Notes on…
Egrets
There’s an unwritten rule in newspaper journalism that any story about egrets must have one of two headlines. Either ‘no…
The census
Even before the first census was made in 1801, the plan was regarded with fear, hatred and ridicule. And this…
Oysters
The latest fight between the EU and the UK isn’t over vaccines, but molluscs. Brussels won’t grant Britain a special…
Pigs
If you scratch his tummy, Ivory the clever pig will take you on at a computer game. He wields the…
St Bartholomew the Great
There is only one place in the world that has played host to both the Virgin Mary and Benjamin Franklin,…
Hotel rooms
A few Spectator readers may soon find themselves confined to quarantine hotels, so the magazine thought it timely to find…
Doc Martens
Doc Martens are one of those quintessentially British things that, like the royal family and lorries queuing on the M20,…
Historical re-enactments
The Wimborne Militia of Dorset prides itself on being the only formally commissioned ‘private army’ in England. We’re well known…
Presidential dogs
From the moment Donald Trump’s presidency began, he was lacking something. But Joe Biden is about to make up for…
Hermits
At a time when so many of us are experiencing some measure of isolation, it is hard to fathom the…
Frankincense and myrrh
‘And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down,…
Catching moths
As darkness falls, a group of mainly middle-aged men set up traps of various shapes and sizes — some sophisticated…
Cricket tea
Cricket is not renowned for embracing change. The introduction of the middle stump, overarm bowling and Kevin Pietersen were all…
Robins
At the risk of sounding like Sid James in some late period Carry On, I currently have two birds on…
Gravestones
A parishioner in West Yorkshire has been allowed to put an inscription in Chinese on a relative’s gravestone. ‘There is…
Mink
Mink keeps you warm. That’s a most acceptable bonus, but its prime function is status. This week, however, the focus…
Quince
I recently bought some quinces in our local farmshop as part of my new policy of investing heavily in right-wing…
Bog bodies
Some believe that All Hallows’ Eve is adopted from a much older Celtic holiday, Samhain, that marked the change from…
Solitary drinking
Thanks to a combination of night-time curfews, social-distancing rules, pubs closing, restaurants failing, the ‘rule of six’ and compulsory mask-wearing,…
Winkles
For the first time in 30-odd years, many Brits have started eating winkles again. Unable to holiday abroad this summer,…
Punch and Judy
They’re one of the country’s most famous married couples. You just need to spot his colourful jester outfit and the…
Signal boxes
Petersfield signal box is in the wrong place. Or at least it is now. When it was built in the…
Crowds
London, writes Dr Watson in the first Sherlock Holmes story, is ‘that great cesspool into which all the loungers and…
Capital letters
Irrespective of whether Donald Trump ends up being a two-term president, surely no modern political figure has done more to…
Handshakes
The government wants us back in the office — catching trains, buying sandwiches and actually seeing colleagues and clients rather…
