Packed with 196-pages of the best attractions, days out, places to stay and food and drink destinations, the 2015 BRITAIN Guide is your definitive companion to getting the best out of your holiday. From forgotten medieval villages, to country houses within easy access of London and shopping areas for picking up quintessential gifts, you won’t want to leave home without it.
EDITOR’S LETTER
Britain
YOUR LETTERS • Write to us with your thoughts on the magazine and memories of Britain
The BULLETIN • A glimpse of Roman Britain, Richard III remembered, and a festive display
READING CORNER • Take inspiration for your British adventures from these great reads
In memory of HM Queen Elizabeth II • As the nation mourns the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we pay tribute to her remarkable life and reign
Highland haven • Queen Elizabeth II spent her final days at Balmoral in Royal Deeside, a beautiful part of Aberdeenshire whose royal connections stretch back to Queen Victoria
A LUXURY STAY AT ONE OF SCOTLAND’S MOST HISTORIC HOTELS
Regency LONDON • Where did the Ton, the high-living aristocrats of the late Regency period, spend their time? Discover the London addresses that still tell thrilling tales of this exuberant era
LOST PROPERTY • The sight of abandoned houses – whether a palatial mansion or once-idyllic village – cannot fail to stir the imagination. And each has its own human story to tell
A subscription makes the perfect gift for friends and family
Royal Rhymes • The role of Poet Laureate – the official writer of verses for kings and queens – was first awarded four centuries ago, but how has it evolved?
Deck the halls • There’s nowhere better to soak up the atmosphere of Yuletides past than in a stately home decorated for Christmas
Pageantry & MAJESTY • The grand state funeral for Britain’s longest-serving monarch drew on royal traditions and ceremonies that date back centuries
SANDWICH • One of Britain’s best-preserved medieval settlements, this pretty Kent town has a fascinating history
Passing THE TEST • The timeless Test Valley, criss-crossed with chalk rivers and dotted with quaint villages, sits in a landscape that’s long been revered for its pastoral beauty
SALISBURY • Home to the tallest cathedral spire in Britain and the world’s best-preserved Magna Carta, Salisbury is a historic treasure trove
CHARLOTTE LLOYD WEBBER • The Director of the team putting together this year’s Christmas display at Castle Howard in Yorkshire tells us how the magic is created
THE GREAT BRITISH QUIZ • Do you know your British landmarks? Put your knowledge of the country’s most famous features – natural and man-made – to the test