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Telegraph
6 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Why an upper-class diet is better for your health
Simple fresh food cooked from scratch is as posh as it gets. You won't find Quavers or any ultra-processed rubbish in an upper crust pantry – and forget takeaways, or any kind of snack. The aristo diet would get full marks from the likes of gut health rock star Tim Spector or the van Tulleken anti-UPF evangelists. Just look at the Countess of Carnarvon, chatelaine of Highclere Castle in Hampshire, who did not think twice about including a recipe for shepherd's pie in a forthcoming book. The greatest misconception about food served in the great houses of Britain, she says, 'is that it's fussy and complicated when it is in fact based on straightforward home cooking'. While the vulgar rich and the credit-card wannabes that mimic them might eat caviar and post it on Instagram, at Highclere the 8th Earl's greatest comfort is roast chicken, and Monday night suppers are 'risotto made with whatever's in the fridge'. While it's some time since anyone in my family had a cook, my nouveau pauvre family were very strict about retaining some of the old food mores. No tomatoes in the fridge, don't hold your knife like a pen, never use a silver spoon for eggs, margarine is evil, no snacking, no gluttony, no excess weight, never use a knife to break a bread roll. The rules around food and its consumption were considerable, and I never forgot them. I still feel crippling shame if I eat in the street. The start of the asparagus season was greeted like the birth of a child – and the end like a death in the family. In all honesty, I'm not sure my Granny ever really found any joy in cooking her own food and lived on cheese and biscuits. When I spoke to other middle-class girls with posh grannies, we discovered we had much in common. One former private chef to a member of the Royal family described knowing when the late Queen was joining his client for lunch as he would receive instructions to make a single serving of 'goujons of plaice, which are basically posh fish fingers, because no matter what everyone else was having she really did prefer plain food'. And aside from a few crusty old dukes, you don't get much posher than the Queen, do you? So what are the signs of a truly posh diet and how can it benefit your health? You never snack A weekend guest at Lisnavagh, the seat of Lord Rathdonnell, describes their host's visceral disgust at snacking: 'He considered it a punishable offence, completely gross and abject gluttony.' Admittedly, snacking was not common to any class until more recent generations were brainwashed by food companies. As a child, whining that one was hungry was either ignored or met with a brisk: 'You can have a piece of fruit.' And while we all chew away all day like cattle at the cud today, it remains strictly not done in the grandest echelons of society for its simple lack of restraint and self-control. And there is nothing to eat anyway. One regular visitor to the nice country houses says upper-class fridges are singularly uninspiring. Fresh ingredients are kept in the larder to be prepared from scratch and 'snacky bits' are what Nancy Mitford would call 'non-U' (not upper class). 'It's just dried up ends of cheese, sad, worryingly bloody chicken carcasses and Tracklements mustard.' In short, if you open your fridge and a cornucopia of exotic foodstuffs sheathed in brightly coloured plastic tumble out, you're dead common. Nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner Rosemary Ferguson is a favourite of the smart set in London and the Cotswolds. She says: 'Not snacking is a good thing. The body benefits from short fasts of around five hours between meals. So snacking is a really big issue because insulin levels are elevated all the time and the body never takes a break from digestion.' You love high-protein game As a rule, to shoot things with faces, fur and feathers legally you need to either own a lot of land, have a friend who owns a lot of land or be prepared to give someone with a lot of land a lot of your money. Otherwise it's poaching. Having a taste for the gamier meats is a sign you are quite grand. Arrivistes just shoot the things and go off to Annabel's to get drunk. Ferguson says: 'Game is very healthy meat: high in protein, low in fat, rich in B vitamins, vital minerals like iron and omega-3s. It lives wild and is probably not living a stressed life on lots of weird foods and medications like farmed meat.' You avoid UPFs like Bisto gravy or (horror) a Big Mac While there are rumours the Beckhams enjoy Bisto with their very finest quality beef, the act of roasting a few ribs of beef requires only the addition of stock to the empty pan to create a fairly thin yet deliciously marmite-y liquid called gravy. A travelling companion of one of the smart Sykes sisters – Plum, Lucy and Alice – describes an unnamed sister preferring to go hungry for 24 hours while waiting for a delayed flight at Goa Airport because the only option was McDonald's and, apparently, she 'just couldn't'. Ferguson says: 'Cooking from scratch and avoiding UPFs and fast food is a very good thing, however, I'm afraid I love Bisto. I remember [a very aristocratic name] being audibly appalled when they discovered I did. The real problem comes when you don't have the choice. Diabetes and metabolic illnesses are a socioeconomic issue because in poorer areas there are food deserts where UPFs and fast food are cheaper than real food. So it's no laughing matter.' While Pol Roger claimed Winston Churchill drank 42,000 bottles of its champagne over 50 years, his menus were far less grand. 'They included a lot of leftovers and beans on toast,' according to dining historian and biographer of Churchill's cook Dr Annie Gray. 'It is the same now as it always has been,' she says of the upper-crust predilection for plain and unexciting food. Ferguson says: 'Keeping it simple means consistent habits; anything too complicated is easily derailed. And if you are eating good quality ingredients, quite often too much fuss really isn't necessary.' You eat strictly seasonal vegetables It would never cross your mind to eat asparagus, artichokes or tomatoes, or indeed, anything, out of the strictly British season for them, and certainly not pre-prepared in a crackly plastic packet. Sliced carrots should never be seen outside the nursery wing. Adults' carrots should be served in batons or peeled and left whole according to both Annabel Bower's Mancroft instructions and etiquette commentator William Hanson. And some vegetables are completely verboten. 'Kale is for cattle' according to my mother. She has never stopped saying this since I developed a fashionable appetite for the toughest of brassicas. No matter how much I gussy it up or massage it to tenderness, she will not touch it. A member of the Mancroft family, apparently, sent a swede dish back to Bower with the words: 'You can't serve that. That's cattle feed.' Ferguson says: ' Seasonal, local and freshly picked or dug is the dream. As soon as they're picked, vegetables start to lose their nutritional value and flavour. And if pulled from organic garden soil, there's added minerals and good bacteria. Carrots cooked whole lose less of their nutrients to the boiling water; not peeling them would increase fibre and preserve nutrients even more. On the matter of kale, I'm clearly very common. I love it. It is nutrient dense and while some controversial and extreme wellness figures have claimed kale is 'trying to kill you', the truth is you'd have to eat a lot before we could pretend the plant's protective toxins, known as oxalates, might be bad for you.' You aren't big on pudding but love fresh fruit from the garden Crumbles with loads of cream brought to the kitchen daily direct from one of the dairy farms on your vast estate are also acceptable. Ferguson says: 'A crumble isn't bad at all, with the fruit, and especially if you add some seeds, nuts and oats. The addition of local and unpasteurised cream (that has been tested for food-borne pathogens) will add high-dose vitamin E, high A2 protein and fat levels to keep you satiated for longer.' You never salt food before you have tasted it One friend describes gasping in horror when she realised the man she loved sprinkled salt all over his food before he'd even had a mouthful. 'I'd been told to salt food was very non-U, and I still like my food bland to this day. I was told salt could sit in a little pile on your plate to be used if necessary but that sprinkling was a giant no-no. Ferguson says: 'Unless you've had an arduous day in the garden, when you might allow yourself a little pinch of salt to restore good electrolyte balance after sweating – sorry, perspiring – we should all be avoiding salt. We all eat way too much and it is a well-known and serious risk factor for cardiovascular, kidney and bone health.' You only drink very weak tea (and never with sugar) Taken with a slice or lemon or a droplet of milk, tea should look like dishwater, not the thick orange colour of a common house brick. Ferguson says: 'This is probably more hydrating, perhaps, than stronger tea but as long as your tea isn't full of sugar, there is nothing wrong with a strong daily cup of builder's. You take it as strong as you like, I'm sure the etiquette police have better things to do.'
Times
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Meet the real Downton hounds: the Countess of Carnarvon's dogs behaving badly
Fiona, the 8th Countess of Carnarvon, 61, who lives at Highclere Castle in Hampshire, the setting for the hit ITV drama series Downton Abbey, could teach the fictional Lord Grantham a thing or two about dog ownership. He has just one labrador to bring to heel — she has six, plus two spaniels — and they often cause chaos when the film crew's catering trucks roll in. We have six labradors and two working cocker spaniels. It all started with Percy, a yellow labrador I bought from a friend when my son, Eddie, was two years old. He was a lovely dog for Eddie to grow up with and we nicknamed him the Yellow Lion because he had this wonderful old-fashioned big head.
Harpers Bazaar Arabia
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
Travelling To The UK? Do It Like A Duchess, With Our Ultimate Period Drama-Inspired Guide
Pull on those gloves, adjust those bonnets and prepare to swoon. This is Britain at its most romantic and regal. We're stepping onto the sets of beloved period dramas, tasting the finest afternoon teas, and strolling out into the rolling countryside… Ever dreamed of waking up in a world where the butler brings tea and the only thing on the agenda is a stroll through rose gardens or perhaps a little falconry before lunch? That world exists, and it's scattered across Britain at some of the most iconic filming locations. Here, we round up the historic spots worthy of a Jane Austen novel, to ensure you don't miss out on the ultimate all-British experience while on your travels. Princely places to explore At Highclere Castle in Hampshire, home to the Carnarvon family, visitors can stay in one of the estate's exclusive lodges, one of the many buildings on the historic estate that served as the iconic setting of Downton Abbey. History buffs can explore the 5th Earl of Carnarvon's remarkable collection of Egyptian artefacts, while romantics can watch the sunset from its secret garden. It's the sort of place where one half expects Carson the butler to appear at breakfast – join a film-set-themed guided tour to explore the property's cinematic past. In Yorkshire, Castle Howard dazzles with its baroque drama and cinematic flair. It's has appeared in both Bridgerton ballrooms and Downton Abbey dinner scenes, and come evening it lights up with candlelit tours. Meanwhile, over in Lincolnshire, Grimsthorpe Castle starred in Bridgerton Season 3, with turrets and tapestries perfect for stolen kisses and sweeping romance. If it's windswept drama visitors are after, they can head to Ardverikie Estate in the Scottish Highlands, better known to fans of The Crown as Balmoral. With lochs glittering below misty peaks, it's where nature meets nobility. Meanwhile, Chatsworth House in Derbyshire serves as the real-life Pemberley – the grand country estate belonging to Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. There, visitors can take a riverside stroll where Darcy once brooded and perhaps indulge in a mindful walk to truly soak up the romance of the Peaks. The ultimate afternoon teas Tea is never just tea in Britain, it's a cherished ritual. Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire – straight out of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story – offers patisserie with panache as part of their afternoon tea, all within Renaissance-style architecture that whispers of royal intrigue. With gluten free, dairy free, vegan and nut free options, there's something for everyone. For a taste of maritime majesty, the Royal Deck Tearoom aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh' port of Leith invites visitors to sip like a sovereign. Once the private retreat of Queen Elizabeth Il, this elegant floating palace now welcomes guests to enjoy afternoon tea in regal style. Seated in the light-filled salon, with polished wood and floor-to-ceiling windows, visitors can nibble finger sandwiches while gazing over Leith's bustling harbour and the Firth of Forth beyond, before retreating to a luxury cabin. In Hampshire, country house hotel Tylney Hall 's Jane Austen-inspired tea brings together 'Pride, Pastries and Pemberley' in a playful nod to the author's enduring appeal and one of her favourite snacks – mini cheese toasties – especially fitting in 2025, to mark 250 years since the author's birth. Meanwhile, in Cheshire, Lyme Park – the very estate that served as Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice – serves up its own heritage-rich afternoon tea. Take in the rolling views of the Peak District, sweeping grounds, and stately interiors while indulging in traditional British delights, just as Elizabeth Bennet might have done. Carriages, trains and horse-drawn dreams In an age of high-speed everything, what could be more romantic than slowing down? This is travel as the Victorians did it – with velvet seats and views that unfurl like storybook pages. The Belmond British Pullman and Belmond's brand new Britannic Explorer, the first luxury sleeper train in Britain, deliver classic glamour on the rails. Think starched linens, gleaming brass, fine dining, and landscapes rolling past the window in cinematic slow motion. For a more rustic, but no less romantic experience, the Bala Lake Railway in Snowdonia (Eryri) is home to heritage train Alice the Little Welsh Engine and offers a gently chugging escape through green valleys with mountain vistas. Elsewhere, horse-drawn carriage rides through Derbyshire (à la Pride and Prejudice) by The Ostler Hach offer visitors a chance to travel through the countryside like Mr Darcy and Miss Bennett. At Hampton Court Palace in London, once the playground of Henry VIII, visitors can ride beside the Thames in a carriage worthy of Lady Whistledown's approval, pulled by some of the estate's magnificent Shire horses. After the ride, they can explore Tudor kitchens, get lost in the maze, or wander through the grand Baroque apartments where King William III threw lavish banquets. For the love of food Romance is often found at the table, and Britain's countryside restaurants are serving it up with style. At Askham Hall, a 13th-century stately home turned boutique hotel in Cumbria, a critically acclaimed kitchen delivers exquisite dishes in a centuries-old hall surrounded by gardens straight out of a fairytale. In Snowdonia (Eryri), Palé Hall matches grand surroundings renowned fine dining – this award-winning Victorian mansion in the Dee Valley was once graced by Queen Victoria herself. Today, it's a five-star retreat with lavish rooms, landscaped gardens and gourmet cuisine. Immersive escapes and time-travel treats When visiting isn't enough, try becoming the character. In Bath, the Jane Austen Festival (September 12-21) celebrates 250 years of the famous writer with dancing, theatre, and more bonnets than one can count. Just around the corner, No. 1 Royal Crescent lets visitors experience Georgian lifestyle with immersive 'Jane Austen in Bath' tours on select days, alongside a special exhibition to celebrate the writer's anniversary. In Scotland, the Enchanted Forest (October 2 to November 2 2025) in Pitlochry transforms Faskally Wood into a glowing wonderland of light and sound – perfect for a romantic evening to round off your trip. For more information visit
Telegraph
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Lady Carnarvon of Highclere: ‘I walk my pony in the garden, sometimes I bring her into the house'
Highclere Castle – the location for the Downton Abbey television series and films – has 1,000 acres of parkland originally designed by the renowned 18th-century landscape architect Capability Brown. Lady Carnarvon, together with her husband Geordie, 8th Earl of Carnarvon, took over the estate in 2001 and has written nine books about Highclere's history and life today, in and around the castle; she also set up a dedicated Instagram account, which has more than 670,000 followers. Here, she discusses how she and Geordie have restored and reinvigorated the gardens over the past 24 years. Where do you live? Highclere Castle sits on a chalk escarpment that is relatively high up for this part of Berkshire. It's surrounded by the greenest of lawns and is backed by long distant views that include woodlands and rolling fields. However, when you come up the main drive, you might be tempted to think, 'Where are the gardens?' About 300 years ago, there were several formal gardens, including great shrubberies and large herbaceous borders at the front which led all the way round to a folly, but during the two world wars, they were grassed over. When my husband Geordie and I took over, there was still only a skinny offering of gardens, but as we are both passionate gardeners, we wanted to change that. We had a wonderful team behind us and plenty of ideas, but we were also determined to get our hands in the soil. What has been your approach at Highclere? When I first came here, I probably worried quite a lot about what other people thought, including my new ideas for gardens. You've only got to be reminded that Capability Brown designed the parkland here to fill you with a sense of doubt. But one day, Lady Jeannie, Geordie's mother, turned to me and said: 'Fiona, this is your home; create something which you think would be right for Highclere.' That gave me the confidence I needed. Of course, there is so much history: people have lived here for 1,200 years – the Bishops of Winchester owned it for 800. One of the oldest known gardens we have is called the Monks' Garden and it dates back to the 12th century, when monks cultivated it for fresh produce and herbal remedies. So, this has partly inspired my healing herb garden beside the courtyard. It not only allowed me to explore an area of plants I'm passionate about, but was also a perfect way of connecting to the castle's fascinating past. Which projects has your husband enjoyed the most? Fifteen years ago, Geordie decided to turn an area of the grounds around the back of the castle into a wildflower meadow. He entered into it with tremendous gusto and his hard work has paid off. Come late spring, the meadows are a sight to behold. It has also given us wonderful surprises, including some of Britain's rarest orchids which suddenly started popping up to say hello. We keep a mowed lawn running through it, so it's the most wonderful walk in the morning with the dogs – we have eight labradors. Geordie's also passionate about the spring bulbs. Some 300,000 have been planted in the grounds – snowdrops, crocuses, narcissi, wild tulips, camassias, fritillarias, alliums – and he extends that area every year. In fact, we have a wonderful bulb specialist called Michael Lubbe who comes over from Holland in the autumn and in two hours plants 5,000 'time-lapse' bulbs with his machine. I always laugh because when it's time to get out the spring catalogues, I put in a request for a few things, only to find he's already used up the entire bulb budget on his own selections. What are the themes that have inspired some of your other gardens? A garden is a wonderful place to remember and celebrate the people we love, so Geordie and I have both dedicated gardens to our mothers. Geordie's mother, Lady Jeanie, died in 2019 and the area we chose for her sits on a soft slope looking westward – towards Wyoming, the place where she was born. She loved pastel blues and adored every shade of white, so there are creamy lupins, Rosa rugosa and philadelphus, which has a scent that is absolutely divine. Towering Jerusalem artichokes add a touch of silver with their large, elegant leaves. To one side of it is a temple and after a few hours of planting or weeding, we'll often sit there with the dogs and watch the sun going down. A short walk away is a rose arbour in memory of my mother, Frances. As she loved literature, I've filled it with roses named after her favourite characters, including the deep pink Gabriel Oak rose and a bright crimson Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Like my father, my mother died of cancer very young. It has taken time to create these gardens, and they mean a lot to us, but like time itself, gardening can be a very healing process. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Highclere Castle (@highclere_castle) Did you have a garden as a child? I was the eldest of six girls and we grew up in central London. We lived in a flat, which meant we didn't have a garden, but we had a balcony where our mother used to keep plants. At the weekend, however, our parents had to get us out, so we'd often be marched around St James's Park to use up our energy and improve our moods. My father, who worked in the City, loved golf, and would often drop us at Wisley Park while he went off to play. Once the big holidays came, we were very fortunate to have a seaside home in Cornwall, but some of my fondest memories are of staying at a large farmhouse in Kent which was owned by good friends of our parents. It was such a wonderful Darling Buds of May experience, with a duck pond in the middle of a croquet lawn, and everything from chickens to ponies keeping us occupied. My sister Lucy and I would often go off on the ponies with our Ordnance Survey map. Even now, I can hear my mother saying: 'Don't be back late, darling. It's treacle tart for lunch and Queenie's making it especially for you.' When it was time to go back to London, we always wanted to bring the ponies with us. Did that outdoor experience stay with you as you got older? Thankfully, we're now learning how beneficial it is to spend time in nature… to spend time in the garden. By the time I was a chartered accountant in my 20s, I craved the outdoors and would often volunteer to help people do their gardens at the weekend. It was such a relief from sitting at a desk all week. I'm a great believer in how being outside improves your mood and general well-being. And, of course, I still love ponies; in fact, I now have Pheobe, my Arab pony, whom I often take for walks around the gardens. On occasion, I'll even bring her into the house, too! She's such a sweetie and loves having a little look around but is always very respectful of floors and furnishings. Sometimes, I think you just get to a point in life when you want to go back in time and revisit all your fond memories. Even when I think back to my mother's balcony garden, it's a reminder that gardening comes in all shapes and sizes. I've recently found a new love of container planting; our new head gardener Emmeline has been helping me fill some big containers in the middle of the courtyard with small cherry trees and summer plants. I can't tell you the pleasure I get from that. I'm going to experiment with barrels next, and then I'll think about a few balconies. The castle manager John Gundill has renamed it Tut's Plaza. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Highclere Castle (@highclere_castle) Do you think gardening helps you on a deeper level? Over the years, Geordie and I have created many winding paths to take you from one garden to the next, and I've come to realise there's something very therapeutic, very symbolic, about walking on a winding path. It's a bit like life itself. As one gets older, you begin to appreciate that you don't always know where life's going to lead you or who you're going to meet along the way. Working on these gardens has certainly taken me on a wonderful journey in life and I hope it continues.
