Downton is the dream

Our round-up of the funny, fascinating and unusual stories this fortnight

RENOVATING AND EXTENDING A COMPACT FLINT COTTAGE MEANT A BIGGER HOME FOR PAUL AND LUCI STADEN, WITH THE ADDED JOY OF THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH DOWNS ON THEIR DOORSTEP

This year marks the 625th anniversary of The Canterbury Tales author – and “father of English literature” – Geoffrey Chaucer’s death. He penned this classic, about a merry band of medieval pilgrims te

TUCKED AWAY ON THE KENT COAST, THIS FADED BOATMAN’S COTTAGE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED BY BELINDA BENTON INTO THE PRETTIEST HOUSE ON THE STREET

Many buyers overlook Sixties properties but, as one Liverpool couple discovered, their clean lines and generous proportions offer the perfect opportunity to add character and create a welcoming family home

A short while after we married, Tom and I made the decision to leave behind our hectic London lives and relocate to the tranquillity of rural living. We wanted a slower pace of life where the countrys