Your May/June 2021 issue is here!

Bask in the beauty of the Garden of England or bathe in British waters at one of our much-loved seaside holiday destinations, a travel trend first popularised by the Victorians

As Britain begins to emerge into a new spring, we are more ready than ever to embrace the season’s life-affirming joys. This issue, we smell the roses (literally) in the blooming
gardens of Kent and Sussex and explore the quaint, lost-in-time villages of Lincolnshire.

We also look back at the heyday of the great British seaside getaway, beloved of buttoned-up Victorian ladies and gents for its collar-loosening effects. And we ponder the history of money and minting – once a murky business that even tarnished Henry VIII.

Thankfully, our stately homes are on the brink of reopening, so join us for a spin around four sumptuous historic houses all in easy reach of the capital, and get an insider’s view of London from Historic Royal Palaces’ joint Chief Curator Tracy Borman, who looks after the likes of Hampton Court and the Tower of London.

There really is something for everyone in this issue. For the literary-minded, we visit the former homes of the nation’s greatest poets, including Byron, Keats, Wordsworth and Burns, and then go on a voyage of discovery to the historic market town of Shrewsbury, the birthplace of naturalist Charles Darwin.

A taste of what’s inside…

Wonders of the Weald

Poppies at Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Kent. Credit: National Trust Images/Jo Hatcher

A sunny swathe of Kent and Sussex, so little changed over the centuries, harbours some of the country’s finest gardens. Travel with us to Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Scotney Castle and Great Dixter among several other horticultural highlights.

Read more here.

Beside the seaside

Tenby Harbour, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Credit: Billy Stock/Alamy

Sea, sand and (sometimes) sun: the great British seaside holiday has been a much-loved and ever-evolving tradition since Victorian times. We explore historic bathing customs and novel entertainment from Punch & Judy to ‘walking on water’.

Read more here.

Curating the crown

Kensington Palace gardens. Credit: Zoonar GMBH/Alamy

Joint Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, Tracy Borman shares the highlights of the job, reveals her favourite haunts and tells some grisly Tudor tales.

Read more here.

WIN a Great British holiday

This is your chance to win a luxury holiday in Britain, including free international flights. In 2021 our prize package is better than ever, taking in luxury hotels and unforgettable experiences in London, Edinburgh and the Cotswolds. The lucky winner and their guest will have until 31st May 2022 to claim the prize, but entries close on 31 July 2021 – enter now before it’s too late!

Buy your copy of the new issue here, or subscribe online, to have every issue delivered to your door.