonnerie is the ideal place to enjoy Open
it.. 1st
food April
and - 30th
service, and September
courteous staff.
website: www.buscotpark.com for opening times
Contact: Info line 01367 240932 or
Little Sark - Ideal Honeymoon Destination website www.buscotpark.com for opening times.
reservations@sablonneriesark.com
This delightful hotel and tea garden on the beautiful island of Sark promises you a truly magical stay. The hotel is a restored 16th-century
farmhouse and has 22 individually-designed rooms and suites full of rustic charm, plus cosy public rooms and beautiful gardens. La Sablonnerie
is noted throughout the Channel Islands for its excellent cuisine. Enjoy a delicious gourmet lunch or superb Sark cream tea or dine romantically
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VIEW
For further details and reservations call Elizabeth Perre on (01481) 832061 or Fax (01481) 832408 www.sablonneriesark.com
Dont leave the Channel Islands without visiting Sark and Little Sark. It will be an experience that will live with you forever.
Sprowston Manor Hotel and Country Club
WroxhamManor
Sprowston Road,Hotel
Norfolk , NR7 8RP
and Country
Club Wroxham Road, Norfolk NR7 8RP
Telephone: 01603 410871
Telephone: 01603 410871
www.marriottsprowstonmanor.co.uk
www.marriottsprowstonmanor.co.uk
Sprowston
Sprowston Manor
Manor
Sprowston Manor
Sprowston Manor
Norwich
Norwich is
is aa cultural
cultural hotspot
hotspot and
and is
is hosts
hosts an
an abundance
abundance ofof cultural
cultural events.
events. Whether
Whether you
you are
are looking
looking for
for aa romantic
romantic break,
break, family
family trip,
trip, golf
golf
em
day
day with
with your
your friends
friends or
or aa get
get together
together at
at our
our spa,
spa, we
we have
have the
the answers
answers right
right here at Sprowston
here at Sprowston Manor,
Manor, Marriott
Marriott Hotel
Hotel &
& Country
Country Club.
Club.
Relax
Relax after
after 18
18 holes
holes of
of golf
golf or
or aa meeting
meeting in
in La
La Fontana
Fontana Spa
Spa which
which offers
offers aa range
range of
of relaxing
relaxing treatments,
treatments, or
or alternatively,
alternatively,
work
work out
out or
or wind
wind down
down inin our
our Leisure
Leisure Club
Club complete
complete with an indoor heated pool and fully equipped gymnasium.
Norwich is a cultural hotspot and it hosts an abundance ofgymnasium.
with an indoor heated pool and fully equipped cultural events.
Grab
Grab aa bite
bite to
to eat
eat from
from our Whether
our extensive
extensive foodyou
food are looking
menu
menu at
at our for a romantic
our Zest
Zest Caf, Barbreak,
Caf, Bar and family
and Grill
Grill ortrip, golf day with your
or
friends or a get together at our spa, we have the answers right here at
Come and enjoy a few days away in the southindulge in
in aa Starbucks
of England,
indulge and and
Starbucks and sit
sit on
on the
the patio
patio overlooking
overlooking our
our immaculate
Sprowston Manor, immaculate greens.
greens.
Marriott Hotel & Country Club.
discover a splendid and varied coastline, beautiful countryside, Relax after 18 holes of golf or a meeting in La Fontana Spa which offers a range of
magnificent cathedral cities, and many quaint villages. relaxing treatments, or alternatively, work out or wind down in our Leisure Club
complete with an indoor heated pool and fully equipped gymnasium.
www.southofenglandcottages.com
Grab a bite to eat from our extensive food menu at our Zest Caf, Bar and Grill or
0800 996 1882 indulge in a Starbucks and sit on the patio overlooking our immaculate greens.
IN THE ENGLISH MANNER

w w w. e n g l i s h - m a n n e r. c o m
Established 30 years
BOOK
Bush Nook is set on the slopes of North for large NOW
Pennines, a half mile off the A69 at Gilsland, accom group
with views across the rolling and open up to 23modation for
countryside of North East Cumbria and family g people for a
et
Northumberland. or celeb together
ration.
With accommodation for up to 23, in a mix of
single, double and twin bed rooms, ideal for Group
Accommodation on a self-catering basis, making Bush Nook the
perfect destination for family celebrations and parties.
Each room has an individual design and character. All bedrooms are
LONDON APARTMENTS ensuite and comfortably furnished, complete with Wi-Fi, Freeview
~ a better way to stay digital television, as well as a supply of toiletries and fluffy towels for
your personal use.
Short-term rentals for business or pleasure. There is a dedicated guest area to relax in with a lounge and a
Privately-owned apartments in Knightsbridge, Kensington, delightful conservatory, where in an evening you can rest, watch the
Chelsea, and more birds, take in the stunning views, maybe have a drink in the Nook Bar
With over 40 years of collective experience in London short-term rentals, we can help you or on a morning watch the sunrise as you breakfast.
select the perfect place for your vacation or business trip. Enquire via our website, or
call now to speak with one of our knowledgeable and courteous advisors Visitors can also have complimentary use of the garden hot tub with
www.english-manner.com stunning views across Northumberland and Hadrians Wall Country.
Tel: 800-422-0799 or 213 629 1811 (USA) For further information visit our website: www.bushnook.co.uk
or +44 (0)1239 710158 (UK) +44 (0)1697747194 M: +44 (0)7920842253 info@bushnook.co.uk
To book space call James +44 (0)207 349 3795

SEE WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS AT OUR MULTI-AWARD WINNING DISTILLERY.
Visitors welcome 7 days a week. Monday-Saturday 9:30 -17:00,
Sundays & Bank holidays 10:00 -15:00.
90 minute distillery tours also available: Tuesday & Thursday 19:00, Saturday 11:30, 14:00, 16:00.
For more info, or to book a tour, see our website:
www.silentpooldistillers.com
S ILENT P O O L DIS TIL L E RS, SH ERE RO A D , A L BURY, S URREY G U5 9 BW
take a tour and make the most of your holiday BRITAINS CHOICE
Hidden britain1-4 30/1/09 14:53 Page 1
London Waterbus Trips

London Waterbus Trips Jane Austen
The Dancing Years
Explore Jane Austens
early life with Hampshire
Ambassador, Phil Howe.
Discover the villages,
churches, country houses
and trace the people she
describes in her letters.
Tours can include a visit to
* LITTLE VENICE the Jane Austen

House Museum, and
* LONDON ZOO
] LITTLE VENICE ] LONDON
LOCKZOO
the village of Chawton.
* CAMDEN
] CAMDEN LOCK
Cruises along the peaceful Regents Canal, through Regents
Enjoy lunch at a Hampshire
country inn. An ideal half-
day or one-day tour.
Travelthe
Park, byMaida
WaterbusHillalong
tunnel theand
Regents
LondonCanal,
Zoo.through
Trips onRegents Park,
the Maidacanal
traditional Hill Tunnel
boats, and
one London Zoo. Onwith
way or return, traditional canal boats,
a stopover Downton Abbey Tours
one way
to shop or return,
in the with a of
lively bustle stopover
Camden to shop
Lockinorthe lively bustle
a picnic in of when available.
theCamden
tranquilLock or a picnic
elegance in the
of Little tranquil
Venice, or elegance
trips withofentry
LittletoVenice,
or trips with 45 mins by train from
London Zoo. entry
Dailytoservice
LondonAprilZoo.toDaily service April
September, to September,
weekends
London Waterloo
weekends
in winter. Discount in fares
winter.forDiscount
bookedfares for booked groups.
groups.
Telephone:
Tel: 020 7482 2550 For more information Phone: +44 (0)1256 814222
020 7482 2550
www.londonwaterbus.com e-mail: info@hiddenbritaintours.co.uk
www.londonwaterbus.com or visit www.hiddenbritaintours.co.uk
WEMBLEY
STADIUM TOURS
Quote
IN
BRITA
when
g
bookin
Go behind-the-scenes of the UKs largest sports and music venue.

The award-winning, 75 minute, guided tour includes access to the
Dressing Rooms, Press Room, Players Tunnel, Pitchside and the iconic
Royal Box to have a photograph taken with a replica of the world-famous
FA Cup. Wembley is the perfect experience and location for visitors of all
ages and nationalities. Only two tube stops from central London, the
nearest station is Wembley Park on the Metropolitan line. For more
A great day out! information and to pre-book, visit;
www.wembleystadium.com/tours
Wembley Stadium HA9 0WS | T: 0800 169 9933 | E: wembley.tours@thefa.com
To book space call James +44 (0)207 349 3795

Stunning sea views from
Cornwalls most comfortable hotel
The Nare is considered by many to be Cornwalls most comfortable hotel, with

luxurious rooms, two restaurants, warm indoor and outdoor pools, health spa,
a beautiful sandy beach and classic motor launch, Alice Rose.
Cornwalls highest rated hotel for over 20 years, The Nare is renowned for its
spectacular sea views and unobtrusive, traditional service. It is the perfect location
for a relaxing holiday for all generations. Open all year.
Veryan-in-Roseland Near St Mawes Cornwall

stay@narehotel.co.uk www.narehotel.co.uk
Tel 01872 50 11 11 The country house hotel by the sea
Room hire at St Jamess Church, Piccadilly:
reasonably priced space for hire in the heart of the West End
'Elegant and truly stylish' Tatler magazine
Flexible meeting, conference and rehearsal

space at a central London West End Venue
We have two basement rooms that offer three room options as
our two rooms open out into one larger space, making it perfect
for larger events.
Our facilities are ideal for auditions, rehearsals, meetings, UNPARALLELED QUALITY SUPERB SERVICE AFFORDABLE PRICES
seminars, presentations, workshops and press launches. BOOK DIRECT FOR GUARANTEED BEST RATES
For all enquiries about room hire and to arrange a viewing Belgrave Road, Ventnor, Isle of Wight PO38 1JJ
please contact Jenny Walpole of our Verger Team on 01983 852186 | www.royalhoteliow.co.uk
020 7292 4861 or roomhire@sjp.org.uk
VISIT THE WING

The Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne in Kent provides Housed in a building that reflects the iconic wing shape of R J
a fascinating, hands-on introduction to the heroism and sacrifice Mitchells Spitfire, one of the two aircraft most closely associated
displayed by the Few, the men of the RAF who protected this with the Battle of Britain, The Scramble Experience has proved a
country from invasion in 1940. massive hit with visitors since it opened in 2015.
The new Wing visitor centre is home to The Scramble Experience, The tranquil site on Kents famous white cliffs also includes the
an immersive, audio-visual extravaganza that explains how the National Memorial to the Few, the Christopher Foxley-Norris
Few were able to repel the Luftwaffe and turn the tide of the war. Memorial Wall and a replica Hurricane and Spitfire, as well as a
caf and gift shop.
KENTS BATTLE OF BRITAIN EXPERIENCE
For enquiries telephone 01303 249292

email enquiries@battleofbritainmemorial.org
AIN MEM
RIT OR
FB
For up-to-date opening times, group rates and much more information
O
IA
THE BATTLE
LT
RUST CIO
see www.battleofbritainmemorial.org
Incorporating the
BATTLE OF BRITAIN
FIGHTER ASSOCIATION Visit us at CT18 7JJ on the B2011 just outside Folkestone.
DONT MISS MEMORIAL DAY SUNDAY 9TH JULY
FOLKLORE FIGURES
Herne the Hunter

First referenced by William Shakespeare, this mysterious horned creature is said to stalk
Windsor Forest and has spawned many legends are you brave enough to risk a meeting?
WORDS LAWRENCE ALEXANDER
Theres an old tale goes, that Herne the Hunter, sometime a keeper Scholars have associated Herne with various mythological figures,
here in Windsor Forest blasts the trees and takes the cattle... and from Cernunnos, Celtic god of the underworld, to the leafy-featured
shakes a chain in a most hideous and dreadful manner. Green Men found in church architecture. Jacob Grimm thought
The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 4, Scene 4 Herne might have been leader of the Wild Hunt a traditional,
Shakespeares merry wives have cooked up a plan to teach dirty old Sir demonic cavalcade that sweeps across midwinter skies bringing
John Falstaff a lesson. The mischievous matrons, fed up with Falstaffs destruction. Shakespeares Herne, however, doesnt charge around
philandering, persuade the knight to dress up as Herne for a midnight causing destruction, he appears in a single spot, under a wintry
rendezvous. Townsfolk then impersonate fairies and taunt him instead. midnight oak, wearing great raggd horns. Ghosts are more
Shakespeare implies the mysterious horned ghost that stalked frequently associated with bulls or dogs, so in this case its possible
Windsor Forest was already the stuff of legend but the 1602 play is, the horns are intended to tickle the ribald ribs of his earthy Jacobean
in fact, the first mention of Herne. Whether the Bard was drawing audience, who associated horns with cuckoldry and naughtiness.
on established myths or from his imagination is impossible to know By the mid-18th century various trees were being pointed out
but Herne was a hit and has been a folklore fixture ever since. as Hernes oak, the tree of his suicide, by rival tour guides. One
The legends began quickly, but the first to capture the imagination was felled in 1796; another blew down in a storm in 1863, with
was Samuel Irelands version in 1792, where he suggests Herne was a a replacement tree planted on the orders of Queen Victoria.
Royal huntsman who saved a kings life by putting himself between One of the last tales comes from 1962, when a group of boys found
a wounded stag and his master. A wizard appeared, who said the only a hunting horn in the forest. The bravest blew a single note on it.
ILLUSTRATION: CLARE MELINSKY
way to save Hernes life was to cut off the beasts antlers and place Immediately the air resounded with the baying of hounds. Herne
them on the huntsmans forehead. Herne was saved but courtiers himself, riding a black horse, thundered towards them. The boys fled,
whispered about him and he hanged himself in the woods. According but the one who had blown the horn didnt make it. The others heard
to folklore, suicides are believed to haunt the place of their death. an arrow twang and watched him fall, dead, with not a mark on him.
By the 19th century Herne was a forester saved by the devil on the
condition hed wear antlers, a pact that, like most deals, went wrong. For more British folklore figures, visit www.britain-magazine.com
TAILOR-MADE PRIVATE
TOURS FOR THE DISCERNING
www.bhctours.co.uk | info@bhctours.co.uk | +44 (0)1296 620173
We listen to what our clients want

and then exceed their expectations.
Highclere Castle LLP 2014

Its London.
Under one
iconic roof.
Fantastic dining, tax-free
shopping, awe-inspiring public art
and exciting cultural events, all
under 150 years of breathtaking
architectural history.
Shopping. Dining. Art. Culture.

St Pancras is more than a station its a destination.
Find out more at:

www.stpancras.com
/stpancrasint | @StPancrasInt | stpancrasinternational

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THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE

TRAVEL CULTURE HERITAGE STYLE HOLIDAY MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

HENRY VIII TRAIL

Inspiring Breaks to National Trust Houses & Gardens

introductory talk, ,

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PINTEREST/BRITAINMAGAZINE 35 TRENCH CONNECTION

We explore the longevity of one of Britain's most

HENRY VIII TRAIL

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Proud protector of Scotlands capital

Cover image: Baddesley Clinton, Warwickshire

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Lewis and his timeless stories. I learned plenty of new information

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Forget buying a kitsch trinket or keychain

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Arthur and the

For opening times and ticket prices visit www.durhamcathedral.co.uk

The stunning garden

T hough his daughter Elizabeths annual progresses

Set high on the rugged,

The view down the long

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again into a Victorian mansion. located just a few miles away in

lived at Baddesley from 1564 to 1633, and who is thought

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London, 1879 London, 1914 German-Occupied

A Division of Baker Publishing Group

FOOD AND DRINK

PHOTOS: ROCKINGHAM CASTLE

Guildford Tourist Information Centre

In the first of a two-part series, one writer journeys along the

pasture included a field where in 1612 the British made

to Bath. It links some of the loveliest rural views and

Clockwise, from top left:

Just 8 miles from Bath on the A4, 4 miles from the

The Armillary Court and

We followed his advice and in the churchyard found

We resumed our route following

PHOTOS: VISITENGLAND/ADAM BURTON/AWL IMAGES

Beautiful fields of lavender

PHOTOS: COTSWOLDS PHOTO LIBRARY/ALAMY

We lay down on the grass for 20 minutes and it was

Thomas Smiths Trug Shop

Coming to South East England? Dont miss a visit to Thomas Smiths

The Burberry trench is

Opposite, top to bottom: In 1911, Burberry gabardine was the

Left to right: Jonathan Miller

right. But the key to their success is that

librettos can be found. The wunderkind

Top to bottom: An illustration of the Savoy Theatre c.1881;

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introductory talk, ,