Britain

Here at BRITAIN we love to champion unsung regions, as well as destinations that are firmly on the tourist trail. This issue, we visit Staffordshire, the historic home of the Potteries at the heart of England, whose timeless towns and picturesque landscapes are well worth straying off the beaten track for (p14). Our interviewee this issue, the acclaimed actress Helen Mirren, also favours authentic destinations, naming unpretentious Essex and down-to-earth Yorkshire as places she can “get on with life” (p33). Also this issue, we hold up a mirror to the beauty secrets of kings and queens through the ages, whose dubious beautifying treatments, from poisonous makeup to white-wine baths, had far from the intended effect (p25). We cherry-pick the best Scottish castle stays – complete with your own bagpiper, if…

STAR LETTER A MINER’S LIFE As the great-granddaughter of a Welsh coal miner, I was delighted to read the Empire of Iron article by Luke Waterson [Vol 93 Issue 1]. While researching my family history, I discovered that from 1880 through to late 1887 my great-grandfather worked at the Ocean Deep Navigation Colliery (a.k.a. Deep Navigation Colliery) in Treharris. Given that Treharris is a mere 41km south-west of the big pit, the pictures of the ironworks and the cottages at Blaenavon provided me with a small snapshot of what life was like back then. Although I believe that in my greatgrandparents’ case, their accommodation during those early years would have been far more spartan. I cannot even begin to imagine the harsh working conditions those early miners endured. They certainly…

EXHIBITION Portrait of an author A new exhibition at Vita Sackville-West’s former home Sissinghurst in Kent will take visitors into the world of her trailblazing writing, exploring women’s lives, loves and identities. Between the Covers with Vita: The Life and Literature of Vita Sackville-West is on display until 7 September at the home she shared with her husband Harold Nicolson. Shining a spotlight on Vita’s writing through ten of her works, the exhibition explores the female lovers and family members that influenced her writing. Some of the author’s personal belongings will be on display, including a notebook with her handwritten notes inside, and the original printing press from Hogarth Press, a publishing company owned by Virginia and Leonard Woolf, which printed many of Vita’s novels. nationaltrust.org.uk THEATRE A party at…

There’s a friendly joke that you can tell someone is from Stoke-on-Trent if they lift up plates to check whether the stamp on the base says it was made in the city, followed by a shake of the head if it wasn’t. Located in the heart of England, in the county of Staffordshire – which is sometimes referred to as ‘the creative county’ – Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding area is a place of pot banks, cosy pubs, and a varied, dramatic countryside. The city is uniquely made up of six towns: Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton and Longton. They came together to create Stoke-on-Trent as a federation of six towns in 1910. King George V granted Stoke-on-Trent city status on 5 June 1925, on the basis of its outstanding importance…

Surrounded by greenery in the heart of rural Staffordshire, The Tawny is a hotel with a difference. This ‘deconstructed hotel’ takes all the best bits from a traditional hotel experience, from luxurious facilities to a top-notch restaurant, and combines them with your own private space: a country escape to call your own. One lucky reader and their guest will win a two-night stay at The Tawny, with stunning views over rolling countryside. Our winners will enjoy a stay in an exclusive Treehouse, offering sweeping views from their elevated perch. Relax in your luxurious suite or sit out on your own private veranda and enjoy the wide-open skies. The estate has an array of other luxury retreats, from romantic boathouses to wildwood huts immersed in nature. Each is completely private and…

Last December when Queen Camilla awarded Royal Warrants to a handful of companies in recognition of their goods and services to her, it was unsurprising that she included her hairdresser (Jo Hansford) and supplier of skincare products (Heaven Health & Beauty Ltd), as well as three couturiers and a milliner. Her Majesty follows a long line of royals conscious of their public image, and the new warrant-holders have doubtless helped her to style her look of natural glamour. A delve into the cosmetics bags of some earlier royals and aristocrats reveals rather alarming beauty secrets, however, giving a sinister undertone to the phrase ‘drop-dead gorgeous’. In the Elizabethan era, the renaissance ideal of fair hair, pale complexion, red lips and bright eyes signalled not only beauty but also the wealth…