Adam Nicolson is the son of writer Nigel Nicolson and grandson of the writers Vita Sackville-West and Sir Harold Nicolson. He was educated at Eton College and Magdalene College, Cambridge and has worked as a journalist and columnist on the Sunday Times, the Sunday Telegraph and the Daily Telegraph. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

Nicolson was married to Olivia Fane from 1982 to 1992. They had three sons. Since 1992 Nicolson has been married to Sarah Raven. He and his wife have two daughters and live at Perch Hill Farm in Sussex and at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent.

Over the last five years, in partnership with the National Trust, he has led a project which aims to transform the surrounding the house and garden at Sissinghurst into a productive mixed farm, growing meat, fruit, cereals and vegetables for the National Trust restaurant.

In 2010 he made a film for the BBC on the making of the King James Bible, to be shown early in 2011 as part of a 17th-century season. He will also be narrating a documentary on the Weald, "A Journey Through The Weald of Kent," which has been commissioned by the WKPS and produced by Buff Films.

In December 2008 he succeeded his cousin David Nicolson, 4th Baron Carnock as 5th Baron Carnock.

• 1986 Somerset Maugham Award Frontiers

• 1987 PBFA Topography Prize Wetland (with Patrick Sutherland)

• 1997 British Press Awards Feature Writer of the Year (shortlist)

• 1998 British Book Awards Illustrated Book of the Year (shortlist) Restoration

• 2002 Duff Cooper Prize (shortlist) Sea Room

• 2004 Royal Society of Literature W.H.Heinemann Prize Power and Glory

• 2005 Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature

• 2006 Royal United Services Institute Duke of Westminster's Medal for Military Literature (shortlist) Men of Honour

• 2009 Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize Sissinghurst: an Unfinished History

• 2009 Spears Family History of the Year Sissinghurst: an Unfinished History