Hailes Castle
By Jan Towers
There is something undeniably special about castles - echoes of childhood fairy tales, the legend of King Arthur and his knights, or bucket-and-spade days on the beach. Long before museums lighted upon the concept of "reconstructing history", castles offered a chance, with just a little imagination, to gain a tangible experience of the past.
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Luffness Castle
by Jan Towers
The plethora of television programmes, newspaper supplements and magazines that focus on homes and gardens, their ownership and decoration can leave us reeling. Maybe we squirm as another house receives a style makeover involving metres of MDF or perhaps, inspired, we rush off to buy a can of paint. Whatever our point of view, to a nation with the highest percentage of home ownership in Europe, it would seem that home is, indeed, our castle.
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The Alnwick Garden - Designs for the Twenty-First Century.
By Sarah Powell
An extraordinary contemporary garden is being created in Alnwick, Northumberland. Inspired by Jane, Duchess of Northumberland, the innovative garden designs reflect her fascination with the potential for combining advanced water and lighting technology with nature to dramatic and artistic effect.
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Maids and Mistresses
Seven linked exhibitions exploring the role of Women in the Yorkshire Country House
Women in country houses have traditionally been seen as merely pretty portraits, aristocratic social butterflies or oppressed wives and mothers ensuring the line of inheritance. A new series of interlinked exhibitions for 2004 across seven of Yorkshire’s greatest country houses tells a very different story, revealing hidden secrets and bringing to life these quite extraordinary women: both above and below stairs.
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Maids and Mistressess: Unlocking the Door to the Secrets of the Women of the Country House
by Dr. Ruth Larsen
In her 1790 book Thoughts in the Form of Maxims Addressed to Young Ladies on Their First Establishment in the World, Isabella, dowager countess of Carlisle advised young women to hide the tools that ensured the smooth running of a country houses. She wrote: "Conceal, from the indifferent spectator, the secret springs which move, regulate and perfect the arrangement of your household."
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The Story of Traquair
By Sarah Powell
Nestling at the foot of the ancient border hills, partially shielded by trees, Traquair House has a distinct air of mystery and romanticism. Perhaps this derives from the densely forested setting, or the design of the house, which was fortified in the late thirteenth century with the incorporation of a border tower. Or perhaps it stems from the historic causes espoused and battles fought by its lairds - hinted at by the estate's imposing entrance gates. Guarding the end of a quarter-mile, tree-flanked avenue, these gates have remained firmly closed for nearly three hundred years, awaiting the return to the Scottish throne of a Stuart king.
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Great Houses of Yorkshire
By Jan Towers
Fierce pride in Yorkshire heritage chimes well with the current upsurge of interest in both history and genealogy. Increasingly, the relevance of the past to the present is embraced as people research sources such as Burke's Peerage & Gentry for information. Impressions of historical people and incidents often come alive most vividly during visits to historical buildings and Yorkshire is blessed with some outstanding examples, as we shall see…
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Bolton Abbey: The Yorkshire Estate of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire
By Moira Smith
Bolton Abbey set in the heart of Wharfedale, North Yorkshire is the Yorkshire Estate of Andrew, 11th Duke of Devonshire. The Estate like any other traditional country Estate is managed for agriculture, forestry and game. It is however, better known as a popular visitor destination
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Scottish Castles
By David Rankin
David Rankin has been a photographer for over 10 years and has always enjoyed taking pictures of the beautiful scenery and castles in Scotland. This passion for Scottish Castles led to him launching the web site Castle Pictures about 4 years ago and the site is devoted to Scottish Castle photographs.
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Parham House, West Sussex
by Julia Abel Smith
On a winter's day in 1577, at the zenith of the Elizabethan age, a little boy laid the foundation stone of Parham House. It was considered lucky for a child to play this role and as Thomas Palmer was only two and a half at the time, presumably he had some adult assistance.
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Melrose Abbey
In the heart of the Scottish Border country lie the magnificent ruins of Melrose Abbey. Nearby are three other great abbeys – Kelso, Jedburgh and Dryburgh – and while all are fine examples of Scottish medieval religious houses, Melrose is arguably the finest. Although now in a fragmentary state, its grand scale and lavishly decorated masonry still remain impressive today.
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Reliving history in Britain's Beautiful Houses
by Sarah Powell
Britain’s historic houses attract millions of visitors each year. Their imposing architectural designs, magnificent interiors and furnishings offer a fascinating insight into the lives of the country’s leading families in the past. They are also frequently brought "alive" by film-makers who build on their authentic surroundings to capture the "feel" of people and centuries long gone, or, when the period covered is more contemporary, to create an atmosphere of gracious living.
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Sharing the Pile at Castle Howard
New approaches to understanding stately homes
Privately owned stately homes have received much criticism in the past in terms of their owner’s reluctance to share these bastions of elitism and privilege with the public. Whilst those that have opened their doors appear to welcome them in, what one finds too often are countless dusty rooms, full of dusty furniture and equally dusty guides who tolerate visitors and if asked, might provide a rather long, indigestible and complex answer leaving you wishing you hadn’t bothered.
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Keeping Churches Alive
By Judith Leigh, Assistant Director, Historic Churches Preservation Trust
The churches of England and Wales are a unique and quintessential part of the landscape; the history of centuries written plain in bricks and mortar, for all to enjoy.  Many people do not realise, however, that keeping this heritage alive for future generations is the responsibility of the individual communities which the churches serve.
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