Sir Richard FitzHerbert told me that he did not want to be thought of as “just another nobleman in a great house.” FitzHerbert is the current holder of the FitzHerbert baronetcy, which he inherited in 1989 at the age of 24; he also owns the Jacobean Tissington Hall, the 2,000 acres of hilly Derbyshire land,… Read More »
Twentieth-century Europe unleashed an unprecedented destructive violence upon itself. Hundreds of cities were shelled, mortared, incendiary-bombed, and fought over. Bell towers were toppled, cathedrals were leveled, draperies and town halls were shattered, and streets were so devastated that paths could no longer be discerned under the precipices and ravines of the rubble. From the French… Read More »
Will no one be thinking of the playwrights? Defeat in Sunday’s European Championship final robbed James Graham of the perfect ending, currently updating his football hit Dear England for a return to the scene next year. Still, at least Gareth Southgate’s men were not eliminated on penalties in the quarter-finals against Switzerland. The prospect of… Read More »
Marty Orton used his garden room as temporary accommodation, office and now Airbnb – Christopher Pledger Anyone who embarks on a complete home renovation has to consider where they will live once their home is torn apart. Hardy souls can cut costs by staying put, living with the dust, noise and builders’ mess. Others will… Read More »
As British state schools head towards the end of term, children in private schools have already been on holiday since July 4 at some of London’s best schools. And while it may seem ironic that those paying for school are getting less education, there is one clear advantage to this: cheaper family holidays. In a… Read More »
Drought, biblical floods, rising temperatures and angry anti-tourist protesters holding signs saying “tourists go home” – these are just some of the scenarios that Spain’s most popular tourist destinations have experienced in the past few months. So how do you prevent your relaxing summer vacation from turning into holiday hell? Spain is not against tourism.… Read More »
Leaving Venice and crossing the Ponte della Libertà, the bridge that crosses the lagoon of La Serenissima to Domini di Terraferma, my first impressions are not promising, as I pass the giant refineries of the mainland’s petrochemical industry, then the skeleton of a gigantic cruise ship under construction in vast naval shipyards. But 20 minutes… Read More »
Wakefield is the epicentre of sculpture in Britain. Take a trip to the birthplace of Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth and cross over into the realms of three-dimensional art: 10 exquisite galleries at Hepworth Wakefield, featuring carvings and castings by these artists, as well as many European masterpieces; sculptures stand out like standing stones along… Read More »