Ben Cowell, Historic Houses
@bencowell.bsky.social
Director general, Historic Houses. Author, The British Country House Revival (2024).
Scenes from the amazing Copped Hall, near Epping in Essex. It suffered a catastrophic fire in 1917, but for the last 30 years volunteers have been bringing it back to life. It now has a new roof, new floors, and hosts countless community and cultural events. A true inspiration of what can be done.
June 28, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Scenes from the amazing Copped Hall, near Epping in Essex. It suffered a catastrophic fire in 1917, but for the last 30 years volunteers have been bringing it back to life. It now has a new roof, new floors, and hosts countless community and cultural events. A true inspiration of what can be done.
The enormous cost of repairs and maintenance borne by independent owners, rocketing insurance premiums, and delays in the planning system: just some of the topics I raised today at the DCMS select committee.
Catch the session here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
Catch the session here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
June 17, 2025 at 4:36 PM
The enormous cost of repairs and maintenance borne by independent owners, rocketing insurance premiums, and delays in the planning system: just some of the topics I raised today at the DCMS select committee.
Catch the session here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
Catch the session here: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...
A joy to see Dan Cruickshank (metaphorically) don his kipper tie and corduroy flares to take us back to the heady days of 1975.
Dan's own contribution to the Year of Architectural Heritage was to occupy threatened Georgian buildings in Spitalfields, as part of the burgeoning heritage movement.
Dan's own contribution to the Year of Architectural Heritage was to occupy threatened Georgian buildings in Spitalfields, as part of the burgeoning heritage movement.
June 6, 2025 at 11:36 AM
A joy to see Dan Cruickshank (metaphorically) don his kipper tie and corduroy flares to take us back to the heady days of 1975.
Dan's own contribution to the Year of Architectural Heritage was to occupy threatened Georgian buildings in Spitalfields, as part of the burgeoning heritage movement.
Dan's own contribution to the Year of Architectural Heritage was to occupy threatened Georgian buildings in Spitalfields, as part of the burgeoning heritage movement.
Not a bad day to see this place
May 1, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Not a bad day to see this place
A treat to hear the great Ken Worpole speak last night about his new book, Brightening from the East. Landscape, memory, and nonconformity on the Essex coast.
May 1, 2025 at 7:32 AM
A treat to hear the great Ken Worpole speak last night about his new book, Brightening from the East. Landscape, memory, and nonconformity on the Essex coast.
The Renaissance of Castle Howard - a true British country house revival
April 24, 2025 at 2:34 PM
The Renaissance of Castle Howard - a true British country house revival
I just came across this while looking for something else (as you do) and my life is now complete.
March 25, 2025 at 5:46 PM
I just came across this while looking for something else (as you do) and my life is now complete.
A joy to speak at West Horsley Place this afternoon on The British Country House Revival.
February 13, 2025 at 4:01 PM
A joy to speak at West Horsley Place this afternoon on The British Country House Revival.
Lovely to see The British Country House Revival feature in such excellent company (from the current Country Life)
January 5, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Lovely to see The British Country House Revival feature in such excellent company (from the current Country Life)
This is a shout out to the teams working at Historic Houses places that open at this time of the year for Christmas events.
Thank you for all your hard work, often in cold and dark conditions, and for all you do to create magical visitor experiences.
You are all complete stars!
Thank you for all your hard work, often in cold and dark conditions, and for all you do to create magical visitor experiences.
You are all complete stars!
December 19, 2024 at 4:46 PM
This is a shout out to the teams working at Historic Houses places that open at this time of the year for Christmas events.
Thank you for all your hard work, often in cold and dark conditions, and for all you do to create magical visitor experiences.
You are all complete stars!
Thank you for all your hard work, often in cold and dark conditions, and for all you do to create magical visitor experiences.
You are all complete stars!
Today I travelled from Newport in Essex to Newport in Wales.
Station to Station. Like some weird mash-up of Gavin & Stacey and David Bowie. (My soundtrack should have been a Rob Brydon cover of ‘Word on a Wing’.)
Trains all on time - and top marks for the new rolling stock Cardiff to Merthyr.
Station to Station. Like some weird mash-up of Gavin & Stacey and David Bowie. (My soundtrack should have been a Rob Brydon cover of ‘Word on a Wing’.)
Trains all on time - and top marks for the new rolling stock Cardiff to Merthyr.
December 13, 2024 at 7:11 PM
Today I travelled from Newport in Essex to Newport in Wales.
Station to Station. Like some weird mash-up of Gavin & Stacey and David Bowie. (My soundtrack should have been a Rob Brydon cover of ‘Word on a Wing’.)
Trains all on time - and top marks for the new rolling stock Cardiff to Merthyr.
Station to Station. Like some weird mash-up of Gavin & Stacey and David Bowie. (My soundtrack should have been a Rob Brydon cover of ‘Word on a Wing’.)
Trains all on time - and top marks for the new rolling stock Cardiff to Merthyr.
My destination yesterday was a house in Essex (G.O.C.).
December 11, 2024 at 6:01 PM
My destination yesterday was a house in Essex (G.O.C.).
The AGM of the friends of our local church this evening. Someone brought along the old (18th cent?) wooden sundial that used to hang on the entrance porch but was blown off in a gale a few years back. It was good to see it again. Apparently, we need to contact the British Sundial Society.(Who knew?)
December 3, 2024 at 9:21 PM
The AGM of the friends of our local church this evening. Someone brought along the old (18th cent?) wooden sundial that used to hang on the entrance porch but was blown off in a gale a few years back. It was good to see it again. Apparently, we need to contact the British Sundial Society.(Who knew?)
Somerset House earlier today - always a pleasure to visit
December 3, 2024 at 5:36 PM
Somerset House earlier today - always a pleasure to visit
Nice place for the first meeting of the day
November 28, 2024 at 2:31 PM
Nice place for the first meeting of the day
Pale winter sun
November 28, 2024 at 2:30 PM
Pale winter sun
‘What price Heritage?’ asks Peter Moore, curator of Audley End, in a kind review of my book The British Country House Revival (published by Boydell).
The review is in the latest edition of Newport News, my village’s superb local magazine. Read it in full here: drive.google.com/file/d/1gbV6...
The review is in the latest edition of Newport News, my village’s superb local magazine. Read it in full here: drive.google.com/file/d/1gbV6...
November 27, 2024 at 11:16 AM
‘What price Heritage?’ asks Peter Moore, curator of Audley End, in a kind review of my book The British Country House Revival (published by Boydell).
The review is in the latest edition of Newport News, my village’s superb local magazine. Read it in full here: drive.google.com/file/d/1gbV6...
The review is in the latest edition of Newport News, my village’s superb local magazine. Read it in full here: drive.google.com/file/d/1gbV6...
Great to hear from Sir Chris Bryant, new Tourism Minister, at the Tourism Alliance policy conference. 'Less aspic, more spice' is his recipe for tourism. Ambitions for 50m inbound tourists by 2030. 90 per cent of this growth will be delivered by the private sector.
November 26, 2024 at 4:06 PM
Great to hear from Sir Chris Bryant, new Tourism Minister, at the Tourism Alliance policy conference. 'Less aspic, more spice' is his recipe for tourism. Ambitions for 50m inbound tourists by 2030. 90 per cent of this growth will be delivered by the private sector.
‘I heard the anguish of the countryside on the streets this week’. Steve Reed addresses CLA conference.
November 21, 2024 at 10:39 AM
‘I heard the anguish of the countryside on the streets this week’. Steve Reed addresses CLA conference.
‘APR and BPR are not loopholes’. Growth is needed for rural economies. Powerful opening speech from Victoria Vyvyan of the CLA
November 21, 2024 at 10:36 AM
‘APR and BPR are not loopholes’. Growth is needed for rural economies. Powerful opening speech from Victoria Vyvyan of the CLA
Victoria Vyvyan introduces CLA business conference
November 21, 2024 at 10:01 AM
Victoria Vyvyan introduces CLA business conference
Has the original Dubstar line up got back together again? Either that, or Tarnya Cooper, Ben Cowell and David Hopes discuss the future of the country house in the latest Cultural Heritage Magazine for the National Trust. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/his...
November 21, 2024 at 7:07 AM
Has the original Dubstar line up got back together again? Either that, or Tarnya Cooper, Ben Cowell and David Hopes discuss the future of the country house in the latest Cultural Heritage Magazine for the National Trust. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/his...
Newby Hall, North Yorkshire
November 19, 2024 at 9:04 PM
Newby Hall, North Yorkshire
Actual snow
November 19, 2024 at 8:48 AM
Actual snow
The parterre garden at Lytham Hall was recreated from a former car park. (Yes, they made paradise, and took down a parking lot.)
www.lythamhall.org.uk/copy-of-park...
www.lythamhall.org.uk/copy-of-park...
November 18, 2024 at 9:30 PM
The parterre garden at Lytham Hall was recreated from a former car park. (Yes, they made paradise, and took down a parking lot.)
www.lythamhall.org.uk/copy-of-park...
www.lythamhall.org.uk/copy-of-park...