I had watched Richard III meet a bloody end at Bosworth, come face to face with a plague victim, stood in the shadow of a mighty trebuchet, and been put on trial for my life. And it was barely lunchti

To walk around a midwinter garden on a fine day when everything has shrunk down to its essential elements is like walking around a gallery. You can take your time, see things with fresh eyes and be ch

WHEN we arrive at the stunning Crossbasket Castle in High Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, there is already a flurry of activity in the Clark Room, a spacious suite on the second floor of the A-listed cas

The Ear of the Beholder Huon Mallalieu (Thomas ...

The Bank of England, Threadneedle Street, London EC2

Chess sets and backgammon boards are a familiar sight on drawing-room tables, but one expert Highland woodworker is refashioning their forms in beautiful new ways, writes Mary Miers