Elizabeth Anscombe
BY SEAN WALSH First in a series of personal reflections on batshit philosophers. Of all the philosophers I’ve worked with, known or met Elizabeth Anscombe was by far the most insane. Her husband, Peter Geach, takes silver. They were, by most accounts, an unusual conjunction. I do not know if they fell out over where to go on holiday or whose turn it was to … Continue reading Elizabeth Anscombe
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
BY ALLISON LEE The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is one of the world’s greatest heritage railway experiences. Spanning 18 miles of beautiful scenery across Yorkshire, the railway is a not-for profit charitable organisation which is run as part of the local community and hosts numerous events throughout the year. Following the railway’s announcement of its Annual Steam Gala from 25th to 28th September 2025, it has … Continue reading North Yorkshire Moors Railway
The British Fall Guy
BY PAUL T HORGAN Ghislaine Maxwell, the Duke and Duchess of York, Peter Mandelson. Ask what all of these people have in common and the answer is obvious. All of them have been substantially negatively affected by the fallout of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. But that is not all. All of them are, or were, British. And yet we are told that Epstein was an American socialite, and … Continue reading The British Fall Guy
Good or Evil
BY STEPHEN PAX LEONARD Some years ago, a colleague of mine was interviewing prospective undergraduates for entrance to Cambridge. He had just finished the interviews for ASNC (Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic) – yes, there is such a subject – when the telephone rang. It was the Admissions Tutor at one of the most prestigious, ancient Colleges that make up the University of Cambridge: “We need … Continue reading Good or Evil
A Masterclass in Resilience: Dr Sujata Kelkar Shetty’s Resilience Decoded
BY THE EDITOR Parenting adolescents today is rather like trying to grow prize orchids in a tornado – requiring equal parts scientific understanding and the stoicism of a Victorian headmaster. Dr Sujata Kelkar Shetty’s Resilience Decoded, published by Penguin Random House and recently well-covered by both the BBC and CNN, delivers both with the precision of a biological scientist and the warm pragmatism of a mother … Continue reading A Masterclass in Resilience: Dr Sujata Kelkar Shetty’s Resilience Decoded
Reaction as Revelation
BY ALEX STORY Tragedies abound. Humanity, in its mortal coils, is beset by them. Often, they are self-inflicted. Plunder, rape, murder, treason, and conflicts are nothing other than the manifestations of man’s war of all against all in perpetuum, irrespective of race or creed. “Crimes against other men are committed when emotions, which spur us to action, are corrupt and rise in revolt, without control”, … Continue reading Reaction as Revelation
My Husband’s Child
BY NICK PEARCE Allison Lee’s My Husband’s Child is a masterfully crafted novel that delves deep into the complexities of marriage, loss, and the haunting power of the past. Told through the eyes of Kate, a woman who has lived for years in the shadow of her absent husband, Miles, the story unfolds with a slow-burning intensity that keeps the reader utterly captivated from the very first … Continue reading My Husband’s Child
A Prayer for the Lost Ways
VICAR We seek Your guidance, O Lord, in an age that moves too swiftly, often leaving wisdom and tradition behind. We pray for the lost ways—the skills of hand and heart, the old paths of our fathers and mothers, the stories and songs that once bound generations together. Bless the keepers of these traditions—the craftsmen, the storytellers, the gardeners who save heirloom seeds. Grant them … Continue reading A Prayer for the Lost Ways
Ed Reardon’s Week
BY ROGER WATSON I have no doubt that many readers of CSM will already be familiar with the BBC Radio 4 sitcom Ed Reardon’s Week. I write this in the hope that I can point some others towards this excellent programme, which began in 2005 and ran its 16th series this year. The eponymous star, played by co-creator Christopher Douglas, is a grumpy, slightly misanthropic failed writer. He … Continue reading Ed Reardon’s Week
Misleading Headline from India
BY ALEXIA JAMES This rather silly viral story about Indians ‘owning London’ in the Mint newspaper from earlier this year is a classic case of a statistic being weaponised to feed a narrative, while completely obscuring a far more powerful and entrenched reality. The ‘karma’ jibe it refers to is not just simplistic; it is mathematically and economically illiterate. The report states that Indians are … Continue reading Misleading Headline from India
The ‘Non-Native’ Trojan Horse
BY BERT BURNETT Let’s cut through the polite CNPA press release below and get to the real agenda here. This so-called “investigation” into gamebird releases isn’t about balance; it’s the opening salvo in a campaign built on a foundation of sand, and the first clue is right there in their own words: ‘non-native’. This term is nothing but a political cudgel. When the establishment wants … Continue reading The ‘Non-Native’ Trojan Horse
Portugal and the West
BY JAMIE FOSTER From British Ultimatum to Utopian Revolt, 1890-1975: Social Volatility, National Assertion, and Nervous Collapse In the pantheon of contemporary historical scholarship, few works possess the daring revisionist verve and profound erudition of Professor Tom Gallagher’s Portugal and the West: From British Ultimatum to Utopian Revolt, 1890-1975. This is not merely a book; it is a magisterial and sweeping geopolitical exegesis, the culmination of … Continue reading Portugal and the West
Maul of Fools
BY DOMINIC WIGHTMAN The Labour political animal, when cornered, does not fight. It shuffles. It rearranges the deck chairs on its own personal Titanic with the frantic energy of a person who believes the problem is not the iceberg but the upholstery. The recent reshuffle debacle in Westminster conjures not high statesmanship, but the memory of a rugby tournament in the Canaries—a festival of incompetence … Continue reading Maul of Fools
Surprising Things
BY ALEX STORY Some things are surprising; others less so. Lord Peter Mandelson spending an inordinate amount of time with the late Jeffrey Epstein, his “best pal”, raises few eyebrows. African leaders asking for “reparations” leaves Britons cold. We have become inured to officialised insanity – dangerously so perhaps. Where once our politicians’ misdemeanours fuelled conversations in pubs across the country, now, in the few … Continue reading Surprising Things
Notes from the Actual Countryside
BY GARY BAXTER As I sit here watching another bloody red kite circle over what’s left of the local songbirds, I decide to have a look at what fresh hell the pen-pushers in their air-conditioned offices have dreamt up for us this week. And Christ on a bike, it doesn’t take long to find it. Everywhere you look, it’s another scheme conjured by some millennial … Continue reading Notes from the Actual Countryside
A Prayer for the Quiet Moments
VICAR We come before You in a moment of stillness, seeking refuge from the world’s incessant noise. Lord, You who spoke not in the wind or the earthquake, but in the still, small voice, we ask for the grace to find You in the quiet. Bless the silent dawns, the hushed evenings, and the peace of a sleeping house. In the spaces between our words, … Continue reading A Prayer for the Quiet Moments
Kiplin
BY ALLISON LEE Kiplin Hall is an absolute gem standing serenely close to the River Swale in the Vale of Mowbray in the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside. Situated between the historic market towns of Richmond and Northallerton, Kiplin Hall has been owned by four families, related by blood and marriage, and this year celebrates its 400th year of history. George Calvert built Kiplin Hall in … Continue reading Kiplin
Straw
BY ROGER WATSON Of all the films I have watched, Straw is one of the most painful—but it is meant to be. The title presumably refers to the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. Straw (2025) tells the story of a woman living in dire circumstances, whose situation escalates from terrible to tragic, ultimately breaking her. Janiyah Wiltkinson, portrayed powerfully by Taraji P. Henson, is a single mother … Continue reading Straw
Grooming Gang Survivors Need the Healing Power of the Countryside
BY DONNA RACHEL EDMUNDS I felt a flutter of nerves as I hopped off the mounting block and swung my leg over bright bay quarters. 16’2” is a long way up, especially above the cobbles of a country house stable yard, and it had been a good decade since I’d last gathered up reins, tightened a girth, and given a squeeze to set off. But … Continue reading Grooming Gang Survivors Need the Healing Power of the Countryside
The History of Islamic Slavery Should be Better Known
BY IAN MITCHELL Racism and religious status assertion is worthy of investigation The ultimate in status differentiation is the slave relationship. The slave has no agency, while the slave-owner has full agency for two. Leaving aside the special case of contract slavery, the general point about enslavement is that it reduces human freedom to the point where only death can exceed it in terms of … Continue reading The History of Islamic Slavery Should be Better Known