In this issue

The foul-mouthed Miller and the prim Princess
Geoffrey Chaucer created his Canterbury pilgrims more than 600 years ago, yet his band of travellers speaks across the ages, finds Matthew Dennison.

A fairy house
The glamour and glitz of 1920s stage and screen is rekindled as Clive Aslet puts the spotlight on Marylands, a Surrey country house with a Spanish influence.

Baby, it’s cold outside
In the first of a new series on weather lore, Lia Leendertz reveals how January can set the tone for the year to come..

A fairy house

A stylish 1920s home brought the glamour of the theatre and Hollywood, as well as the most recent fashions of healthy living, to an incomparable Surrey setting, as Clive Aslet explains

8 mins

Baby, it's cold outside

Predicting the weather using folklore is not as lackadaisical as it might seem, says Lia Leendertz, as she reveals what we can look forward to this month

1 min

The foul-mouthed Miller and the prim Prioress

The pre-eminent poet of the English language, celebrated for his trailblazing literary wizardry, Chaucer's time 'is, and has always been, here and now', finds Matthew Dennison

6 mins

Let's hear it for Britain

There are many good reasons to be proud of this sceptred isle, from great thinkers via Shakespeare to the electric kettle. Carla Passino selects 50 of the best

10+ mins

Interiors: The designer's room

The restoration of a bathroom at Ven House in Somerset is sympathetic to its historic roots

1 min

The secret of a good night's sleep

Amanda Oldfield of The Wrought Iron and Brass Bed Company tells COUNTRY LIFE why the quality of your sleep is only as good as the quality of your bed

3 mins

Making a splash

Ideas for creating a luxury bathing and dressing sanctuary at home, selected by Amelia Thorpe

2 mins

Lands of hope and glory

Farms and estates did not lose their appeal in 2023, with some local buyers and even a happy ending to a long-running Cornish dispute

7 mins

Talk of the town

With his inside-out buildings, wedged skyscrapers and skyline-poking struts, Richard Rogers changed the London landscape, as well as pioneering sustainable urban living, as Carla Passino discovers

7 mins

On the hour, every hour

The Greenwich Time Signal has been a ubiquitous part of BBC Radio for a century, but few know what it really is and where it came from, says Rob Crossan

2 mins

Snow magic

At Dryad Nursery near York, botanical artist Anne Wright has been breeding some highly collectable snowdrops, writes Mary Keen

4 mins

It's a mash up

'Floury-fleshed 'Kestrel' is better than any I've tried'

3 mins

Jerusalem-artichoke chowder with mussels and chive oil

'Sweet and nutty with a hint of artichoke, peel them with a spoon as you would ginger'

2 mins

At the turn of the century

La Mamounia in Marrakech has a storied past. As it turns 100, Mary Lussiana returns to reflect on its successes and guess what the next few years might hold

2 mins

There's no time like the ancient present

Athens, cradle of civilisation, is enjoying a rapid renaissance, says Luke Abrahams, and the best time to visit is right now

3 mins

La dolce Dolomites

There's more to skiing than the French and Swiss Alps, says James Fisher, who goes in search of new adventures in the Italian mountains

4 mins

To ski or not to ski

'Falling over was easy, even on the flat; getting up was disastrous;

2 mins

All roads lead to Rome

Thomas, 14th Earl of Arundel, amassed the first large collection of classical sculptures in the 17th century. Britain's passion for antiquities has endured to this day, albeit with a different approach, as Carla Passino 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.