Discover Britain

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

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

The Perfect Stage • While the original Mary Poppins recreated Edwardian London in a Californian studio, the long-awaited sequel draws upon the capital’s true character. Felix Rowe reveals the real-life locations seen on screen

Royals on Screen • From murder plots to scandalous affairs, the British monarchy’s fascinating history features in three major new TV and film productions. Zara Gaspar explores the back stories and real-life locations

As seen on SCREEN • Continuing our film-themed special, here are nine of the most recognisable and versatile British locations to appear in your favourite blockbuster movies

WIN a Mary Poppins-inspired break • Enter our competition for the chance to enjoy an overnight stay in London that is practically perfect in every way!

HOW TO ENTER

ENTRY FORM

MY BRITAIN • James Keen Cheesemaker

LITTLE THINGS • St Davids is Britain’s smallest city, a captivating coastal spot with subtle charms that nevertheless made an important contribution to Welsh national identity, as Nicola Rayner discovers

TAKING LIBERTIES • Author and historical adviser to the new Peterloo film, Jacqueline Riding tells the story of the infamous Manchester protest that became one of the defining moments in modern British history

A CLEAR VIEW • John Ruskin’s bicentenary offers a chance to celebrate the legacy of one of Victorian Britain’s most forward-thinking talents. David Atkinson visits the Lake District where his Romantic vision took flight

AT A GLANCE…

DISCOVER LONDON • The V&A revives 1960s style Inside the birthplace of television Arts & Crafts homes

Out of the ASHES • Alexandra Palace is the birthplace of British television, yet it has been blighted by fires, bomb damage and neglect. As the theatre re-opens after 80 years, Steve Pill explores the Victorian venue’s entertaining history

Nature Boy • As Waltham Forest becomes London Borough of Culture, Steve Pill explores the legacy of its most famous resident, Arts & Crafts designer William Morris

24 hours in… NEWCASTLE • Make the most of your time in the Tyneside city

Real Estate • Conserved as found, Brodsworth Hall is one of English Heritage’s most genuine properties. As such, this grand Yorkshire house reveals much about its former inhabitants, says

VISIT DONCASTER

PORTMEIRION • Fact, figures and stories about the picture-perfect Welsh tourist village

ENGLAND ON SEA • With picture-perfect villages and grand stately homes sat beside nature reserves and windswept beaches, the Norfolk Coast is England in microcosm, as Florence Sheward discovers

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Screen breaks • Roll out the red carpet at five hotels used as movie sets

BOOK REVIEWS • Brush up on British history with these new hardbacks

Cheese Rolling • This wild Spring Bank Holiday tradition could only exist in our cheddar-hungry nation