Celebrating the British Countryside: From the Archives of Country Life

Delve into the heart of country living as we journey through the enchanting landscapes, magnificent houses, and breathtaking gardens that epitomize romantic Britain. From the quaint and charming villages with flower filled hedgerows in the Cotswold, to the panoramic views across the Yorkshire dales; from the grand English country houses, to the heather filled Scottish Highlands; each landscape demonstrates the beauty and romance of English countryside living that has captivated Royal Oak members and Anglophiles. For over 125 years Country Life magazine has been renowned for its unparalleled access to castles, palaces, private estates, and the incredible gardens that dot the British countryside.

John Goodall, Architectural Editor of Country Life for 16 years, will offer an intimate glimpse into the soul-stirring beauty of the English countryside as captured by the lens of Country Life, and immortalized in his latest book published by Rizzoli in 2023. Mr. Goodall will illustrate British houses and gardens, revealing their architectural splendors, and also show the change of seasons across Britain’s landscapes. Join us for a stunning visual tour of the dramatic scenery as well as the quiet, private country corners of Great Britain.

John Goodall, FSA, Historian, Author, and Architectural Editor of Country Life magazine

John Goodall, has been architectural editor at Country Life since 2007 and has contributed to CL since 1994. He is the author of several books, including English House Style: From the Archives of Country Life and The English Castle (2011). English Castle received numerous accolades: the 2011 Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion and the 2013 Historians of British Art Book Prize (pre-1800). The work also received the G. T. Clark Prize for 2007–2012. He read history at Durham University and took an MA and Ph.D. in architectural history from the Courtauld Institute of Art. His first book was a 2001 joint winner of the Royal Historical Society Whitefield Prize. In 2003 he joined English Heritage as a senior properties historian. He had written several guidebooks for both English Heritage and the National Trust. He acted in 2007 as series consultant for the BBC 1 series How We Built Britain. Other projects include contributions to the photographic book The English Cathedral by Peter Marlow. He has acted as series consultant for the Country Life book series taken from the archive of the magazine, including Curious Observations (2011) and Letters to the Editor. He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 2001. Goodall is a patron of the Castle Studies Trust, a UK registered charity founded in 2012.