Latest news with #Oxfordshire
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Marie-Antoinette and a ferocious gold rush in this months historical fiction: The Tarot Reader of Versailles by Anya Bergman, The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis, The Rush by Beth Lewis
The Tarot Reader of Versailles is available now from the Mail Bookshop The Tarot Reader of Versailles by Anya Bergman (Manilla Press £16.99, 480pp) The author of the dynamic The Witches Of Vardo heads onto the bloody streets of the French Revolution in this equally propulsive epic in the company of two extraordinary women – Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand, the titular tarot card reader (and a real historical figure), and Cait, an Irish scullery maid with psychic gifts. Marie Anne, loyal to Queen Marie Antoinette, and firebrand Cait, whose leanings are more republican, unite to make their fortunes in volatile Versailles. The prose is lush, the love stories beguiling, but Bergman doesn't shy away from the horror of the reign of terror and the harsh realities of change. The Hounding is available now from the Mail Bookshop The Hounding by Xenobe Purvis (Hutchinson Heinemann £16.99, 272pp) There's a haze of heat over the small, claustrophobic village of Little Nettlebed in 18th-century Oxfordshire, the setting for Purvis's haunting debut. The days are parched, the river is drying up and people's thoughts are addled, honing in on five unconventional Mansfield sisters. Rumour has it that the siblings can transform themselves into dogs – and in this 'season of strangeness', there's great danger in being different. Purvis's story is brimful of dark foreboding; unsettling hints of violence ripple through her prose and there's a fearful sense that the sisters' safety is at stake. Reminiscent of Jeffrey Eugenides' The Virgin Suicides, this debut is feverish, finely wrought and unforgettable. The Rush by Beth Lewis (Viper £18.99, 400pp) Canada, 1898, and the frozen bleakness of the Yukon has been gripped by gold fever. Ramshackle claims have been staked, desperate men are seeking their fortune, and Dawson City is the scene of lawlessness. Into this chaotic mix, Lewis places three strong-minded, spirited women. Journalist Kate is searching for her rebellious sister; bar owner and brothel keeper Martha is determined to keep her business from the local hard-man, while Ellen is worried about her safety as her prospector husband loses his perspective. When a woman is found murdered, the lives of the three women intertwine as they search for the killer. A rip-roaring adventure that's rich with drama and gutsy plotlines.
News.com.au
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Beyoncé and Jay-Z reportedly looking to put down UK roots
The singer has reportedly taken a helicopter trip to Oxfordshire with husband Jay-Z to view a Cotswolds mansion. Her house-viewing trip was scheduled during her run of London shows, with the Oxford Mail reporting that the couple had landed at Enstone Airfield, about half an hour west of Bicester. It was previously reported back in April that the Single Ladies hitmaker and her husband were considering houses in the Cotswolds, and would look at these during Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter World tour, which she has been in London for this month.
Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Blenheim Palace replaces stolen gold lavatory with £10 substitute
Blenheim Palace has replaced its stolen golden lavatory with a replica with which visitors can pay £10 to take a selfie. The historic country house, which was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, is planning to put the attraction in the Water Terraces. It comes after the original £4.75 million golden lavatory artwork, named America, was stolen from the Spencer-Churchill's family home back in 2019. Five men broke into the palace using sledgehammers, before ripping out the solid gold lavatory and fleeing in a stolen Volkswagen. The working lavatory, plumbed as part of an exhibition by the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, had been on display for just under a week before it was taken. James Sheen, 40, Michael Jones, 39, Fred Doe, 36, and Bora Guccuk, 41, were accused of being part of a gang who planned and carried out the 'bold and brazen' burglary of the Oxfordshire stately home. Sheen was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to burglary and transferring criminal property in 2024, while Jones was found guilty of burglary in March 2025 and sentenced to 27 months. Doe, from Windsor, was convicted of conspiracy to sell the stolen gold and given a 21-month-long suspended sentence in May, while Guccuk, from west London, was cleared of the same charge. The golden lavatory was probably melted down after it was stolen and has not been recovered since. Blenheim Palace said the replica, which has been spray-painted gold and stuck to an old pallet, is 'aimed to be a fun focal point for visitors to sit down for a selfie with a difference.' A spokesman for Blenheim Palace said: 'We take the theft of any property extremely seriously, but with the incredible global interest in the golden toilet theft and the recent court case coming to a conclusion, we thought some light hearted amusement with a budget alternative in our gardens would raise a smile and become an unlikely new stop-off point for visitors to our stunning gardens.'
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Jeremy Clarkson's Ferrari up for sale and here's how to buy it
Jeremy Clarkson's Ferrari is up for sale at an auction with a valuation of between £180,000 and £220,000. The Oxfordshire farmer has driven and reviewed his fair share of cars in his role as a motoring journalist. Appearing on shows such as BBC's Top Gear and Prime Video's The Grand Tour, the TV presenter has become synonymous with vehicles. One of Mr Clarkson's former cars, a red 1996 Ferrari F355 GTS, is now up for sale at auction. READ MORE: Clarkson's Farm star announces new venture after leaving show The front of the car. (Image: Jonathan Jacob / RM Sotheby's) In the 1996 VHS special Unleashed on Cars, the presenter emerged from his road test aboard the model and declared it to be: 'The greatest car in the world; ever." He reckoned it was the apogee of Maranello lore and modern technology. In fact, the supercar had wormed its way under his skin to such an extent that he 'had to have one', and he did. Bought via the official Maranello Sales dealership at its Tower Gate showroom in Egham, the F355 was delivered in August 1996. After some debate over colour and configuration, as covered in the 2000 series Clarkson's Car Years, he settled upon a targa-roofed GTS. VIEW LISTING HERE The back of the car. (Image: Jonathan Jacob / RM Sotheby's) He opted for Rosso Corsa over Crema leather, Rosso carpets, and extremely rare sports seats with Rosso inserts—a specification recorded in the original letters from Maranello Sales to Clarkson. The F355 would appear in The Sunday Times newspaper, including serving as the vehicle of choice when Clarkson retook (and failed) his driving test for a column published in the May 1999 issue. In Top Gear magazine in 2000, Clarkson wrote that across his four years of ownership to that point, the Ferrari had only covered 6,000 miles. This included returns to Maranello Sales for routine maintenance, with the cambelt being replaced in August 1999. READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson's customers share bizarre Cotswolds pub complaint Departing Mr Clarkson's stable via a prize giveaway in The Sunday Times, and following a stint with its victorious second owner, a third keeper retained the Ferrari between March 2003 and February 2013 before it joined the collection of the vendor. Under their care, the car has been maintained fastidiously by marque expert John Pogson at his Italia Autosport concern near Huddersfield. Notably, a May 2025 service, belt change, refresh of the steering rack, plus paint correction and detailing cost £9,345. Gaining a fresh MoT at this point, the Ferrari displayed 14,899 miles at the time of cataloguing. The vehicle is now listed for auction with RM Sotheby's, a collector car auction company headquartered in the pulse of Oxford at your fingertips 🗞️ With our flash sale, Oxford Mail keeps you updated for less: only £4 for 4 months or save 40 per cent on an annual subscription. Don't miss out on what's happening locally #DigitalDeal #LocalJournalismhttps:// — Oxford Mail (@TheOxfordMail) June 16, 2025 It is complemented by the owner's guides in their folio, a tool kit, and a cover. A statement from the company said: "One of the great modern Modena creations and, thanks in no small part to its famous first owner, this F355 GTS is arguably one of the best-known and finest examples in existence. "Today, this F355 is even more desirable due to its rare specification of a manual gearbox with sports seats. "In the hands of its next keeper, it is sure to be a talking point at all supercar and Ferrari events it attends."
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Three Oxfordshire teens win BAFTA gaming design awards
The BAFTA young game designs awards recognised three teens from Oxfordshire in the ceremony's 15th anniversary. The winners, Isabelle Taylor and Emily Sun, both 17 and from Oxford, and Luke Rayfield, 18, from South Oxfordshire, won three of the five awards granted. Coming from the world-renowned film and television awards charity BAFTA, the young game designers competition celebrates and encourages the next generation entering the UK games industry. READ MORE: Oxford burger restaurant comeback after closing in debt The 52 finalists of this year's competition were competing for one of two awards, the game concept award, which rewards the most original and best thought-out game idea, and the game making award, which goes to the most impressive use of coding skills (on a freely available software) to create a prototype game. Each award is split into two age categories, 10-14 years and 15-18 years. Oxfordshire put forward winners in both awards. Experience the pulse of Oxford at your fingertips 🗞️ With our flash sale, Oxford Mail keeps you updated for less: only £4 for 4 months or save 40 per cent on an annual subscription. Don't miss out on what's happening locally #DigitalDeal #LocalJournalismhttps:// — Oxford Mail (@TheOxfordMail) June 16, 2025 Isabelle Taylor and Emily Sun won the Game Concept Award for the upper age group, for their winning game concept Mikka Bouzu. Isabelle Taylor and Emily Sun, both 17 from Oxford, won the game concept award for their design Mikka Bouzu (Image: BAFTA) They describe the game as being "made for players who struggle with the difficult transition from child to adult, and the burnout that it often brings." The game follows protagonist Mikka Bouzu, a game designer who has lost her passion for art, who must journey through three of her unfinished games and write endings for them to rediscover her lost creativity. READ MORE: Cotswolds company van stolen from Chipping Norton property In the game making award upper age range category, Luke Rayfield won for his game Furniture Fu, which combines two seemingly disparate skills - martial arts and interior decorating. Players can beat demons while mastering tasteful home design, in a game that Mr Rayfield describes as 'easy to learn and hard to master" where strategic furniture arranging means better monster hunting. He said: "This competition and Furniture Fu represents two huge milestones for me - firstly, an amazing accolade, and secondly, the only time I've managed to make a game to schedule. "There's something so gratifying about so much work and passion coming together, against all odds, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to share that passion with others." Luke Rayfield, 18 from Oxfordshire, designed Furniture Fu (Image: BAFTA) The winners of this year's competition were announced in a digital ceremony hosted by actor and comedian Inel Tomilson, and will go on to have their work featured at a showcase in Piccadilly from the end of June. Winning games will also be available to see at the Science Museum in London, the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, and the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford as part of the Power Up experience. READ MORE: Oxford congestion charge would 'punish' city says councillor Dan Ayoub of SVP Digital Games and member of the judging panel, said: "It was an absolute honour to serve on the judging panel for the BAFTA Young Game Designers awards. "Beyond the joy of working alongside brilliant developers, I was genuinely humbled by the level of talent, creativity, and ambition these young creators brought. "This experience left me deeply inspired—and incredibly optimistic about the future of our industry.'
