In this issue

Horsepower
Stubbs, Burghley and ponies at tea parties Suits you, sir: the car you really need.

A fatal court and folly

In the second of two articles, John Goodall looks at the Jacobite history of Scone and the transformation of the Palace from 1802 into a Gothic Revival prodigy house

8 mins

Be not hasty to pluck it

Have we been picking blackberries wrong all this time? Ignore the birds and follow the bees for the ultimate hedgerow delight of summer's end, advises Deborah Nicholls-Lee

6 mins

Attending the barley ballet

Late one August night, John Lewis-Stempel and his labrador are transfixed by the last dance of the barley field, as moonshine bathes the shimmering and swaying sun-goldened crop in an ethereal silvery light

4 mins

Can I tempt you with another carrot?

No tea party is complete without a four-hoofed friend in attendance, says Flora Watkins. Just be mindful of where you put the sugar lumps

5 mins

From Paris, with love

British equestrian sport is riding high post-Olympics and next month's Defender Burghley Horse Trials, which has attracted an illustrious entry, should show it in its best light, believes Kate Green

5 mins

The summits of excellence

Scaling the Three Peaks of Britain is not for the faint of heart and neither is driving the powerful Aston Martin DBX707. Fortunately, Adam Hay-Nicholls is braver than most and took on the challenge with aplomb

5 mins

Wheels of fortune

Life is nothing but endless choices, even more so when looking to buy a car. Thankfully, James Fisher has thought of (almost) every possible situation in which you might need one and which model to buy

5 mins

The sweet taste of freedom

The L-plates are off and it's time to hit the road. Everyone remembers their first (car), so James Fisher asked COUNTRY LIFE staff and friends to tell us about theirs

5 mins

Sporting chances

Buyers inspired by Team GB's success at the Paris Olympics and the magnificent architecture of the competition venues can pursue their own sporting dreams at four charming houses that have recently come to the market

5 mins

Elegy to a country churchyard

A garden with a church as its focal point is both movingly effective and mellow, with nods to a horticultural hero and a ruby wedding anniversary, as George Plumptre discovers

5 mins

The plant that defied the weather

SO much of what happens, in summer and after, is due to what forecasters like to call ‘weather events’ that occurred in the previous winter and spring.

3 mins

Hero of the turf

George Stubbs, born 300 years ago, found Nature superior to art and approached his pictures with the eye of an anatomy scholar, yet no contemporary could rival him in capturing the elegance and character of racehorses, dogs and even zebras, as Jack Watkins discovers

6 mins

Read all stories from Country Life UK

Country Life UK Magazine Description:

Country Life; architecture, gardens, countryside, property, the very best of British life Published by IPC Media. Country Life, the quintessential English magazine, is undoubtedly one of the biggest and instantly recognisable brands in the UK today. It has a unique core mix of contemporary country-related editorial and top end property advertising. Editorially, the magazine comments in-depth on a wide variety of subjects, such as architecture, the arts, gardens and gardening, travel, the countryside, field-sports and wildlife. With renowned columnists and superb photography Country Life delivers the very best of British life every week.