Latest news with #countryhouse
The Guardian
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
County cricket: One-Day Cup off to a good start despite shameful neglect
You might not have heard of Garsington Opera, but you may have heard of its nextdoor neighbour, Paul Getty's celebrated cricket ground. Both are on the Wormsley Estate, simultaneously just off the M1 and a world away. Not all country house opera venues are as closely linked to cricket as this one, but there are other parallels. Both depend on weather to some extent – even the lovely Opera Holland Park is rather different in the golden hour if it's raining – and both aren't quite as middle-aged and middle class as you might suspect, especially if you look into their community work. And both play an important role in developing the superstars of the future. Country house opera survives, thrives even, because it accepts what it is (i.e. not the Royal Opera House or the New York Met); it provides a distinctive all-day experience, integrating festival elements with the main attraction; and it markets itself to its niche audience effectively. Watching the live streams of the One-Day Cup largely from out grounds last week, it struck me that there's a template to explore there. That's if domestic 50-over cricket survives at all. The loss of David Lawrence is still felt sharply at Gloucestershire and it's hard not to think that those beautiful photos of him with the Blast trophy last autumn may be inspiring his club towards another trophy this season. Perhaps that's for the romantics, but the One Day Cup is where we fools gather in August and Gloucestershire sit top of Group A with the only played three, won three record in the country. Zaman Akhter's pace has been key to those three victories, his four wickets between the 37th and 41st overs in the opener against Derbyshire destroying the chase just as it was about to launch. He's going to Essex next summer, quitting the club along with Ajeet Singh Dale (Lancashire) and Tom Price and Dom Goodman (Sussex). Tough times in Bristol. So lots of work to do in the academy and on recruitment, but might it just free the minds of those departing players? Eliminating the fear of failure has proved successful in Test cricket after all. The other 100% record in the group belongs to Hampshire, whose two wins have been built on centuries from Nick Gubbins and Joe Weatherley, but also on a less eye-catching aspect of white-ball cricket. In each of their matches, six bowlers have chipped in with a wicket, eight in total across the two games. Only one of them, 16-year-old Manny Lumsden, is going at above 7.5 per over and the kid got three of Glamorgan's top five out on debut, so let's cut him some slack. Having options in the field across the long stretch of 50 overs is crucial for captains and Gubbins has them. It's also a lot of fun for fans to see occasional bowlers and kids such as Lumsden given a proper go with proper fields and not just one before lunch, in hastening a declaration or when the opposition are playing out a draw. In Group B, Yorkshire lead the way with two wins from two, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire their victims. Their top scorer in both matches (55 and 159) is Imam-ul-Haq. That does raise a question – and I pose this as a longstanding supporter of overseas players in the domestic game. Should we praise Yorkshire for finding such a good player, one who provides a role model for communities with whom they desperately need to build bridges? Or do we lament the presence of a man with more than 100 appearances for Pakistan in a competition with so many young pros trying to make their way in the game? I tend to the former, but I'm unsure. If there was an easy way to ringfence XIs so such imbalances could be avoided, I suspect I could be persuaded otherwise. A fine game of cricket at Taunton saw Somerset lose after two wins and Lancashire notch a first win after an abandonment in their opener. All eyes were on the Rew brothers after their sparkling starts to the tournament. We all know that James is a huge prospect, but 17-year-old Thomas was spectacular against Durham, looking, already, to have everything a player needs to succeed at the highest level. But they couldn't make it three in a row, both failing as Lancashire, steered by skipper Marcus Harris and George Balderson, at 24, the experienced pro in the middle order, got the visitors over the line, eight down. What of Rocky Flintoff I hear you ask? Well, he's been wearing a hi-vis vest over adverts for crisps instead of developing his game. He'll likely be doing the same tomorrow instead of playing in a Roses match at York. Riddle me that. The media does not have its priorities right when it comes to cricket. At the time of writing, the BBC cricket page has two round-ups of the One-Day Cup action and 33 stories about The Hundred. It is not the only culprit, but it is the publicly funded national broadcaster, not a private cheerleader for a business enterprise. I've tried to avoid the regular articles published at this time of year that denigrate the standard of play and absence of stars in the 50-overs competition, but I have seen one. They are as tedious as the 'one man and a dog' pieces that used to greet the start of the County Championship – but you don't see so many of them now the online viewing and listening figures are available. Players, sponsors and, most of all, fans deserve a bit of respect. We'll be here long after The Hundred goes the way of the Stanford Super Series. This article is from The 99.94 Cricket Blog
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ab Fab and Bottom stars Jennifer Saunders and Adrian Edmondson face fresh planning battle over £250k extension to their £2m Dartmoor home
Jennifer Saunders and Ade Edmondson are facing a fresh planning battle over their £250,000 extension to their Dartmoor bolthole. The Absolutely Fabulous and Bottom stars are planning to move to their £2million country manor house in Dartmoor National Park full time as they scale down their work commitments in London. The celebrity couple have lived at the Grade II-listed property for the last three decades and want to carry out a raft of landscaping and construction works to the property. They had previously been granted planning permission last year to create a new entrance and parking area, extend a workshop, create a terrace, and move an existing greenhouse. They also want to replace a window, build a new garden pavilion, and install air source heat pumps and a solar array. Permission was granted with conditions attached, but the couple have now applied for several of these to be 'discharged'. This includes the requirement to remove an external staircase and first floor door in their entirety within a year of the original permission and installing the first floor window shown in the plans within the same timescale. The couple also wants to remove the stipulation that details of the 'new replacement painted timber door' should be submitted and approved in writing by planners. The planning application, which is currently under consideration by Dartmoor National Park Authority, also seeks to remove a third condition that details of how and where air source heat pumps will be installed are approved in advance. In documents to support the original application, their representatives wrote: 'Their work has meant that the couple splits their time between London and Devon. 'However, Jennifer and Adrian anticipate in the coming years reducing the amount of time spent away from home. 'They wish to make some sensitive alterations to the existing outbuildings in order to better suit their current needs and lifestyles.' But building conservation officer Clare Vint, for the Dartmoor National Park Authority, had raised concerns and wrote in her report: 'As the application currently stands the impact of the proposals on the significance of the listed buildings and their setting has not been minimised. 'There is also insufficient justification for the works and minimal public benefit.' The council report states the settlement on the site predates the Doomsday Book of 1086 formerly known as Taincoma and the 16th century Manor House is Grade II-listed. Ms Vint added: 'The interior and exterior of the building are of high significance architecturally, historically and archaeologically.' She said the air source heat pump and relocated oil tank would need to be screened to minimise the visual impact, while an 'associated concrete slab' needed to be minimised to avoid a physical impact on the foundations of the listed building. She said the entrance walling, location and size of vehicle access 'should not be altered' while warning that building a paved area would 'interrupt the relationship between the stables (cottage) building and the house'. She added: 'The change in topography to create the car pergola, with its stark raised eastern wall, glazed balustrade, with vehicles visible at high level when viewed from the south east will cause harm to the setting of the cottage, the setting of the house and the overall relationship between them. 'When coupled with the open car port frame (pergola) the negative impact is increased (irrespective of whether this is covered in vegetation in time).' Plans for the degree of negative impact of the solar panels can only be fully assessed with details of the amount of vegetation that would need to be removed, she added. Ms Vent also recommended a number of amendments to 'minimise the impact on the building. These included painting external stairs black to reduce their visibility and screening the air source heat pump or potentially relocating it to a less visible location. She also recommended minimising the 'negative impact' on the garden pavilion through a 'reduction in overall height, depth and width, and a more lightweight structure.' The application on behalf of the celebrity couple stated 'some works within the listed curtilage of the cottage were previously undertaken without consent'. 'This application seeks to regularise those works, with no structural alterations proposed within the cottage,' the planning document states. A decision on the application to remove the conditions will be made at a later date.
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
Why interior designers are bringing back the Downton-era kitchen
It was Downton Abbey that sparked the current revival in traditional, country-house kitchen design, and as the period drama's grand finale hits cinemas in September, our fascination with 'back of house' kitchenalia continues. Tile-lined larders and housekeeper's windows, cook's tables, glazed cabinets, floor-swishing door curtains, serving hatches, baize doors and even serving hatches are back, bringing an aura of below-stairs Edwardiana to modern kitchens. As Chloe Willis, the associate director of interior-design firm Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, puts it: 'There's an appealing honesty to the hard-working, back-of-house kitchen where everything looks collected rather than designed. It's a celebration of utility, patina and texture. Everything is in its place… it's orderly, but not minimal.' But it's not all about nostalgia. There are practical reasons for turning back the culinary clock. An antique armoire or robust cook's table is just as useful as fitted MDF joinery or a built-in island, and you can take them with you when you move. A door curtain provides insulation; a cool, slate-lined larder year-round storage. Throw in punchy modern fabrics, vibrant colours and reclaimed materials and you have a kitchen that feels familiar but not frumpy. Here is our pick of the kitchen throwbacks worth investing in. The serving hatch As we fall out of love with open-plan living, separate cooking and dining areas are resurfacing on floor plans. So, too, is the serving hatch. Once a byword for naffness, these nifty portals make sense: you can close the doors for privacy while you're toiling puce-faced over saucepans, and open them – ta-dah! – to pass plates through to expectant guests. For a Gloucestershire barn conversion, designer Amy Dalrymple made a hatch out of reclaimed timber, with folding doors that echo the rustic architecture and a deep shelf for serving plates. And a hatch is not just for dining rooms. Designer Sarah Peake installed a glazed window, set into a bookcase, in one of her projects, which allows her client to keep an eye on the children in the adjacent playroom as she works at her desk in the kitchen. 'It's practical and a fun way of communicating,' says Peake. The cook's table Before the kitchen island, there was the workaday cook's table (think Mrs Patmore kneading the dough). For her London kitchen, designer Sarah Brown eschewed the ubiquitous island in favour of a free-standing piece of furniture from Plain English: 'I call it my chop-and-chat table; I use it for cooking and socialising,' says Brown. The sturdy cook's tables by Wiltshire-based kitchen company Guild Anderson are based on examples at National Trust houses and made using traditional estate joinery techniques, with storage drawers and wooden worktops with marble inserts. Use it for prepping and breadmaking – or working from home. The housekeeper's window (or glazed partition) The Edwardian housekeeper kept a gimlet eye on her underlings through the internal window that separated her office from the kitchen. Today, a glass partition offers both practical and aesthetic appeal. In furniture maker Patrick Williams's Bath home, a screen of handmade 'wibbly' glass masks culinary clutter – the mixer, bowls, storage boxes – from the main kitchen. 'Things can be fairly chaotic, but if you hide them behind a screen, there's an order to them,' says Williams, who runs the interiors practice Berdoulat. In a terraced London house, designer Laura Stephens chose not to knock through the kitchen and family area to create a single open-plan space. Instead, a new internal window above the kitchen sink offers a glimpse into the sitting room at the back. 'I've always loved that historic reference [of a housekeeper's window] – they feel architectural and full of character,' she says. It's also, she notes, a more layered and lasting alternative to open-plan living. The hotplate Synonymous with robust country-house breakfasts ('More kedgeree, madam?'), the hotplate is having a moment. Think of it as the modern incarnation of the 1970s hostess trolley. The sine qua non of food-warming implements – favoured by designers such as Beata Heuman and Sarah Vanrenen – is the claw-footed Wembury Warmer, a 1930s-inspired piece created by interiors stylist Emma Hanbury. Production is currently paused while a new manufacturer is sourced, but you can still join the waiting list. In the meantime, British maker Kaymet offers a palatable alternative with its retro bronze-glass top. The pantry Classical kitchen maker Plain English has transformed the pantry – once a utilitarian store for tins and dry goods – into an object of desire. Today, it's as much about display as storage. Think carefully curated shelves of mugs, jams or cookbooks; freestanding or built-in units that double as stations for coffee makers, toasters or wine fridges, set beneath elegant marble shelves. 'It can be incredibly functional and beautiful,' says Merlin Wright, the design director at Plain English. Where pantries were once lined in plain pine or linoleum, they have since become a canvas for colour and pattern. Interior designer Tiffany Duggan used deep crimson shelves and emerald-and-white tiles to bring joy to a pantry in an Edwardian home. Designer Isabella Worsley gave a seaside pantry flair with blush-pink tiles and walnut shelving edged in brass studs. Lisa Mehydene, the founder of homewares brand Edit 58, indulged her 'back-of-house yearnings' in a compact pantry nook, also by Plain English, in her London kitchen. Walls in Farrow & Ball's St Giles Blue – 'like a burst of summer on a winter morning' – are paired with cheerful Wayne Pate tiles. Beneath the worktop, skirted cubbies house pasta, baking staples and 'grabbable' snacks for the children. 'It works for all of us,' she says. The glazed cabinet Once the pinnacle of dining room elegance, the glass-fronted cabinet fell from grace after years of displaying sporting trophies, porcelain knick-knacks and fussy sherry glasses. Now, says antique cabinet specialist Valerie Perkins, it's time to reassess this maligned classic. Her mainly 19th and early 20th-century pieces – originally made for schools and libraries in oak or mahogany – are beautifully constructed and can be customised with vibrant wallpapers or contrasting paint, inside and out. 'I tell people not to play it safe,' says Perkins, who scours salerooms and markets for the right examples. Some clients build entire kitchens around a cabinet; others top them with deep marble to create bars. 'It's the cherry on the cake – a talking point,' she says. The portière or door curtain Attached to a sturdy curtain rod, a floor-sweeping door curtain adds both insulation and drama. Fabric designer Tori Murphy is a fan of the portière: 'They bring softness and comfort… a sense of cosiness,' she says. And it's not just doors getting the treatment – curtains are creeping beneath worktops and shelves too. They can even serve as a pet-friendly way to disguise a dog or cat basket – ideally in matching fabric, as seen in designer Laura Stephens's co-ordinated home. There are no rules: sturdy wools, practical oilcloths or light cottons will all do the trick. The baize door Traditionally, a door lined in forest-green baize and pinned with brass tacks marked the boundary between the main house and the servants' quarters. It muffled noise, absorbed cooking smells and helped insulate draughty halls. Now, baize is making a quiet return – for more democratic reasons, says designer Octavia Dickinson. 'A baize door offers a sense of quiet separation, but I love using it as a decorative element in its own right.' And it's not all snooker-table green. In her own home, Dickinson chose burgundy on one side of her kitchen door and soft sage on the other. Made from merino wool, the fabric feels 'soft and luxurious', and the studwork, she says, can be applied in 'wonderfully inventive ways'.
Daily Mail
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Prince William was 'charming' and even taught me to play beer pong while Prince Philip couldn't resist a quick quip, The Mail on Sunday's Charlotte Griffiths recalls
Prince William has proved himself to be a man of many talents over the years - but his mastery of a popular party game will surprise even the most dedicated royal fans. With a 'great aim', the Prince of Wales was 'really good' at US-born drinking game beer pong, The Mail on Sunday's Editor-at-Large, Charlotte Griffiths, has recalled. In fact, he was once such a skilled competitor that, 13 years ago, he successfully taught Charlotte how to play. The former Diary Editor, who has been reporting on royals for 15 years, met William at a country house party in 2012. Charlotte told Femail: 'I was staying at a friend's house for the weekend and, surprise, surprise, Prince William was there. 'All the lads started playing beer pong and I didn't actually know the rules, so I was looking around, not knowing what to do, and there comes my knight in shining armour, Prince William, and he offered to teach me how to play.' Charlotte said that 'charming' William set her up for success by explaining the rules of the game, which challenges players to bounce a ping pong ball into a beer-filled cup. 'It was when Catherine was expecting Prince George,' she added. 'He was so charming and nice.' Unfazed by the fact that she was a journalist, Charlotte remembers William not only as 'unfailingly polite and warm' but also 'fun'. But the 2012 house party doesn't go down as Charlotte's only unexpected encounter with a senior royal - she once came face-to-face with William's grandfather, the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who couldn't resist making a quick quip. Consort Philip, who gained a reputation for his gaffes during Queen Elizabeth II's reign, was 'very, very old' when the two attended the same private drinks party at the Royal Yacht Squadron in the Isle of White. Charlotte was nattering away to her best friend, not concentrating on their queue position, when Philip approached the pair. She recalled: 'We were just sort of leaning on the bar and chatting and he came up and said: "Are you going to order a drink or are you just propping the bar up?"' Despite being initially 'terrified' Charlotte and her pal saw the funny side and 'chuckled' at the surreal moment - one that she admits she has since 'dined out on'. It comes after Prince William took a massive stride forward on his mission to end homelessness in the UK. The future King has given permission for a site owned by his Duchy of Cornwall estate, which provides funding for the royal's official and private living costs, to be developed into affordable homes acting as a bridge between supported accommodation and the private rented sector, which can be unstable and unaffordable – particularly in the capital. The prince, pictured selling the Big Issue with vendor Dave Martin in 2022, has long been determined to work in the field after being taken to homeless projects by his mother Diana It will see an existing building, 60 Sancroft Street, converted into flats which will be managed by Centrepoint, a charity partner in his ambitious Homewards coalition to end homelessness in six 'flagship' areas across the UK, within five years. The flats in Kennington, south London, will be available for young people who have jobs, as well as those moving to towards employment, in the hope of testing new ways to break the cycle of homelessness amongst youngsters. The scheme has been green lit by Lambeth Council and the first homes are expected to be delivered by the end of 2026. It follows similar schemes championed by the future king in Aberdeen, Sheffield and Cornwall. William's Royal Foundation has committed to delivering innovative housing projects across each of his six flagship locations – Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Newport and Northern Ireland as well as Lambeth, Aberdeen and Sheffield. The prince has long been determined to work in the field after being taken to homeless projects by his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, when he was a young boy. The announcement follows Prince William's appearance at the Euros final in Basel, Switzerland, where the Lionesses roared to victory while defending their title as European champions. Putting his summer break on hold, Prince William attended the final last Sunday as he watched the England squad beat Spain on penalties for a second consecutive victory in the European Championships. Joined by Princess Charlotte, 10, he was clearly invested in the game from the start and later handed out the medals to players on the podium. A former Football Association (FA) boss later revealed the important role Prince William and Kate played in a crucial moment for women's football. Speaking on women's football podcast That's So Offside earlier this month, Kelly Simmons OBE recalled the astonishing moment the Prince of Wales helped change the nature of the game forever. Kelly, who began at the FA in 1991 before becoming Director Of The Women's Professional Game, had been hoping to secure some investment into the Women's Super League (WSL) from the 'all-male' board to move the game from semi-professional to professional. At the time, she explained, the FA was a 'very different organisation' and they 'couldn't really get anybody to believe in' the WSL. Speaking to hosts Cece Kane and Abby Dolbear, she said: 'In that room, of those people, nobody believed that anybody would want to watch it and it couldn't possibly be commercially viable. 'And so we went in for money and I'd already been told that they were going to say no, even though it was a good business case.' But just as she was about to enter the boardroom, the company secretary told her the patron, Prince William, would be there, attending his first board meeting. Kelly said: 'I thought, oh my god, humiliation! Not only am I going to get a custard pie, I'm going to get it in front of the future King of England!' Kelly said she hoped the ground would 'swallow her up' as she went in and presented her pitch. But just before she was about to leave, Prince William had something to say. He said: 'Can I just say - I think this is absolutely fantastic. Kate and I are massively supportive of the women's game and we think this is absolutely brilliant.' Stunned, the chairman then decided to ask the room what they thought and, agreeing with the future King, everyone said it was 'fantastic'. Unable to believe her eyes, Kelly recalled: 'And out we walked with the money! 'Which enabled the WSL to really go to that next stage. A friend of mine on the board said they could hear my colleague and I squealing with laughter all the way down the corridor. 'We would never have got it without Prince William. I'm convinced it wouldn't have happened otherwise.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Handsome' country home with expansive grounds for sale at £1.1 million
A five-bedroom country house with expansive grounds is for sale in Fundenhall, near Wymondham, at an asking price of £1.1 million. Selling agent Sowerbys said: 'Tucked away in a truly idyllic setting, The Rookery is a striking Grade II listed country home, gracefully nestled within around 8.4 acres (subject to measure survey) of beautifully mature grounds. 'Set behind wrought iron gates and approached by a sweeping gravelled driveway, this handsome period residence exudes elegance, charm and complete privacy – a sanctuary in the heart of the Norfolk countryside.' Entering through a porch, there is a dining room immediately to the right and a drawing room to the left. The drawing room (Image: Sowerbys) The drawing room has large fireplace with woodburner and red brick surround, while sash windows provide views over the grounds. READ MORE: See inside family home in sought-after Norfolk village Double doors lead through to a conservatory with direct access into the garden. There is also a woodburning stove in the dining room, which leads through to a sitting room with additional fireplace. The dining room (Image: Sowerbys) The modern kitchen includes a large island, AGA and integrated appliances. There are windows to three aspects, as well as skylights, filling the room with natural light. Completing the ground floor is a snug, boot room, cloakroom and flexible studio space with mezzanine level. The contemporary kitchen (Image: Sowerbys) The snug (Image: Sowerbys) Stairs from the dining room lead to the first floor, where there are three double bedrooms, a contemporary family bathroom and separate shower room. READ MORE: Grade II home with church tower views for sale at £500,000 There are two further vaulted bedrooms on the top floor, accessed via separate staircases, as well as a practical storeroom. One of the bedrooms (Image: Sowerbys) The family bathroom (Image: Sowerbys) Outside, the impressive grounds include a rear terrace surrounded by large areas of lawn, wildflower meadows and mature tree belts. Sowerbys said: 'Productive fruit trees, a polytunnel and a woodland area, covered by snowdrops, bluebells, wild garlic and hundreds of daffodils that lead one season into another, create a wonderful sense of self-sufficiency and country living.' The gardens include a terrace and large areas of lawn (Image: Sowerbys) There is also a woodland area (Image: Sowerbys) To the front, the gravel driveway leads to a generous parking area, garaging and five traditional stables. The property comes with five stables (Image: Sowerbys) The Rookery is located on the outskirts of Fundenhall, a small village with a pub and plenty of opportunities for scenic walks and cycle rides. Further amenities are available in the nearby market towns of Wymondham and Attleborough. For more information, contact Sowerbys. PROPERTY FACTS The Rookery, Fundenhall Guide price: £1,100,000 Sowerbys, 01603 761441
