Autumn is the season when British towns begin quietly outperforming themselves. Market squares look richer, churchyards turn golden, rivers acquire a thoughtful air, and old …
Autumn towns to bookmark for atmospheric UK breaks
Bookshops
Norwich and the unlikely triumph of a city doing things its own way
With a Norman cathedral, a crooked medieval street plan, a market that has been trading for centuries and a quietly rebellious streak, Norwich is one …
York’s not-so-secret past lives
If Britain were a stage, York would be one of the few cities to keep changing costumes mid-scene. One moment you’re strolling along a Roman …
Oxford, the city where even the pubs have academic credentials
There are places with history, and then there is Oxford, where the buildings look as if they have been standing in judgement since the Middle …
Things to do in Alnwick for first-time visitors
Looking for a market town that serves up ancient castles, giant bookshops and gardens full of dangerously interesting plants? Alnwick (pronounced “Annick”) in Northumberland ticks …
Half-timbered houses, cobbles and more churches than seem strictly necessary
Arriving in Norwich feels like stepping into a well-thumbed storybook. The train pulls in after skimming across the flat lands of East Anglia, where the …