Home//Country Life/04-Mar-2020/In This Issue
Country Life|04-Mar-2020LONDON LIFERumble in the jungleAKE a trip down the Amazon at T Amazonico, W1, London’s latest restaurant sensation (guests were still clamouring for booked-out tables at 10pm when we visited). Make sure you order the mango and avocado salad, pumpkin ‘tacos’ (served on a refreshing slice of turnip) and stone bass with quinoa crust. There’s also a separate sushi bar. The space is unabashedly sexy: winding its way (in similar fashion to its namesake river) past a bar and DJ area, glass-fronted kitchen and intimate booths, it is framed by towering, lush palms (www. amazonicorestaurant.com).From Soho to the Strand180 House, at 180, Strand, WC2—the latest outpost from the hotel and private members’ club chain, Soho House—opens this spring. The Brutalist building has been reimagined to include a restaurant, rooftop pool and…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020GOING UNDERGROUNDANY one of the 1.35 billion annual users of the London Underground would be forgiven for raising an eyebrow at the most recent iteration of the Tube map. Based on Harry Beck’s iconic 1931 design—with its colourful lines bending at neat 45-degree angles —it includes an awkward bend that extends the TfL Rail line (soon to be the Elizabeth Line) all the way to Reading, although the town is 37 miles from central London.Jon Hunter, head of design at Transport for London (TfL), points out that including a town so far from central London is ‘not a radical new thing… we’ve always gone quite far out into the country, particularly on the Metropolitan Line’. He offers the example of Chesham, 25 miles from Charing Cross (which cartographers take as London’s…4 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020A change of a dressLALAGE BEAUMONT’S boutique is an oasis of calm in which to peruse the exquisite outfits the designer has become known for. Made in London, Lalage’s collection of dresses, coats and jackets combines classical elegance with distinctive detailing, for a look that embodies sophistication and style.Many of the unique fabrics are designed in conjunction with the mills and often just a just a few metres are produced, to guarantee original and exclusive outfits. The designer also makes beautiful hats and bags, so this one-stop shop can have all ends tied up.On the night, Lalage will introduce her collection of fine designs in conversation with COUNTRY LIFE’s Luxury Editor,Hetty Lintell, and advise how to navigate the summer season—be it a special wedding or Royal Ascot—with style and class.Joining her for the evening…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Analysis: potentially positive times?This was the first large gathering of agricultural leaders and politicians since Britain officially left the EU and the theme was one of cautious optimism. Farming and the environment have long been held up as one of the greatest opportunities of Brexit, even by Remainers, and NFU members are keen to embrace positive change. However, doubts on detail still remain and Mr Eustice’s introduction won’t have done much to help. He failed to provide adequate reassurances on food standards and subsidy changes and was weak on flood relief, ruling out an inquiry and brushing off concerns about qualification for the Flood Recovery Fund, used for permanent damage. Saying he only observed flooding ‘from the train’ perhaps wasn’t an advisable soundbite either, especially considering the announcement that 86,500 acres of farmland…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Bad week forTea drinkersYorkshire Tea has issued a plea asking people to ‘be kind’ after receiving a torrent of online abuse. Rishi Sunak MP posted a photo on Twitter with a packet of the tea and people expressed their rage at the brand being associated with the Conservative Chancellor. The brand replied to one irate user by saying: 'Sue, you're shouting at tea.'Hungry petsA pet-feeding device has left many animals hungry after a week-long system failure. The SmartFeeder (2nd Gen) allows owners to control feeding via a smartphone app. One Twitter user said ‘my cat starved for over a week’ and others claimed their feeders were jammed and would not dispense food…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020The splendour that lies beneathFOR some years, the team that looks after Auckland Castle in Co Durham knew that, somewhere in the grounds, there lay an undiscovered treasure. Hidden underground were the remains of a medieval chapel belonging to Bishop Antony Bek, a man who was a feared warrior and held power comparable to the King. In 2018, the curators found the remains of Bek’s Chapel, which revealed its huge scale—far bigger than Edward I’s own at Westminster and approaching Continental chapels, such as Saint-Chapelle in Paris. Historic sources described Bek’s Chapel as ‘sumptuously decorated’ and ‘exceedingly good’, much like this very magazine.Today, an exhibition opens that will reveal the remains of the chapel to the public for the first time, alongside a coloured reconstruction illustration by Andy Gammon (above) and other archaeological finds…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Town & Country NotebookQuiz of the week1) Prayers or Meditations (1545) was the first book to be written by a woman in English and published under her own name in England—who was its author?2) Which pudding is named after a Russian ballerina?3) Angélique, Barcelona, Royal Pretender and White Parrot are all varieties of which spring-flowering bulb?4) Who famously appeared in more than 30 Alfred Hitchco*ck films?5) A fourth Guggenheim museum is under construction in which city?Time to buyBrass snail bookmark (£8.50) and paper weight (£8.95), Juniper (www. homeofjuniper.co.uk)King Louie men’s pyjamas, £99, Luna & Noon (07879 990355; www. lunaandnoon.com)Limited-edition SL45 Vinyl Peaco*ck Jukebox, £14,500, Harrods (020–7225 6838; www. soundleisure.com)Boozy Chocolate Truffles Flat Letterbox Gift, £9.95, Love Cocoa (www.lovecocoa. com)…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Unmissable eventsExhibitionMarch 7–28 ‘Susan Brown’ (right), Man-dell’s Gallery, Norwich, Norfolk. Recent works in mixed media—both large canvases and smaller pieces—reflecting the artist’s interest in the landscape and our relationship with it (01603 626892; www. mandellsgallery.co.uk)March 10–26 ‘Quentin Blake: The Sennelier Portraits’, The Coningsby Gallery, Tottenham Street, London W1. Untitled portraits in the illustrator’s inimitable style, all drawn using a black-oil pastel stick from the French art-supplies brand Sennelier (020–7636 7478; www.coningsbygallery.com)FairMarch 19–21 Pop-Up of the North, York House, Malton, North Yorkshire. Textiles, fashion, jewellery, homeware and much more will be on offer from some 20 independent UK brands, as well as a talk on sustainability in design (March 20) and a biscuit-decorating workshop (March 21). Tickets from £5 (07976 428529; www.popupofthenorth.com)RacingMarch 10–13 The Festival, Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire. Four of the biggest…2 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Letters to the EditorWhat am I bid?ENJOYED your I article on regional auction houses (‘Broadening horizons’, February 19) and thought your readers might be interested in my recent first-time experience. When browsing a friend’s Instagram account of a preview at Lawrences Auctioneers of Crewkerne, Somerset, I saw this picture (above) propped on a desk in the background. Something about it immediately appealed to me and I could make out the lot number, so I set up an online account and left a minimal bid—which won! I then spent twice as much having it couriered over, but it’s a characterful little picture that I enjoy having on my kitchen wall and I’m delighted to have saved it. The label on the back is ripped, but it’s called Angel’s Head by T. Wo…(?) at an…3 min
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Kiss It Off Me - c*ntera - 呪術廻戦Country Life|04-Mar-2020The way we were1898 December 31, publishedIn the shadow of the old summerhouse, a gardener tends to his climbing roses at Sutton Place, Surrey. In order to take this photograph, the gardener would have had to remain perfectly still for many seconds in this carefully crafted pose as the photographer exposed his glass plate. The giveaway on this occasion is the movement in the trees behind.The COUNTRY LIFE Picture Library contains 120 years’ worth of photography and articles from the world’s leading architectural and gardens experts. Many are available to license or purchase in print form from £28 plus VAT. Please email enquiries to clpicturelibrary @ti-media.com…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Make mine a labradoodleSOME things simply go together. Cheese and wine. Fish and chips. Torvill and Dean. The most successful pairings are the ones where each side brings out the best in the other, the combination of two separate entities creating an arguably superior whole.In the world of dog breeding, the pedigree has always been the pinnacle: the pure bloodline, the refined heritage, the breed standard. Take the labrador—few would dispute its universal appeal and pre-eminence in the canine world. The breed is consistently voted number one in this country and across the world. This is a dog that is so, well, dog-like, that it’s hard to imagine why anyone would want to tamper with it, bar the elimination of any hereditary health concerns.Yet, a little over three decades ago, when a blind…6 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020A flash in the panSTANDING today in Cannons Park, at almost the very end of the Jubilee Line, it is hard to believe that a house stood here, of which Daniel Defoe could write in 1725 that ‘as the firmament is a glorious mantle filled with, or as it were made up of a concurrence of lesser glories the stars; so every part of this building adds to the beauty of the whole’. But, just over 20 years after the publication of these remarks, the house had been stripped of all salvageable material, its contents sold at auction and the remains pulled down. Today, what was once countryside has become Metroland.Cannons was the project of one James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos (from 1719), Marlborough’s paymaster general during the War of Spanish Succession. Chandos…9 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020The lost art of English joineryWhat are the aesthetic benefits of beautiful joinery?Without it, even the grandest room will be nothing more than a box. Beautifully crafted and conceived joinery can add drama to an interior, employing light and shade to lend depth, as well as framing openings and significant features. It can also play a vital role manipulating proportions.And the practical benefit?Architectural joinery is often used to cover joints between plasterwork and timber, as well as to protect the fabric of a building from everyday use. Skirting, for example, forms a bridge between the floor and a dado rail—or chair rail—protects the plaster from wear and tear. Panelling also creates extremely effective insulation. In rooms such as kitchens, libraries, boot rooms, gun rooms and sculleries, joinery has a transformative effect, not just on a…3 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Sean’s favourite perennials• Andropogon gerardii Red OctoberUpright with slim leaves, this ornamental grass turns wonderful shades of burgundy and is great at coping with really dry conditions. Height 5ft 9in• Chamaenerion dodonaeiA small willowherb with narrow foliage and spires of pretty, light-pink flowers. It is tough, takes all sorts of conditions and will often gently self-seed itself around. Height 2ft• Dianthus cruentusThe clusters of rich pinky-red flowers on upright wiry stems have a delicate, airy quality. This lovely pink, as well as the similar Dianthus carthusianorum , is my favourite companion plant for echinacea. Height 2ft• Kalimeris mongolica AntoniaWith exceptionally long-flowering daisies in an unusual mauve-lavender (kalimeris are generally blue), this tough yet pretty plant will even thrive in dry shade. Height 2ft 6in‘For Sean, perennials are the stars. He recommends 50%…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Kitchen garden cook LeeksSuper speedy supper: Thai prawn Khao SoiServes 4Ingredients300g raw prawns1tspn chilli flakes1tbspn grated ginger1 clove garlic, crushed2tbspn vegetable oil1 leek, finely sliced2tbspn red curry paste1 kaffir lime leaf1tspn tamarind1 x 400ml can coconut milk400ml chicken stock1tbspn fish sauce200g vermicelli rice noodles2 pak choi, halved lengthwaysA handful of fresh basil, torn 2 limes1 red chilli (optional)MethodToss the raw prawns with the chilli flakes, ginger and crushed garlic. Add a splash of oil to a wok and fry over a medium to high heat before adding the prawns. Cook them until just pink, then remove from the wok and set aside.Add the thinly sliced leek to the wok and cook for a couple of minutes to soften before adding the curry paste. Add the kaffir leaf and tamarind, heat for a further…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020NewsThe future of foodTWELVE popular (and must-go) London restaurants—including Brasserie Zedel, Café Murano and Scully—have joined the pioneering Regent Street and St James’s Food Waste Pledge, which aims to reduce food waste by 25% by May. Meanwhile, every Londoner’s favourite artisan bakery, Gail’s, has added a bacon hot-cross bun to its Waste Not range—made using the previous day’s unsold buns. Currently, 44% of all bread in the UK goes to waste, the equivalent of 24 million slices every day.Tickle me pinkA VERY pink afternoon tea, by cupcakeextraordinaires Peggy Porschen, is now available at The Lanesborough Hotel, SW1. The bakery’s signature layer cakes take centre stage. From £53 per person (www.oetkercollection.com)Lancer Square—36 apartments with shared access to a swimming pool, spa and 24-hour concierge service—opens this spring, on the site of…5 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020At home in Knightsbridge£5.2 million, Pont Street MewsThis 22ft-wide house is conveniently placed in a pretty mews immediately behind Harrods. The immaculate interiors, which span 2,438sq ft, include three bedrooms, an open-plan kitchen, a dining and reception room, a gym and a media room. There is also private, off-street parking.Strutt & Parker (020–7591 2216; www.struttandparker.com)£1,850 per week, Hans PlaceThis 1,194sq ft interior-designed flat is set on the second floor of a period building overlooking Hans Place; a lift will whisk residents home. The flat comes furnished and has an airy reception room, a contemporary kitchen and two to three bedrooms (one can be used as a study).Knight Frank (020–7591 8601; www.knightfrank.co.uk)£8.95 million, Wellington CourtSituated in an elegant block with 24-hour porterage, this 2,179sq ft, four-bedroom apartment has many fine features, including grand fireplaces,…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Did you know• Only 45% of the Underground is actually under ground• The shortest distance between neighbouring stations on the same line is Leicester Square to Covent Garden on the Piccadilly line (0.3km/330 yards); the longest is from Chesham to Chalfont & Latimer on the Metropolitan line (6.3km/4 miles); the longest direct journey is from Epping to West Ruislip on the Central line (54.9km/34 miles)• London Waterloo is the station with the most escalators (23) and Angel has the longest one, stretching 60m(197ft) to cover a vertical rise of 27.5m(90ft)• An estimated half a million mice live in the Underground system. Some of the more exotic wildlife to be observed on the Tube includes woodpeckers, deer, sparrowhawks, bats, grass snakes and great crested newts• The first baby delivered on the Tube was…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Auntie knows bestIT’S one of the peculiarities of news reporting in the digital age that we can daily find an analysis of any event or issue that answers our own particular sympathies and perspectives. From climate change (or not) to the iniquities of politicians (or not), there are authorities who will reassure you that the world is exactly as you imagine it to be. There seems to be no simple escape from this echo chamber of self-affirmation, so perspective can sometimes seem more fundamental to the news than anything we might be pleased to call fact.All this is necessary to bear in mind as politicians turn their attention to the future of the BBC. It’s not a perfect organisation —no one claims that it is—but the ideals behind it remain important. One…2 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Where dinosaurs still roamDINOSAURS are about to go extinct again, warns Historic England. ‘Dinosaurs? What dinosaurs?’ you might be thinking. The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, obviously. Historic England have added the 30 Grade I-listed life-sized sculptures, which include crocodiles, amphibians and giant sloths, to its Heritage at Risk Register, as fears grow about large cracks that are appearing in their bodies and limbs. They’re also in danger of losing toes, teeth and nails.The statues are 166 years old and are the creations of Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, one of the Victorian era’s best natural-history artists. It’s not known what is causing the degradation, but ground movement on the artificial islands on which they stand and changing water levels are suspected. At least we can rule out an asteroid.Visit www.historicengland.org.ukor Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs at…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Food: the very barest necessityTHE NFU has once again called for the Government to enshrine British food standards in law. In her opening address to the NFU conference last week, president Minette Batters said: ‘If the Government is serious about animal welfare and environmental protection and doing more than any previous government, it must put legislation in the Agriculture Bill. What is the Government waiting for? What is more important to our economy, our health and our environment than the very food we eat?’In a wide-ranging address, Mrs Batters also said that 2020 was the most important year for British agriculture since the 1940s. She outlined what she believes is a huge opportunity for Britain’s farmers to show the world how to farm in the future, and called on the Government to show ‘leadership’,…2 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Country MouseSILENCE reigns as you walk through our manmade forests, which make up almost half the nation’s woodland. The reason is simple: these woodlands consist of conifers, of which only three—the Scots pine, yew and juniper—are native to this country. The rest have been imported as quick-growing timber and many of our native animals have not been able to adapt to these new conditions.Native deciduous trees, such as the oak, provide vast amounts of food, mainly by supporting insects for other wildlife—a mature oak tree is home to some 2,300 species of insect, fungi and other wildlife. Conifers support very little, with the exception of deer, which has meant the population of deer has exploded to an all-time high. In a conifer wood, the flora of a woodland floor is restricted…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020100 years ago in COUNTRY LIFE March 6, 1920THE boom of the bittern is a weird sound and unlike anything else in Nature. It is not surprising, therefore, that our superstitious forefathers regarded it with awe. It is said to have made them shake in their shoes and think of death and the desirability of making their wills. Especially was this the case when driving home on market days after dark! The great wide silence of the fens on a winter’s night, the long straight roads traversing the lonely marshes, and the immense dome overhead with its pageant of stars—ever so slight a sound seems intensified when it breaks the silence of a vast solitude. No wonder, then, if the sudden booming of a bittern startles the solitary wayfare with its intensity. Or, perhaps, the softly floating bird…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Yesterday’s newsLAST week, there was good news from the far North-West of England: the local newspaper has been saved from extinction. In the lovely Eden Valley, the Cumberland and Westmorland Herald has served the people of Penrith for 160 years. Independently owned, it had fought off approaches from the giant national news businesses to maintain its identity until, finally, early last month, bankruptcy stared it in the face and it had to call in the administrators. There seemed little hope.Local weeklies have been closing all over the country; last year, The Buteman in Scotland went, as did a group that included the Harlow Star in Essex and the Buckinghamshire Advertiser; those that remain have largely been swallowed up by the big national groups. Indeed, even as the Herald teetered on the…3 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Portrait of a Young Man with a Book by BronzinoSimon Callow is an actor, musician and theatre director. His latest book, in collaboration with photographer Derry Moore, is London’s Great Theatres‘I have been haunted by Bronzino’s work since my adolescence, above all by the portraits, of which this, of an unknown young man, is among the very finest. They all have something in common, these portraits, which is, above all, in the relationship of the subject to the viewer–or, perhaps, the painter. These aristocrats make no concessions, no attempt to charm. But this haughtiness has a certain enigmatic quality to it. One longs to get inside their heads. This astonishingly self-contained young man almost defies you to get behind his mask. Perhaps it might be better titled Portrait of an Unknowable Young Man’THE Florentine Bronzino was the son of…2 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020co*ck-a-doodle-do• Labradoodles are used in guide- and therapy-dog training programmes around the world• They can come in a wide variety of colours, including chocolate, cream, apricot and silver, as well as three different sizes, according to the poodle they are bred from• The labradoodle replaced the Scottish terrier as a token in the 2006 version of the board game Monopoly• In 2013, a large golden labradoodle called Charles the Monarch was mistaken for a lion in Norfolk, Virginia• The average life span of a labradoodle is 12–14 years…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Where the wild things are‘The battle-scarred bulls share the bloody history of the castle, scene of many a border skirmish’IN the northernmost reaches of Northumberland, a strange, low bellowing is reverberating around the walls of medieval Chillingham Castle. This primeval sound is emanating from a large herd of majestic cattle, which has been wandering wild since the 1300s.Porcelain white with crimson-tinged ears, the wild cattle of Chillingham are completely different to the docile domestic breeds we are used to. Leaner, smaller and with long, menacing horns, they offer a glimpse into the distant past, when beasts such as these roamed the Neolithic forests. Now, safely enclosed in the 360 acres of parkland that has been their home for more than 700 years, the cattle live in an entirely natural way, with an equal number…3 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Shiver my timbersTHE use of timber-framing in housebuilding dates back to Neolithic times, although, in Britain, relatively few timber-frame houses survive from before the 15th century. Throughout the medieval period, the availability of good-quality timber, such as oak, in densely wooded parts of the country allowed the construction of large, high-status houses, and timber remained the building material of choice until the mid 17th century. This week, we celebrate the arrival onto the market of no fewer than three notable examples of the timber-framer’s art.For sale through Knight Frank in Henleyon-Thames (01491 844900) and Sara Batting in Reading (0118–950 2341) at a guide price of £5 million, Northbury Farm at Ruscombe, Berkshire, is a fine, Grade II-listed former manor house, set in more than nine acres of beautifully maintained gardens and grounds,…6 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020A growing successIT’S not often you find yourself examining a car-park planting scheme, but at The Plant Specialist nursery in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, the beds are charming and a sure sign of the horticultural delights to come. The plant sales/ reception area is also cleverly designed, with a low wooden building opening out on both sides to stock displays: on the left are row upon row of sun-lovers, helpfully listed from A-Z; to the right, a large slatted structure houses shady plants. Around the rest of the 4½-acre site, variously sized beds show how the plants can be used in dynamic combinations and, tucked in a far corner, are working areas for propagation and growing on.Co-owner Sean Walter conceived the idea when visiting Hadspen in Somerset in the mid 1990s, when it…4 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Getting to the roots of the matterGROWING anything that has a hidden harvest takes faith. You have to care for the plant, water it when it’s dry, weed and otherwise faff without the reassurance of a crop that’s maturing before your eyes: there are no flowers turning to apples, no beans fattening in the pod, no leaves growing to meet the knife. Even late on, you have to hold your nerve. Two weeks is a long time in the underground world—unpromising tubers and roots in October can transform into a bucketful by November.Unsettling as it is, I grow an increasing variety of roots and tubers every year. As well as a few early potatoes, some lines of carrots and so on, I grow many little-known underground treasures that stay in the ground for most of the…4 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020More ways with leeksSpring broth with pestoAdd two chopped sticks of celery, two thinly sliced leeks, two grated cloves of garlic, a couple of handfuls of sliced spring greens or sweetheart cabbage to a saucepan and cover with vegetable stock. Simmer until tender, then add a tablespoon of fresh pesto. Using a stick blender, process roughly a third of the soup so that it still has a chunky consistency. Place over the heat, add 100g of macaroni pasta and simmer until cooked through. To serve, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a little zest, plus a generous grating of Parmesan and fresh basil. This deliciously fragrant soup serves two, easily.Crab and leek toastiesGently fry two thinly sliced leeks in butter until soft. Remove from the heat…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Designs for health and beautyDOES anyone still have a beach cape? If so, Ghislaine Wood, curator of the Sainsbury Centre’s new exhibition, would like to hear from you. Beach capes—voluminous, tent-like robes that allowed the (female) wearer to change into a swimsuit without any loss of modesty—were an essential accessory of the 1930s seaside.Brightly coloured and strikingly patterned, these once ubiquitous garments seem to have been thrown out, together with the knitted bathing dresses over which they were worn, once fashion changed. Elaborate evening dresses had a more obvious value; the exhibition contains some sleek and shimmering examples borrowed from Southend Museums. (One of the aims of the show has been to draw on out-of-London collections.)‘Billy Butlin’s holiday camps used Art Deco to catch the eye’Architecturally, Art Deco found a natural home at the…4 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020His cause was bound to triumphPEOPLE still read W. H. Hudson, Cobbett was never out of print and Edward Thomas, the poet whose life was sucked out by a shell like a flame in the wind, is now fashionable, but I think, of all the old country writers, none speaks so urgently to us today as H. J. Massingham. Yet he is almost forgotten, as only a prophet who railed against the tenor of his times can be.You can find his books in any second-hand bookshop, however, and they are worth picking up. When I heard of a plan to widen the road by the Rollright Stones, I thought of Massingham driving along it to ‘the Stwuns’ one winter, when it ‘was filmed with a “gleer” of ice, and pockets of snow lay along the…3 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Make a Knight of itAN immaculately coiffed guest sashays out of the massive doors of the Mandarin Oriental, past the top-hatted, red-coated doorman, revealing a glimpse of the marbled hall inside. Reopened about a year ago after being ravaged by a fire in June 2018, this turreted Edwardian icon is the pinnacle of centuries of Knightsbridge’s hospitality—but its gilded grandeur is a far cry from the timbered inns that peppered the area in the past. After all, this was one of London’s most infamous suburbs, where robberies and assassination attempts were the order of nearly every day.For centuries, Knightsbridge’s only remarkable landmark was the stone bridge that gave it its name. Nonetheless, the bridge and the road that passed by it, linking London to Kensington and Brentford, brought in roaring, if rather shady, trade…4 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020The world’s top shopMORE than any other Knights-bridge street, Brompton Road has perfected the metamorphosis from undistinguished address into a triumph of opulence—thanks, in no small part, to Harrods.Strictly speaking, the street did not exist until 1863, but the land it now occupies was, for many years, a sequence of market gardens and inns. Change began towards the end of the 18th century with some piecemeal development and, by the early 1800s, the then Brompton Row played host to the American-born British inventor Benjamin Thompson, his daughter and their many tenants.The origins of Harrods go back to the mid 19th century: Essex-born Charles Henry Harrod, who had previously opened a wholesale grocery and tea merchant in East London, began running a retail shop in Knightsbridge from 1849 and quickly saw it evolve into…3 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Simon LycettWhen did you decide you wanted to be a florist?I was born and brought up in Warwick. Aged seven, I went to the local town flower show. I was totally captivated. Ever since then, I knew I wanted to work with flowers.Has working in London and your Camberwell workshop inspired your work?Yes. I think it’s the fact that London is such an eclectic melting pot. Pretty much anything goes and that’s kind of my philosophy working with flowers.What does the fast-approaching spring have in store for you?I’m always excited and lucky enough to work with the RHS and the BBC on the Chelsea Flower Show. It’s the most magnificent, iconic London week ever. All the trees are in leaf and the sun is starting to shine.I also work with Belmond…3 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020No fun on the farm?NEW Defra Secretary George Eustice received a mixed reception at his first NFU conference since taking over the role.In his opening speech, Mr Eustice outlined his vision for agriculture and the environment, now that Britain has left the EU. He said: ‘Let’s not have any more jangling nerves about our ability to compete on the international stage. We have some of the most efficient and innovative farmers in the world. It’s time to get on the pitch and compete.’‘Our ambition is to use our freedom to embark on a new journey for farming’He discussed the replacement of farming’s Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) with the new Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS), milk prices, flooding and food standards in a speech that sought to play down the concerns of NFU members post-Brexit.…3 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Good week forOrangutansKellogg’s has agreed to remove ‘unsustainable’ palm oil from its products after two sisters won an environmental campaign. Asha and Jia Kirkpatrick from Bedfordshire launched their petition after learning about the harmful effects of the palm oil industry on rainforestsGrayson PerryLast Thursday it was announced that Grayson Perry is the winner of the Erasmus Prize 2020. The King of the Netherlands will present the artist with his prize later this year. There will be a series of events and exhibitions of the artist’s work in the run up to the award ceremonyGreen activistsHeathow’s plans to build a third runway have been blocked by a Court of Appeal ruling. The case was brought by councils, the Mayor of London and environmental groups. The Court of Appeal said that the expansion plans…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Spinning pointlesslySCOTTISH wind farms were paid £30.9 million in January to switch off, it was revealed last week. A subsea cable that was designed to carry excess power from farms in Scotland to England failed on January 10 and was not repaired until last month. In February last year, the Western Link cable also failed—as a result, the National Grid had to pay turbine owners £30 million in compensation.The sum makes up a phenomenon called ‘constraint payments’, whereby operators of wind turbines are paid to power down their machinery to avoid overloading the grid at times when supply exceeds demand. In 2018, the annual cost of these payments was £124.6 million and, although the money is paid out by the National Grid, the cost is transferred on to consumers through higher…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Town MouseIT’S astonishing how water manages to penetrate buildings. What I first became aware of as a slightly damp patch of peeling wallpaper in the study has been converted by a few days of heavy rain into a steadily weeping leak. The children seem concerned that I might not have noticed and repeatedly point out the problem with detached indifference. Every time the subject is mentioned to my wife, she simply asks whether the pictures have been taken off the wall. Dealing with the builder, therefore, is my responsibility.As we await the commencement of work, the list of additional tasks that the builder might accomplish when he’s here has grown steadily. By the time of his visit to look at the leak, indeed, it seemed to have become quite a minor…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Oh, the agony!If you just smileQ My mother has dementia, which is incredibly difficult and painful on many levels, but she no longer recognises the children and has taken to telling them the most inappropriate tales. I don’t want to deprive them of the time they have with her, but she has lost all grasp of what they should be exposed to—what is the solution?N. O., DevonA Dementia has become more prevalent with longer life expectancy, yet the very term now carries a hushed knell of dread that is unhelpful. Humour, as always, is the way through. Our forebears took a less reverend stand. ‘La-la’, ‘potty’, ‘batty’, ‘ga-ga’: the nomenclature was less ponderous and more affectionate. I don’t think it was cruel: it helped to take the pain away and, arguably, even…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Ashes to four-postersWITH some delight, I read the piece about native ash by Mark Griffiths (‘The tree of life fights on’, January 29). Some years ago, I commissioned a cabinetmaker called Christopher Whitehouse to make a very fine table and several three-legged stools from a fallen ash tree. Later, another storm brought down an ancient cedar—this he made into three handsome four-poster beds and a vast blanket chest. Far too often after a storm, trees are cleared away without a thought. Even the smaller branches can be made into logs. As the old poem says: Ash logs, all smooth and grey, burn them green or old; buy up all that come your way, they’re worth their weight in gold.Maggie Dillon-Godfrey, GloucestershireThe writer of the letter of the week will win a bottle…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Who will care for our curators?THE word ‘curate’ comes from the Latin meaning ‘to care’, but it has always implied rather more than that. In the world of the Arts, indeed, it has bestowed itself on an entire profession. Curators are the individuals not only responsible for the care of objects, but also their interpretation and public presentation. For that reason, they once used to concern themselves with storing or displaying items correctly and labelling them accurately. In such spare time as they possessed, many addressed themselves to the Sisyphean task of cataloguing their collections.Few curators today, however, do more than dream of pursuing research for a catalogue, because the focus of their work has changed fundamentally. Most continue to have responsibilities for a collection, but they are really in the business of preparing exhibitions.…2 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020In the footsteps of old MastersI HAD a free-range childhood. My parents loved the outdoors and life for my four sisters and me was full of adventure. We holidayed in Northumberland, Snowdonia and the Lake District, but, closer to home, near Rugby, there were always places to explore.We waded through mud looking for Roman pottery near Tripontium when the M6 was being completed; we skated on the Oxford Canal when it froze over and we made endless trips to Badby Woods. When I was invited to speak in Daventry, my heart leapt at the prospect of revisiting the scenes of my childhood.‘I climb through fields seemingly just vacated by medieval ploughs, ridge and furrow rippling in low winter sun’Badby Woods is where I most wanted to go. I knew these lovely woods would bring back…3 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Mixing it upThanks to their many admirable breed traits, poodles—be they standard, miniature or toy—are now being used in a whole host of other hybrids• Bassetoodle (basset-hound mix)Resembling a basset in a curly wig, these dogs should be calm and affectionate, but may inherit the hound’s stubborn streak• Bernedoodle (Bernese mountain dog)Intelligent with a happy-go-lucky, slightly goofy attitude, but be aware that they may grow to alarming proportions• co*ckapoo (co*cker spaniel)Perhaps the best-known crossbreed after the labradoodle, a successful co*ckapoo litter combines intelligence and spirit with sturdiness and work ethic• Goldendoodle (golden retriever)Often highly sociable and trainable, goldendoodles have made successful guide, service, therapy and sniffer dogs—as well as family pets• Maltipoo (Maltese)This small dog should be active, yet affectionate and gentle• Pomapoo (Pomeranian)Should be friendly and laid-back, with modest exercise requirements.…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Listen to the language of belongingFOR millennia, the language of birds has called us to cross divides. In the Qur’an, Solomon received a bounty and blessing through the language of birds. Job exhorts us to hear the wisdom of the fowls of the air. News of the human world was carried into the divine ear by Norse Odin’s ravens and the blue birds of the Taoist Queen of the West. In the voices of birds, we hear augury, portent, prophesy. We are drawn across boundaries into other places, other times.Bird sounds offer an invitation, but it is hard to discern what is meant in this speech of our winged cousins. Birds inhabit flesh profoundly different from our own. Our inattention and indoor lives further muffle their language. We’ve made ourselves a lonely place, so quiet.…7 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Fix up, look sharpTHERE’S so much to think about when trying to find that perfect home—whether it’s a large house for a family or a peaceful little cottage near the golf club for when the kids have all left home. You may have your heart set on that perfect kitchen island (I know I do) or perhaps you’re pining for some ancillary accommodation to keep those pesky visitors at arm’s length (I wouldn’t blame you). Or perhaps it’s the setting that really counts, be it rolling fields, mature woodland or the seaside. Add it all together and finding that perfect mix can start to seem almost impossible.‘Taking the time to make your home exactly how you want it is worth it’Perhaps it’s better to focus on one thing you really want and then…4 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Sean’s design top tips• Whatever the size of your garden, always ask: what do I want to hide? How do I go about it? What do I want to draw attention to?• Big beds are much easier to look after than small ones. They allow for a decent amount of plants and the space for them to develop properly.• Ultimately, a garden needs to be a bit cosy, so it’s important to create a sense of intimacy to be comfortable• Build up the layers—trees, shrubs, perennials and bulbs. Include a variety of shapes, textures and colours• Ensure at least half your plants are late-flowering perennials; for spring interest, focus on early ones and bulbs• Restricting the range of flower colours makes things more tranquil• Good plantspeople are not intimidated by a bit of…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Horticultural aide memoireMow the lawnLawns grow more or less all year round these days, but the real action still starts now. Before you mow, walk the whole lawn with eyes down, looking for stones and other unwelcome objects, and pick them off. The first cut is a mere light trim with the blades set high, intended to bring visual order to the uneven surface. It is best done with a rotary mower in the middle of the day. If it is a fine lawn, the second cut should be preceded by brushing or switching the dew off, then using the cylinder mower for the first time.…1 min
Country Life|04-Mar-2020Stoppard returns to his rootsEVEN before it opened at Wyndham’s, Sir Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt had the feel of an event: a final work from an 82-year-old dramatist who has enlarged the possibilities of theatre.Having seen the play, I can only say that it fulfils one’s hopes in that it traces the fate of two Viennese Jewish families from 1899 to 1955 and leaves one deeply moved. I would only take issue with those critics who have suggested this is something new and unexpected from Sir Tom. For all his reputation as an intellectual gymnast, there has often been a strong emotional core—think of The Real Thing and Arcadia—to his work.What makes Leopoldstadt exceptional is that it has echoes of the Czech-born Sir Tom’s own family history and that the emotion is much closer to…5 min
