In this issue

Alive and wool
Jane Wheatley spins a yarn in anticipation of Wonderwool, a creative showcase for sheep.

That sounds just like you
From talking budgies to dawnchorus impersonators, Stephen Moss meets the birdsong mimics.

A future in the Arts
John Goodall investigates the colourful history of remarkable West Horsley Place in Surrey..

Totally foxed

The new Scottish legislation on hunting looks unworkable and will be to the detriment of wildlife

3 mins

Is the 'tourist tax' realistic?

Charging visitors to national parks such as the busy Lake District sounds an attractive idea, but it could easily backfire, says one local

3 mins

A future in the Arts

One of the most important historic houses in Surrey is enjoying a new lease of life as a centre for the Arts. John Goodall looks at the history of this remarkable building

8 mins

ALIVE AND WOOL

A yearly festival of wool sees drop spindles, peg looms, felted collars and yarns dyed in heavenly shades of old rose, hawthorn and hedgeberry fill a parallel world in which wool reigns supreme,

5 mins

'Painting horses is, to me, the breath of life'

Lucy Kemp-Welch was overlooked for RA election and refused to get involved with the feminist politics of her day, letting her powerful and empathetic animal paintings do the talking,

5 mins

Return of the Mac

It might now be spelt differently, made of alternative fabrics and have even embraced colour, but-at heart-the Mackintosh remains the same classic waterproof coat conceived 200 years ago,

5 mins

That sounds just like you

Forget flashy plumage or intricate dances, being a great sound mimic is what really wins over womenat least for some birds,

4 mins

Colour counsel

The latest paints and wallpapers, selected

2 mins

Once in a generation

Today's Property Market previews the launch onto the market, for the first time since 1985, of one of Kent's most important country houses

4 mins

Fronds in high places

An obsession with palms has taken Martin Gibbons to some of the most inaccessible places around the world, says Tiffany Daneff, and to the founding of his remarkable nursery

5 mins

Dressed to impress

Towering headdresses, 3ft-high feathers and a diamond-spangled skirt so heavy that a pulley was needed to raise the hem are only some of the extraordinary outfits that made Georgian Britain sartorially magnificent,

6 mins

Crowning glories

A Bristol exhibition contains riveting treasures from past coronations

3 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.