Anglotopia Podcast: Episode 29 – The Fascinating World of Country Life Magazine with John Goodall

Anglotopia Podcast

In this episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, we interview John Goodall. John Goodall is the architectural editor of Country Life magazine, responsible for producing weekly articles on country houses in Britain and abroad. He has a background in medieval architecture and has written guidebooks for English Heritage. Goodall became interested in architecture while living abroad and developed a fascination with medieval buildings. He enjoys the privilege of visiting and writing about a wide range of country houses, meeting interesting people, and commissioning high-quality photography. He believes that country life is a national treasure and values its role as a historical record. In this wide-ranging discussion, we talk about his work, architecture, Britain’s heritage legacy, and American architecture as well.

Links

• Country Life: 125 Years of Countryside Living in Great Britain from the Archives of Country Life
• Country Life Magazine

Takeaways

• John Goodall is the architectural editor of Country Life magazine, responsible for producing weekly articles on country houses in Britain and abroad.
• He has a background in medieval architecture and has written guidebooks for English heritage.
• Goodall became interested in architecture while living abroad and developed a fascination with medieval buildings.
• He enjoys the privilege of visiting and writing about a wide range of country houses, meeting interesting people, and commissioning high-quality photography.
• He believes that country life is a national treasure and values its role as a historical record.

Sound Bites

• “I became interested in buildings when I was living abroad and latterly, we served in India and that’s a place that I began to look at buildings that seemed completely different to anything I was familiar with.”
• “One of the things I love about traveling to Britain is that we can see old things.”

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Discussion of Recent Events
• 02:41 The Editorial Process for Featuring Houses in Country Life Magazine
• 06:00 Preserving the Historical and Cultural Significance of Architectural Landmarks
• 11:12 Addressing Problematic Histories and Heritage Conservation
• 27:00 Challenges Faced by Country Houses and the English Countryside
• 46:29 Exploring British Heritage and Architecture
• 46:58 Appreciating the Beautiful Architecture in the Midwest and the US
• 47:22 Discovering Fascinating Country Houses in Country Life Magazine