Celebrating the best of our nation, every issue of Discover Britain is packed with features from history to travel. Read about the events that changed history, as well as British traditions and their origins, or be inspired for your next trip with great ideas for where to go and what to see. Whether you’re planning a weekend city break or an escape to the countryside, Discover Britain is your essential guide to getting the most out of your stay.
Welcome!
Letters
Wish you were here... • Inspiring postcards from around the British Isles
A taste of Britain • Florence Sheward visits eight of the best foodie towns where local specialities, award-winning restaurants and bustling markets offer a true flavour of the nation
WIN a foodie holiday in Yorkshire • For our food & drink special, we have a tasty competition prize courtesy of Welcome to Yorkshire
MY BRITAIN
Rustic Cheer • At the heart of every great Cotswolds village lies a gastropub or coaching inn serving up local produce with a side order of history. Laura Silverman takes a tour of the best establishments
24 hours in… DUNDEE • The new V&A is the ideal reason to visit Scotland’s UNESCO design capital
OUTLAW COUNTRY • As a new Robin Hood movie hits cinemas, Nancy Alsop explores the places and myths surrounding the iconic outlaw who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor
DISCOVER LONDON • A rare look inside the Livery Halls Oscar Wilde’s London haunts Our historic love affair with gin
Hallowed Halls • London’s Livery Halls are some of the grandest historic buildings in the capital. Anya Lucas reveals the 600-year evolution of these fascinating company properties
Mother’s RUIN • With new distilleries opening and Britain’s second Gin Craze fully under way, Nicola Rayner pours a double and investigates the history of the Queen’s favourite tipple
Wilde in the city • London provided a stage for Oscar Wilde’s greatest plays and a backdrop for his dramatic downfall. Biographer Matthew Sturgis shines a spotlight on the places connected to the Britain’s most infamous and eloquent writer
BURNISHED GOLD • Residents for more than 430 years, the Cecil family has enriched Burghley House with world-class art, royal intrigue and Oscar-winning stories, as Martha Alexander discovers
Journey into the past • London’s St Pancras International celebrates its 150th anniversary with artistic events, bespoke beers, Elton John-approved pianos and much more
Before WALLIS • Edward VIII’s scandalous relationship with American divorcee Mrs Simpson rocked the monarchy, yet it wasn’t his first ill-advised affair as author Rachel Trethewey reveals
CHEDDAR GORGE • Facts, figures and stories from Somerset’s answer to the Grand Canyon
IN NUMBERS
GARDEN OF ENGLAND • From Whitstable’s seaside delicacies and Canterbury’s ancient cathedral to the Cinque Ports defences, Kent has something for everyone as Florence Sheward discovers
Delectable detours • Plan a perfect getaway at one of these five gourmet guesthouses
BOOK REVIEWS • Our pick of the best new books about Britain
The Unicorn • Scotland has only one mythical national animal – and it’s not the Loch Ness monster, as Emily Pringle reveals