Countryside quiz

1 SALUTING MAGPIES This centuries-old practice is still common across the British isles in rural and urban communities alike. The magpie is commonly associated with death – perhaps because, legend say

Britain is one of the last constitutional monarchies in the world, and the king or queen still plays a ceremonial role in the governance of the state. When Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, she was bur

I found it quite disconcerting, drinking a pint with Queen Boudicca and her Iceni warriors lurking behind me. I was in the Odd One Out, a quirky pub in Colchester and was getting used to finding histo

Bob Cooper of Macclesfield, Cheshire remembers: From an early age, I have always loved reading and writing. My best subject at school was English to the detriment of maths, and I managed to become top

THE apple crops up in many world religions, mythologies and traditions. It is a supermarket best-seller and this year, we are relishing a bumper crop boasting a fine skin finish and a tasty, sweet fla

Poodles, prizes and palindromes await in this month’s trivia trial