Britain

Dripping in red, silver and gold, the Saloon at Brighton's Royal Pavilion exudes the extravagant tastes of King George IV. The Pavilion, built in 1823, was, after all, his pleasure palace. Now, after three years of intensive renovation, the room has

The word ‘Avon’ derives from the old Brythonic ‘abona’, meaning ‘river’, which accounts for why you will find numerous British waterways bearing the name. But there is nothing prosaic about the river known as Shakespeare’s Avon that flows for nearly

In the late 17th century, London was a dangerous place to be. The Great Fire of 1666, hot on the heels of the Great Plague of 1665, were the last straw for many of the city’s noble families, who opted to flee the stench, dirt and disease in favour of

Hot Bath Street. Quiet Street. Comfortable Place. Perfect View. The quaint street names in Bath, southwest England, are redolent of a place of ease and relaxation. The ancient Romans certainly thought so: they chose Bath as the site of an incredible

The first 28 years of the Wars of the Roses between the rival royal Houses of Lancaster and York had been eventful, with Lancastrian King Henry VI deposed and murdered, and factional plots aplenty. Following Yorkist King Edward IV’s sudden death in 1

Enter our competition to win an overnight stay at luxury boutique hotel No.15 Great Pulteney, including a pampering treatment in the hotel’s spa, as well as breakfast and dinner with a bottle of wine in the hotel restaurant, Cafe 15. No.15 Great Pult

On the banks of the River Thames, near Twickenham, sits Strawberry Hill House. This Gothic Revival villa, with its dazzling white exterior, its turrets and arched windows, was the creation of one extraordinary man, who built it as a giant showcase fo

If you’re ever in London and find yourself in need of a walking cane, bowler hat or a case of claret, head to St James’s. This distinctive neighbourhood of central London, home to some of the city’s finest old shops, has a history dating back centuri

While its sweeping sands may be Norfolk’s greatest calling card, the county’s capital is scattered with architectural gems that provide an insight into the region’s rich medieval history. At its heart, Norwich Cathedral boasts the largest monastic cl

One lucky reader and their guest will win a round-trip Golden Age of Travel journey aboard the Belmond British Pullman luxury train. This fantastic trip includes a welcome champagne reception on board; and a sumptuous five-course lunch with fine dini

On Christmas Eve 1832, a young Queen Victoria pulled out her diary in a flurry of excitement. “After dinner… we then went into the drawing room,” wrote the 13-year-old princess. “There were two large round tables on which were placed two trees hung w

Trains from London Paddington to Cardiff take just over two hours. You can also catch a train from Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol or Southampton. Cardiff Airport is 12 miles from the city centre. www.trainline.com; www.cardiff-airport.com The city’

Cardiff claims to have the greatest concentration of castles of any city in the world. There are three in town – Cardiff Castle, Castell Coch and St Fagans Castle – and 23 more in the surrounding Glamorgan County. While there have been settlements ne

With chalk cliffs and patchwork fields, medieval woodland and picturesque villages, East Sussex offers plenty of inspiration to the artistically minded. It’s no surprise then, that this little corner of southeast England has attracted some of the cou

Even people who have never seen a Charlie Chaplin movie know his ‘Little Tramp’, whose bowler hat, black moustache, baggy trousers and twirling cane dominated the early years of movie history. Soon after his birth in London, in 1889, Charles Spencer