Lauran Elsden

6 days ago | countryliving.com | Lauran Elsden

Before I was ordained in my 40s, I was a freelance screenwriter. I worked from project to project and never felt I belonged anywhere. But then I found myself in holy orders, called to care for a small group of parishes in Wiltshire. Apart from parenthood, it has been the deepest blessing of my life. Easter is a busy time for a vicar, starting with the excitement of Palm Sunday, and the contemplative services of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

1 month ago | countryliving.com | Lauran Elsden

Calling out with a noise that's somewhere between a whistle and a yodel, Jane Kallaway deftly demonstrates the symbiotic partnership between a shepherdess and her dog. Ffion, a flat-coated collie, speeds in from behind a frosty water trough and Jane follows, crook in hand, delivering a few phrases of encouragement. Moments later, her flock appears over the brow of a nearby hill, apparition-like in the early morning mist.

1 month ago | countryliving.com | Lauran Elsden

Dawid Kalisinski PhotographyFrom literary houses – where authors penned some of their most famous works – to country estates that have appeared in Jane Austen adaptations, the UK is brimming with notable spots that have inspired (and continue to inspire) brilliant writers.

1 month ago | msn.com | Lauran Elsden

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2 months ago | countryliving.com | Lauran Elsden

Getty ImagesFrom Cornwall to the Outer Hebrides, the UK is peppered with enchanting isolated churches and chapels. Many of these out-the-way shrines are still in use today, while others remain fascinating relics of the past – but all offer a fascinating insight in the history of the country and places of worship through the ages. Some have been used as monks’ dwellings, while others have doubled up as beacon towers to spread word of enemies spotted at sea.