Celebrating the best of our nation, every issue of Discover Britain is packed with features from history to travel. Read about the events that changed history, as well as British traditions and their origins, or be inspired for your next trip with great ideas for where to go and what to see. Whether you’re planning a weekend city break or an escape to the countryside, Discover Britain is your essential guide to getting the most out of your stay.

Welcome!

Letters

Discover Britain

Wish you were here... • Inspiring postcards from around the British Isles

SUITE Dreams • British hotels have welcomed countless fascinating and important guests over the years. Florence Sheward checks in to seven rooms named after the monarchs, politicians and authors who stayed there

The HIGH LIFE • Stunning, unspoilt scenery is what Lochaber in the west Scottish Highlands does best, but it’s by no means just a historic hinterland. Far from it, says Jenny Rowe

THE LENS GLENS ON

MY BRITAIN

Badge of Honour • Diana Wright explores the complex and ancient art of British heraldry, from its medieval roots to its modern-day evolution with the Duchy of Cambridge

THE CURSE OF CROMWELL • Was Oliver Cromwell really our most controversial leader? Alexander Larman reassesses Britain’s short-lived attempt at being governed as a republic

DISCOVER LONDON • Stories behind our strangest streets Secrets of St Paul’s Meet the dandy, Beau Brummell

Strange Streets • Martha Alexander?

The Secrets of ST PAUL’S • Built in the aftermath of the Great Fire, St Paul’s Cathedral became a symbol of London’s renaissance and strength. Steve Pill uncovers its hidden spaces and historic mysteries

BEAU BRUMMELL • Modern manners and dress have much to thank the famed London dandy and his charismatic coattails. Jenny Rowe traces the sharp profile of this Regency men’s fashionista

24 hours in… STIRLING • Take an historic tour of Scotland’s 21st-century city

Bright Days & Dark Knights • When flooded with sunlight, Nottingham’s Wollaton Hall is a heavenly jewellery box of delights. Yet the Batman-approved façade hides many historic secrets, says Natalie Marchant

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM • Facts, figures and stories about London’s home to life and earth science specimens

STRANGE BUT TRUE

IN NUMBERS

Gorgeous GORGES • Visitors flock to the showcaves beneath the Mendip Hills, yet they stay for the poetic, unspoilt landscapes and half a million years of history, as Steve Pill discovers

5 places to visit in the Mendip Hills

London’s Frost Fairs • Diana Wright celebrates the historic events on the icy Thames, the likes of which we may never see again