Jack Watkins

The woodlark: the British songbird that is the ultimate masked singer

Its melody is sweeter than the nightingale's, yet the elusive woodlark seems destined to delight only a fortunate few.

The good, the bad and the dilapidated as Historic England release the latest 'At Risk' Register for 2023

A total of 159 sites have been added — and 203 sites removed — in a year that marks the 25th anniversary of Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.  Jck Watkins reports on the latest.

You might think a book about the birds that lived in London 75 years ago would make for gloomy reading. Nothing could be further from the truth.

75 years ago, Richard Fitter published the seminal book 'London’s Birds'. Jack Watkins takes a look inside to see what it tells us about the changing face of the capital’s avian population — and comes away marvelling at how our winged friends have thrived despite the march of metropolitan progress.

The Flying Scotsman: How the first 100mph locomotive became the most famous train in the world

The first train to officially hit 100mph may not even have been the first, and didn't hold the rail speed record for long; yet a century later its legend is undimmed. Jack Watkins celebrates the Flying Scotsman.

Curious Questions: Why does Kew Gardens have a giant pagoda?

The Pagoda at Kew Gardens, designed by Sir William Chambers, is one of the most famous, yet most incongruous landmarks at one of the world's most famous gardens. So why is it there? Jack Watkins explains.

Durham Cathedral and Castle: 'The Normans at their most audacious and expansive'

Dover Castle, Kent: England's strongest castle

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct: Thomas Telford's 'ribbon of water in the sky'

The magnificent Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is one of the great testaments to Industrial Revolution ingenuity — and as beautiful as it is impressive. Jack Watkins takes a look.

In Focus: The enduring appeal of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's 'The Phantom of the Opera'

Jack Watkins tells the tale of one of the West End's most iconic musicals, and how The Phantom of the Opera evolved from an obscure novel and largely forgotten films to become a global sensation.

The seagrass meadows that lie beneath the waters of Britain are 'one of the most valuable and biodiverse habitats on the planet'

The UK’s seagrass meadows are an important wildlife habitat and fundamental to combating climate change, but they’re disappearing at a rapid rate. Jack Watkins finds out more about the ongoing fight to save them.

In Focus: The enduring beauty of Thomas Gray's Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard

Jack Watkins considers the timeless brilliance of Thomas Gray's 'Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard.'

In Focus: Tarka the Otter, Henry Williamson's great masterpiece of Nature writing

Jack Watkins tells the tale of what might have been a simple tale of nature, but which became a phenomenon both on page and on screen.

The true mark of genius of Jane Austen's Persuasion? Even when its bad, it's still pretty good

The great houses of The Strand, 'London's Golden Mile' that 'helped shape England’s architectural identity’

A scheme to pedestrianise parts of The Strand is throwing light on the road’s gilded history, finds Jack Watkins.

Kenwood House: How one of London's most famous landmarks was saved from destruction

It’s almost inconceivable nowadays to think that one of London’s most famous landmarks was once destined for redevelopment. A century on from the fight to save it, Jack Watkins finds out what happened

In Focus: Mallard, the steam locomotive that's a true British masterpiece

Sir Nigel Gresley's Mallard steam locomotive is one of the great pieces of 20th century engineering. Jack Watkins tells its tale.

Mind your step: The world's biggest slugs are alive, well and thriving in England

Prowl the wilds of Dartmoor at night and you just might stumble upon Limax cinereoniger, the world's largest land slug. Jack Watkins gets a closer look.

In Focus: The lions of Trafalgar Square by Sir Edwin Landseer

The famous bronze lions that stand guard at Trafalgar Square are among the world's most famous sculptures. Jack Watkins takes a look and pays tribute to their creator, Sir Edwin Landseer.

Curious Questions: What was the first OS Map?

Jack Watkins traces through the history of Ordnance Survey maps, going way past the 'official' first OS map — which was of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight — to find the tale of the extraordinary William Roy, whose cartographic concepts have barely changed in almost three centuries.

In Focus: Gerald Durrell, the 'pioneer with a marvellous sense of humour'

The author, conservationist and avid nature-lover describes his childhood in Corfu with the 'recollections of a child in a kind of earthy paradise,' in his book, My Family and Other Animals, finds Jack Watkins.