Combining a mix of society's last word and both wit and wisdom, The Steeple Times covers food, drink and fine dining as well as luxury, travel, the arts, individuals of influence and current affairs in the United Kingdom, America and elsewhere. We are best described as being akin to "a cross between The Huffington Post and Private Eye".
The magazine's following is affluent, engaged and international. With 41% of readers coming from the UK and 38% from America, The Steeple Times also has strong presence within Canadian, Italian, German and Australian territories.
February 23, 2020
by Matthew Steeples
“The Lovely Debbie McGee” hits a new low in appearing in adverts for a crappy kitchen makeover company (with captions across her cleavage) The late Caroline Aherne (AKA Mrs Merton) made an utter fool of the dimwitted bimbo Debbie McGee in 1997 when she mockingly asked: “What, first, Debbie, was it that attracted you to … Continue reading “McGee Magic”
January 19, 2019
by Matthew Steeples
Diane Abbott proves herself to be nothing but a moaning menace (yet again) Diane Abbott just cannot help herself. This dreadful harpy of a woman – whom it must be most excruciatingly be remembered once slept with Jeremy Corbyn – appeared on the BBC’s Question Time show on Thursday and is now claiming she … Continue reading “Dreadful Diane”
September 10, 2018
by Matthew Steeples
Chelsea estate agent optimistically markets an £850 per week house with unpainted walls and an exposed gas meter by announcing: “It does have a new boiler” Other than the legendary Roy Brooks, the only honest man in his game, estate agents will be optimistic about just about anything. A bit of damp: “no problem”; … Continue reading “A Rental Ruin”
August 26, 2018
by Matthew Steeples
Advert for a Quooker boiling-water tap featuring a child in pyjamas using it was plainly the choice of a deranged marketing executive Priced at between £1,150 and £1,600 depending on specification, a Quooker boiling-water tap with a flexible pull-out hose is anything but cheap but an advert for it, also, is anything but appropriate. … Continue reading “Watery Child Labour”
November 19, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Former Wiltshire home of ‘Lord of the Flies’ author Sir William Golding for sale for 562% more than he sold it for in 1985 The one-time home of the author and Nobel Prize in Literature and Booker Prize winner Sir William Golding, CBE (1911 – 1993) has gone on sale for £795,000 ($1.1 million, … Continue reading “Lord of the Thatch”
November 17, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Circular shaped Scottish holiday cottage with just one room for sale for staggering sum of £250,000 A five-star holiday cottage on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula on Scotland’s west coast with just one room has gone on sale for offers over £250,000 ($331,000, €281,000 or درهم1.2 million). Shaped like a seashell and of a style … Continue reading “The Seashell”
November 1, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Pint-sized flat in Knightsbridge goes on sale for ambitious sum of £5,813 per square foot; it was offered for the even more crazy sum of £7,027 per square foot in 2013 The owners of an apartment in the edifice of vulgarity that is One Hyde Park in Knightsbridge plainly have no belief in Brexit … Continue reading “Highs and Lows in Hyde Park”
October 29, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Penthouse in SoHo, New York for sale for 48% more than it was marketed for in 2007; it comes come complete with structures resembling a barn and a silo on its roof This week the popular New York real estate blog 6sqft reported that a 1,250 square foot condo loft had gone on sale … Continue reading “A Silo in SoHo”
October 20, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Belgravia mews house with garaging for five cars for sale for equivalent of £1,442 per week A two-storey mews house behind The Lanesborough Hotel in Belgravia has gone on sale for what initially seems like a bargain price of just £1.5 million ($2 million, €1.7 million or درهم7.2 million). The catch? The 1,391 … Continue reading “A Bargain in Belgravia”
September 11, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Detached Grade II listed Georgian cottage in London, E13 for sale for just £180,000 What could be one of London’s cheapest detached Georgian houses is headed to auction. Built in 1836 as the gate lodge to a now demolished mansion known as Bedfords and later The Willows, Grade II listed Willow Lodge in … Continue reading “A Cheap Cottage”
August 7, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
David Cameron snapped ‘Hugging a Corbyn’ after he’s revealed to have a ‘Calm Down – It’s Only a Recession’ in his kitchen and a £25,000 shepherd’s hut in his garden David Cameron is plainly enjoying life to the full. Not only has he been rewarded with a huge literary advance after walking away after … Continue reading “Calmed Down Cameron”
July 31, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Matthew Steeples suggests respected actor George Clooney and publicity desperado Karen Danczuk provide contrasting examples about the ethics of paparazzi intrusion and media manipulation Paparazzi intrusion and media manipulation are interlinked hot potatoes that look unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. Two very different examples emerged in recent days of very different behavior by … Continue reading “Public vs. Private”
May 6, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Pint sized studio house for sale for £70,000; it’s unmortgageable and undoubtedly “one of Britain’s smallest detached properties” A glorified garden shed in Edgeley, Stockport has gone on sale for £70,000 ($90,900, €82,600 or درهم333,800). Available only to cash buyers as it is “not deemed a suitable security for mortgage lending purposes”, the 176 … Continue reading “A £70k Shed”
May 4, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
17th century Buckinghamshire farmstead requiring complete renovation for sale for £5 million A 17th century farmhouse just 28 miles from Central London has gone on sale for £5 million ($6.5 million, €5.9 million or درهم23.7 million) in spite of being “in need of updating” through agents The Frost Partnership. Dean Farm at Jordans, … Continue reading “A £5 Million Fixer-Upper”
May 3, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
English country house style flat in Earl’s Court complete with Italianate garden for sale A ground and basement maisonette in Earl’s Court with a garden reminiscent of Tuscany has gone on sale for £2.25 million ($2.90 million, €2.66 million or درهم10.65 million). The 1,503 square foot flat in Penywern Road, Earl’s Court is … Continue reading “Little Italy”
May 2, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Asking price for America’s tallest single-family residence – a 124-foot tall tower in Phoenix, Arizona – slashed by 74%; it is somewhat dated but costs nearly nothing to heat and nearly nothing in property taxes either They say “the bigger, the better” but in the case of Falcon Nest at Prescott in Arizona, it … Continue reading “Tall Poppy Syndrome”
April 23, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
New Jersey mansion, complete with 58 rooms, for sale for equivalent sum to what it cost to build in 1909; the £37 million house’s original owner was a man whose extravagance knew absolutely no bounds George Crocker (1856 – 1909) makes F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby seem like an amateur. Born in Sacramento and … Continue reading “Living Large”
April 20, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Britain’s smallest castle is for sale; it comes with 10 acres, a 44 million gallon moat and a narrow boat Last marketed in 2003 for £1 million (the equivalent of £1.45 million, $1.86 million, €1.73 million or درهم6.83 million today), what is allegedly Britain’s smallest castle is back for sale for the slightly higher … Continue reading “A Homely Castle”
March 16, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
As Donald Trump is criticised for dousing over-cooked steak in ketchup, we take a look at Theresa May’s preference for dining at the favourite restaurant of a paedophile and her lack of interest in the “absolutely meticulously” recipes of Delia Smith In 2008, Theresa May told The Guardian: “I’ve knocked on Rolf Harris’s door … Continue reading “Cooking-Up a Cock-Up”
February 27, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Belgravia apartment in building where Diana, Princess of Wales’ maternal grandmother lived, plotted and died for sale for a sum 165% higher than it sold for in 2003 The residence of brewery baron and Unionist politician The Rt. Hon. George Younger, 1st Viscount Younger of Leckie (1851 – 1929) in the 1920s, 36 Eaton … Continue reading “You Can Say That If You Like”
February 10, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Chelsea’s smallest stand-alone house for sale; it is situated on the same street at two pubs What could quite possibly be the smallest stand-alone house in Chelsea is for sale for £600,000 ($750,000, €705,000 or درهم2.8 million). 20 Britten Street extends to just 290 square foot in total and is situated next to … Continue reading “Pint Sized”
January 7, 2017
by Matthew Steeples
Two studio flats near Harrods for sale for extraordinary sums offer ideal homes for pint-sized people A typical London Underground carriage provides about 464 square foot of space. In Knightsbridge and just seconds from Harrods, a property offering just over half that area has just come on sale on a short lease for £450,000 … Continue reading “Cupboards by Harrods”
December 7, 2016
by Matthew Steeples
Converted Methodist chapel in Wiltshire for sale Currently used as a “highly successful” holiday let, The Old Chapel at Lacock, near Chippenham in Wiltshire is for sale for £600,0000 ($755,000 or €703,000 or درهم2.8 million). A former Methodist chapel, the 2,725 square foot property includes accommodation over three floors and currently features 4 … Continue reading “Living on a Prayer”
March 24, 2016
by Matthew Steeples
Tiny maisonette in Knightsbridge goes on the market for the ridiculous sum of £850,000 (despite having just 33 years remaining on its lease)
February 26, 2016
by Matthew Steeples
Tiny Knightsbridge studio on the market for the bonkers sum of £1.375 million or £3,000 per square foot will set a new record if it sells for its asking price
November 4, 2015
by Matthew Steeples
South Kensington studio with what are described as “two sleeping areas” hits the market for a staggering £1.195 million or £1,950 per square foot
November 2, 2015
by Matthew Steeples
Part of a Mayfair house occupied by the art critic John Ruskin and the architect Charles Tatham before him comes to the market for £1.25 million despite requiring complete renovation, having just 923 square foot of floor space and being held on a lease of only 15 years
August 15, 2015
by Matthew Steeples
Devon lighthouse for sale for £450,000 – accessible only by helicopter, on foot or using a utility terrain vehicle
June 27, 2015
by Matthew Steeples
Unmodernised Knightsbridge flat for sale for the equivalent of a staggering £1,500 per day
June 1, 2015
by Matthew Steeples
A Shelter Island Heights home with quite possibly the best home bar ever comes to the market for £1.2 million
May 30, 2015
by Matthew Steeples
American diet guru Jenny Craig’s ocean side residence remains on the market for £25.9 million after one year for sale – it is anything but a symbol of moderation
May 28, 2015
by Matthew Steeples
Minute 1-bedroom Knightsbridge mews house comes to the market for an astounding £3.75 million
April 5, 2015
by Matthew Steeples
Converted Cold War nuclear bunker on the edge of London for sale for £3.5 million
by Matthew Steeples
Sir Christopher and Lady Meyer put their Chelsea townhouse up for sale for £2.3 million more than was asked when they bought it in 2013 – The catch? It’s next door to a kebab shop
March 8, 2015
March 3, 2015
by General
Having started a candle business from his family’s kitchen at the tender age of 13 in 2010, enterprising Marysville, Ohio based Hart Main had donated over 80,000 meals for the homeless by March 2015.
July 29, 2014
by Matthew Steeples
Small, unmodernised former home of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh for sale for the extraordinary figure of £7.5 million Built in 1850, Durham Cottage in Christchurch Street, Chelsea is a house “hidden behind a high dusty brick wall” that was the love nest of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh between 1937 and 1956. Now, in … Continue reading “Larry and Leigh’s love nest”
June 24, 2014
by Matthew Steeples
Matthew Steeples reviews Toto’s in Knightsbridge, London It takes something for me to be impressed with a restaurant but after three visits to the newly reopened Toto’s in Knightsbridge, I will boldly declare that I believe it to be the best opening of 2014
December 20, 2013
by Matthew Steeples
Duncan Bannatyne slices £100,000 off asking price of his former marital home Listed in June 2013 for £899,000 according to Zoopla and now reduced to £799,995, Duncan Bannatyne OBE’s troubles with selling his home near Middlesbrough were detailed in yesterday’s ‘City Diary’ in The Telegraph.
August 17, 2013
by Matthew Steeples
Can the former homes of notorious criminals ever really be ‘bargains? In recent days many newspapers have featured the sale of the apartment where Dennis Nilson committed several murders. Most refer to it as a ‘bargain’, but are such places truly really the deals they’re made out to be?
August 16, 2013
by Matthew Steeples
The best apartments for ultra high net worth individuals Jet setting ultra high net worth individuals, be they top flight hedge fund titans or Russian oligarchs, often want homes that they can lock-up-and-leave when they head off to yet another of their residences. They also tend to like properties with the very best of … Continue reading “Five of the best: Apartments for the jet set”
June 13, 2013
by Matthew Steeples
Living on a small scale in Central London Space is at a premium in Central London, so here we share five of the best one bedroom apartments currently on the market. Prices range from £725,000 to an astounding £6,950,000. B.03.3, One Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, SW1X – £6,950,000 The highest priced apartment in this … Continue reading “Five of the best: Compact living”
April 5, 2013
by Matthew Steeples
The Steeple Times asks Blue Boar Smokehouse chef Jon Ingram: “What’s on your mantelpiece?” The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force? Seasonality, traceability and simplicity. “Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours? K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Stupid. Kerry Katona … Continue reading “Jon Ingram: “What’s on your mantelpiece?””
March 14, 2013
by Matthew Steeples
The story of “fallen tycoon” Brian O’Donnell, the differences between bankruptcy in the UK and Ireland and an £11 million mansion In these straightened times, the media in general and the Daily Mail in particular quickly latch on to stories about benefit scroungers living in luxury homes. They’re less quick, however, with the exception … Continue reading “Bankrupt in Barton Street”
December 16, 2012
by Matthew Steeples
Matthew Steeples suggests Westminster City Council have no place meddling with how the humble burger is cooked In the last week both the Evening Standard and BigHospitality.co.uk revealed that Westminster City Council had served notice on a restaurant named Davy’s for “undercooking” burgers. Current Food Standards Agency guidelines state that burger meat should be … Continue reading “Leave the burger be”
November 20, 2012
by Matthew Steeples
A marine residence with a history tied to the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy, the Special Operations Executive and Babycham The House on the Shore on Thorns Beach at Beaulieu in Hampshire is a home that wouldn’t look out of place in the Hamptons or Rhode Island. Dramatically situated next to the Solent waters to … Continue reading “Ecstasy and Babycham”
November 15, 2012
by Matthew Steeples
Matthew Steeples delves into the history of Albany, Piccadilly and discovers an affordable way of living there Albany, off Piccadilly in Mayfair, was most probably London’s first apartment block and it’s certainly the city’s most exclusive. It may be next to the Royal Academy and opposite Fortnum & Mason but surprisingly few have even … Continue reading “The badgers of Albany”
November 11, 2012
by Matthew Steeples
Could the number 13 be the reason Halcyon Hall has failed to sell? Several over the top Californian residences we’ve featured on The Steeple Times, namely the $40,000,000 Chateau d’Or in Bel Air and the $87,000,000 Villa del Lago on the Newport coast, were properties that have seen huge price reductions. Though $15,000,000 has … Continue reading “Which bear will take the 13th seat?”
November 3, 2012
by Matthew Steeples
The flexible £12.75 million former home of Tom Ford Number 26 Gilston Road in London’s SW10 is a property that has been on and off the market repeatedly in recent years. On each and every occasion it has been promoted as the “former home of the fashion icon Tom Ford” and though he hasn’t … Continue reading “Post-Fordism”
October 14, 2012
by Matthew Steeples
A £26 million residence with connections to rock, royalty and rectors Built in the early 1500s, The Old Rectory is Wimbledon’s oldest house. Standing in grounds of 2.5 acres, this 16,200 square foot property was once described by a biographer of Sir Henry Cecil as being “not luxurious, but adequate” but now once again … Continue reading “Rocking with royalty”
October 8, 2012
by steepleadmin
Christian Huhnt reports on recent changes at Cassis restaurant As I work in the arts and also collect wines, I find Cassis Bistro in South Kensington most comfortable as here I find myself surrounded by great works by Julian Opie, Gary Hume and Henri Matisse alongside as a humongous and well-stocked wine rack at … Continue reading “The perils of fusion”
October 4, 2012
by Matthew Steeples
Living life to the full Donald G. Abbey style “Why pay less when you can pay more?” is a mantra that some strangely choose to live by. In my time, I have encountered a couple with a different Ferrari for each day of the week, someone who proudly declared their home had a window … Continue reading “Why pay less?”
September 26, 2012
by steepleadmin
Georgea Blakey shares her experiences of Miss World 2012 “Welcome to the holly [sic] land of Genghis Khan. The city of green and pleasant cool.” These are the words written on the side of the car collecting me from Ordos airport. The light summer breeze blowing through this wealthy oil and mineral rich … Continue reading “I’m Miss World, don’t hate me!”
