Inhaltsverzeichnis für May/June 2017 in Britain

This issue, we’ve explored relatively unknown territory in England’s heartland and discovered secret Tudor palaces and manor houses, each with their own story to tell, that deserve every bit of recognition as those on the more travelled path. Read all about these hidden treasures in On the Tudor Trail (p14). As it’s now officially spring, we sent one of our trusted writers for a walk along the picturesque Cotswold Way. You can follow his journey as he passes through quaint villages and impossibly gorgeous countryside (plus one or two pubs) in The Prettiest Path (p24). If it’s history you’re after then you’ll love The Secret Lives of the Georgians (p53), where we delve into the private letters of King George III to discover another side to the monarch labelled ‘mad’.…

ANNIVERSARY Diana, Princess of Wales August 2017 marks 20 years since the untimely death of Diana, Princess of Wales. To commemorate the adored princess, Althorp Estate in Northamptonshire, the family home of the Spencers since 1508 and the final resting place of the late princess, will host Diana, Princess of Wales (1 May to 8 October), a photographic exhibition of her final official portraits. Held in the exhibition rooms of the Grade I-listed Stables at Althorp, the exhibition will showcase 15 stunning images of the princess shot in 1997 by internationally renowned photographer Mario Testino for Vanity Fair, as well as a selection of remembrances of Diana’s legacy and her charitable works. Entrance to the exhibition is included in the regular Althorp ticket price. www.spencerofalthorp.com HISTORY Domesday display Lincoln Castle,…

GETTING THERE There are mainline train stations within half an hour of each of the properties with regular connections to London. To explore the region fully, however, a car is invaluable. www.thetrainline.com; www.auto-international.com TAKE A TOUR Rockingham Castle and Grimsthorpe Castle form part of the Hidden England collection of properties, which this year has launched group tours that include visits to both these, plus the burial place of Henry VIII’s first wife Catherine of Aragon at Peterborough Cathedral. www.hiddenengland.org FOOD AND DRINK Take afternoon tea in the 17th-century stable block at Haddon Hall, which overlooks the River Wye, while The Case is Altered is a convivial old pub near Baddesley Clinton, which has served locals for centuries but you won't get food here: just good beer and conversation.www.haddonhall.co.uk; www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk TUDOR…

The Egyptian House, Penzance, West Cornwall Stay in one of three apartments set in this extraordinary 19th-century house, which features a beautiful Egyptian Revival façade.www.landmarktrust.org.uk The Witchery by the Castle, Edinburgh For a truly lavish experience, book into one of these nine opulent suites, which include antique furnishings, four-poster beds and roll-top baths. www.thewitchery.com The Old Railway Station, Petworth This wooden railway station has been transformed into a luxury B&B, with options to overnight in an Edwardian railway carriage.www.old-station.co.uk West Usk Lighthouse, St. Brides, Newport Cosy bed and breakfast set in an unusually short yet once fully functioning lighthouse with plenty of maritime memorabilia.www.westusklighthouse.co.uk Star Castle Hotel, Isles of Scilly Original 16th-century Elizabethan fortress on the Isles of Scilly, which features 4 acres of secluded gardens, two restaurants and a…

The ancient city of St Albans, just north of London, has many stories to tell – from its Roman settlement and the history of how it got its name to the stunning cathedral at its heart. Lying on the River Ver, Verulamium (as it was then known) was built in AD50 and was the third largest town in Roman Britain. The city was named after Saint Alban – Britain’s first saint – a martyr who gave up his life to protect a priest, who had taught him about Christianity. Alban shielded the priest, who was fleeing from persecution, by exchanging clothes with him and allowing him to escape. For this, Alban was arrested and beheaded – local legend says his body lies somewhere outside the city walls, though this is…

NARNIA DISCOVERED I was thrilled to see an article on CS Lewis and Narnia in the latest issue of Britain (Volume 85, Issue 2). I am a huge fan of his writings, and I’m working on a collection of his first editions, to include six of the seven Chronicles of Narnia so far. As a fan, I’ve made sure to visit the Kilns and Magdalen College at Oxford, and I’ve read much about his life in England. Thank you so much for highlighting the much less discussed Irish influence on Lewis and his timeless stories. I learned plenty of new information with this engaging article. Jared Detter, Santa Maria, CA, US A HUNGER FOR BRITISH TRAVEL With the aid of BRITAIN’s back issues, we planned a return to England last…

Arthur and the Kings of Britain: the historical truth behind the myths by Miles Russell (£20, Amberley Publishing) Explore the historical accuracy of the medieval bestseller, The Historia. I Never Knew That About England’s Country Churches by Christopher Winn (£8.99, Ebury Press) Discover the hidden stories and forgotten pasts of England's many county churches. Insider London by Rachel Felder (£16.99, Harper Collins) A lovely guide to more than 200 London destinations, including stylish shops, restaurants, and cultural experiences. The Private Lives of the Tudors by Tracy Borman (£9.99, Hodder Paperbacks) All the intimate secrets of the Tudor court and private lives of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I. The Really Quite Good British Cookbook edited by William Sitwell (£25, Nourish Books) 100 of Britain's finest chefs and food heroes…

It feels a very long time since breakfast but as we struggle up hill into Winchcombe, pride and relief mingle with the sensation of sore feet. Our first 18 miles on the Cotswold Way has involved a lot of ups and downs – mainly literal ones – and some of the best views in southern England. We almost didn’t start. Breakfast at Cotswold House in Chipping Campden was beguiling. Oh dear, it would have been all too easy to linger at our table in the window of this 18th-century townhouse and watch the life of this ancient market town pass by. But the Cotswold Way runs immediately outside, so eventually there was no avoiding it. We laced up our walking boots and set off in the direction of Broadway, pausing…

The famous Big Ben ‘bongs’ will fall silent this spring as a £29 million restoration programme gets underway. The clock has been telling the time for Londoners since the mid 19th century and now needs serious attention, with works including repair to the clock, as well as the fabric of the tower. Big Ben – the name given to the great bell rather than the actual clock – was installed in the Palace of Westminster clock tower in 1859. Since then it has become Britain’s most famous bell. Its iconic chimes were first recorded by the BBC on New Year’s Eve in 1923 and are now recorded live by the BBC twice a day, every day, at 6pm and midnight. And the clock itself, with its four, huge cast iron…

To many the name Caxton is synonymous with printing. Before William Caxton introduced the printing press to London in the 1470s, books were handmade, making them the preserve of the wealthy. However, with the formation in either late 1475 or early 1476 of his own printers, Caxton put the wheels in motion for mass printing in England, thereby bringing books and literature to the people. Born in Kent in the 1420s, Caxton moved to London as a teenager where he was apprenticed to a successful merchant and he quickly flourished in his new career. For around 30 years he worked and lived in the Low Countries, a coastal region of western Europe that encompassed the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, and it was while working there, trading in woollen cloth and…

GETTING THERE You can get to St Albans from London St Pancras by train in under 20 minutes. If you’re coming by car take the M1 north out of London. www.thetrainline.com WHERE TO STAY An old Georgian country home, Sopwell House is set on the outskirts of the city and with luxury rooms, a spa and afternoon tea available, it has a real English feel to it. www.sopwellhouse.co.uk The White Hart Hotel is conveniently located opposite the cathedral in one of St Albans’ oldest buildings. Sleep in their quaint bedrooms and dine in the oak-panelled Tudor-themed restaurant. www.whiteharthotelstalbans.co.uk WHERE TO EAT You can’t visit St Albans and not pop into its popular The Waffle House, a family-run business located in a working 16th-century watermill in the pretty parish of St…

“On a Sunday afternoon, I love wandering down George Street in St Albans and looking around all the independent shops and browsing their unique items. My husband, Andy, and I frequently book into La Cosa Nostra, which is a lovely little Italian restaurant where the service is so personalised. If we’re feeling like a dance then we head to the pub. The Boot, right next to the Clock Tower, is a tiny pub but the live music in there is fantastic with everyone getting a real slice of good local bands.” www.crumbsandsparkles.co.uk…

GETTING THERE Cheltenham is the main train and bus hub if you are starting the Cotswold Way in Chipping Campden. Trains run regularly from London Paddington, usually with one change at Bristol Parkway. There are also direct bus services from London Victoria. Both journeys take around two and a half to three hours. WHERE TO STAY Cotswold House in Chipping Campden is a splendid Georgian building directly on the route of the Cotswold Way, while the medieval Lion Inn (right) in Winchcombe is only a few hundred yards off the route.www.bespokehotels.com/cotswoldhousewww.thelionwinchcombe.co.uk WHERE TO EAT There's a new brasserie at the Lygon Arms in Broadway, which is ideal for a light lunch. This imposing 17th-century inn also has an atmospheric Edwardian dining hall with vaulted ceilings and oak-panelling for more leisurely…

For an ever-unique stay, a night in one of four beautiful Edwardian train carriages is a must Cornwall may exude boutique houses and cosy cottages but for a night inspired by the Pharaohs themselves, the Egyptian House, in the centre of Penzance, West Cornwall, makes for one of Britain’s quirkiest stays. This beautifully preserved example of Egyptian Revival architecture – a somewhat rare style inspired by Napoleon’s late 18th-century campaigns in Egypt – was built in 1835 by mineralogist and bookseller John Lavin and includes a grand façade with traditional pylon and lotus bud capitals. The design is reminiscent of the famed 1812 Egyptian Hall in London’s Piccadilly that was sadly demolished in 1905, and is often attributed to Plymouth architect John Foulston, although there is little to no evidence…