Country Life Magazine – October25, 2023: The new issue features Native Breeds – celebrating the noble Shire horse; Taken by storm – artists from Rembrandt to J.M.W. Turner in the eye of the storm; Lighting-up time – Magical autumn colours make Leonardslee Gardens in West Sussex….

Native breeds

‘England’s past has been borne on his back’: Kate Green cele-brates the noble Shire horse, a gentle and patient servant

Taken by storm

Michael Prodger examines the artist in the eye of the storm, from a gale-tossed Rembrandt to a J. M. W. stomach-Turner

And still, as he lived, he wondered

More than a century after The Wind in the Willows was written, the exploits of Ratty, Mole and Toad continue to entertain, as Matthew Dennison discovers

In for a penny-farthing

Riding a Victorian high wheeler for 400 miles across war-torn Ukraine was a real eye-opener for adventurer Neil Laughton

Interiors

Kitchens can be so much more than mere functional spaces, as three leading interior designers reveal to Arabella Youens

Lighting-up time

Magical autumn colours make Leonardslee Gardens in West Sussex a place for all seasons, suggests Charles Quest-Riston

Jamie Hambro’s favourite painting

The Guide Dogs for the Blind chairman selects his favourite characterful animal painting

Medieval modernism

Mary Miers finds that the spirit of the Arts-and-Crafts Movement is alive and well as she visits Ballone Castle, a remarkable Scottish tower-house restoration

The whorled wide web

Simon Lester endeavours to untangle the natural wonder that is the spiderweb—gossamer thin, but stronger than steel

Scaling heart-attack hill

John Lewis-Stempel conquers the timeless Sussex Downs, before an October storm forces him to beat a hasty retreat

Luxury

Hetty Lintell explores bespoke eyewear, Penhaligon’s potions and remedies, and the life and legacy of Coco Chanel, Prof Tim Spector shares his favourite things, plus beautiful and practical navigation watches

Kitchen garden cook

Melanie Johnson welcomes pumpkins to her autumn kitchen