Portal:England
The England portal
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England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to the west and Scotland to the north. The Irish Sea lies west of England and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south. The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain, which lies in the North Atlantic, and includes over 100 smaller islands, such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.
The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Palaeolithic period, but takes its name from the Angles, a Germanic tribe deriving its name from the Anglia peninsula, who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in the 10th century, and since the Age of Discovery, which began during the 15th century, has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world. The English language, the Anglican Church, and English law – the basis for the common law legal systems of many other countries around the world – developed in England, and the country's parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations. The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England, transforming its society into the world's first industrialised nation.
England's terrain is chiefly low hills and plains, especially in central and southern England. However, there is upland and mountainous terrain in the north (for example, the Lake District and Pennines) and in the west (for example, Dartmoor and the Shropshire Hills). The capital is London, which has the largest metropolitan area in both the United Kingdom and the European Union. England's population of over 55 million comprises 84% of the population of the United Kingdom, largely concentrated around London, the South East, and conurbations in the Midlands, the North West, the North East, and Yorkshire, which each developed as major industrial regions during the 19th century.
The Kingdom of England – which after 1535 included Wales – ceased being a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707, when the Acts of Union put into effect the terms agreed in the Treaty of Union the previous year, resulting in a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain. In 1801, Great Britain was united with the Kingdom of Ireland (through another Act of Union) to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1922 the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom, leading to the latter being renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Read more...
Selected article
The Kennet and Avon Canal is a canal in southern England. The name may refer to either the route of the original Kennet and Avon Canal Company, which linked the River Kennet at Newbury to the River Avon at Bath, or to the entire navigation between the River Thames at Reading and the Floating Harbour at Bristol, including the earlier improved river navigations of the River Kennet between Reading and Newbury and the River Avon between Bath and Bristol.
The River Kennet was made navigable to Newbury in 1723, and the River Avon to Bath in 1727. The canal between Newbury and Bath opened in 1810 and is 57 miles (92 km) long. The two river navigations and the canal total 87 miles (140 km) in length. In the later 19th century and early 20th century the canal fell into disuse following competition from the Great Western Railway, who owned the canal. In the latter half of the 20th century the canal was restored, largely by volunteers, and today is a popular heritage tourism destination, for boating, canoeing, fishing, walking and cycling. It is also important for wildlife conservation.
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Alfred Hitchcock is often regarded as the greatest British filmmaker. He was described as "a straightforward middle-class Englishman who just happened to be an artistic genius."
Heathrow Airport has more international passenger traffic than any other airport in the world.
The Cenotaph, Whitehall, is a memorial to members of the British Armed Forces who died during the two World Wars
Edward Elgar is one of England's most celebrated classical composers.
Countries where English has official status or is widely spoken
Robin Hood illustrated in 1912 wearing Lincoln green
Changing of the Queen's Guard at the royal residence, Buckingham Palace
Saltaire, West Yorkshire, is a model mill town from the Industrial Revolution, and a World Heritage Site
Engraving of the English pirate Blackbeard from the 1724 book A General History of the Pyrates. The book is the prime source for many famous pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy.
A full English breakfast with fried egg, sausage, white and black pudding, bacon, mushrooms, baked beans, hash browns, toast, and half a tomato
Astley's Amphitheatre, London circa 1808. Astley performed stunts in a 42 ft diameter ring; the standard size used by circuses ever since.
Statue of a tripod from The War of the Worlds in Woking, hometown of science fiction author H. G. Wells. The book is a seminal depiction of a conflict between mankind and an extraterrestrial race.
The Hay Wain by John Constable is an archetypal English painting.
The Examination and Trial of Father Christmas (1686), published after Christmas was reinstated as a holy day in England
Terrain of Dartmoor, Devon
Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex
The Tudor rose, England's national floral emblem.
The Natural History Museum in London
The English Restoration restored the monarchy under King Charles II and peace after the English Civil War
The Christmas Pantomime 1890, UK. Pantomime plays a prominent role in British culture during the Christmas and New Year season.
The metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties, colour-coded to show population
2009 estimates of ethnic groups in England
The Bentley Mulsanne. Bentley is a well-known English car company
A red telephone box in front of St Paul's Cathedral, one of the most important buildings of the English Baroque period
- English-speaking worldMajority native languageOfficial, but not majority languageNote: English is also an official language of the EU
Stonehenge, a Neolithic monument
Saint George is the patron saint of England
Cotton mills in Manchester, the world's "first industrial city", circa 1820.
Replica of the 7th-century ceremonial Sutton Hoo helmet from the Kingdom of East Anglia
William Hogarth's depiction of a scene from Shakespeare's The Tempest is an example of how English literature influenced English painting in the 18th century
Westminster Abbey, London, is an example of English Gothic architecture
Boudica led an uprising against the Roman Empire
A Punch and Judy booth at Swanage, Dorset. The anarchic Mr. Punch has been an influential figure in British comedy and political cartoons.
The Proms are held annually at the Royal Albert Hall during the summer
Skiddaw massif, seen from Walla Crag in the Lake District
Mo Farah is the most successful British track athlete in modern Olympic Games history, winning the 5000 m and 10,000 m events at two Olympic Games
Ridley Scott was among a group of English filmmakers, including Tony Scott, Alan Parker, Hugh Hudson and Adrian Lyne, who emerged from making 1970s UK television commercials.
Centre Court at Wimbledon. First played in 1877, the Wimbledon Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world.
The Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand, London is the seat of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal
Former Formula One world champion Nigel Mansell driving at Silverstone in 1990. The circuit hosted the first ever Formula One race in 1950
Christopher Lee (as Dracula in 1958) starred in numerous British horror films produced by Hammer. Michael Powell's Peeping Tom (1960) was the first "slasher" film.
Sir Isaac Newton is one of the most influential figures in the history of science
The Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Chatsworth House, a famous example of an English country house surrounded by an English garden
The Beatles are the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed band in popular music.
The frontage of Warwick School, one of the oldest independent schools in England
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London, United Kingdom is the largest Hindu temple in England.
Morris dancing is one of the more visible English folk traditions, with many differing regional variations.
The England rugby union team during their victory parade after winning the 2003 Rugby World Cup
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham has the largest single floor critical care unit in the world
The World Cup Sculpture featuring captain Bobby Moore with the 1966 World Cup trophy, on the shoulders of Geoff Hurst and Ray Wilson, together with Martin Peters
Robin Hood illustrated in 1912 wearing Lincoln green
Clarks was founded in 1825 and has since become a popular shoe brand internationally, seen as specialists in school shoes for children
Family-sized meat pie made by Sweeney & Todd of Reading
The Metropolitan Railway, now part of the London Underground was the first underground railway in the world
Westminster Abbey is a notable example of English Gothic architecture. The coronation of the British monarch traditionally takes place at the Abbey
The City of London is the financial capital of the United Kingdom
Queen Elizabeth II presenting the World Cup trophy to 1966 World Cup winning England captain Bobby Moore
First played in 1877, the Wimbledon Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world.
England playing Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground in the 2009 Ashes series
Canterbury Cathedral is the seat of the Primate of All England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior bishop of the Church of England (it was the property of the Roman Catholic Church before the English Reformation)
Melton Mowbray Pork Pie
A Voluptuary under the horrors of Digestion (1792)
The Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse in the Pre-Raphaelite style
King Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt, fought on Saint Crispin's Day and concluded with an English victory against a larger French army in the Hundred Years' War
Stinking Bishop cheese
Canterbury Cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury
A pint of real ale
Somerville College, University of Oxford
Roast beef
Population of England and Wales by administrative areas. Their size shows their population, with some approximation. Each group of squares in the map key is 20 % of total number of districts.
The "three lions", the second Great Seal of King Richard the Lionheart (1198)
Celebrations at Trafalgar Square after England's 2003 Rugby World Cup victory.
English Heritage blue plaque commemorating Sir Alfred Hitchcock at 153 Cromwell Road, London
Life expectancy at birth in England and Wales 2012 to 2014. Lighter colours indicate longer life expectancy.
Wembley Stadium, home of the England football team, has a 90,000 capacity. It is the biggest stadium in the UK
The Anglo-Saxon Ingwaz Rune
Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol played a major role in reviving the "spirit" of Christmas and seasonal goodwill
Geoffrey Chaucer was an English author, poet and philosopher, best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative The Canterbury Tales
"Pimm's O'Clock implies lazy, happy days sitting in the sun with nothing to do and no need to worry about time." Urban Dictionary
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Selected biography
Grant has been criticised by students of cinema for putting emphasis on nuanced mannerisms, for the predictability of his movies, and for his unwillingness to stretch as an actor. Within the film industry, he is cited as a movie star who approaches his roles like a character actor, with the ability to make acting look effortless. Hallmarks of his comic skills include a nonchalant touch of irony/sarcasm and studied physical mannerisms as well as his precisely-timed dialogue delivery and facial expressions.
Did you know?
- ...that the Mendip Hills (commonly called The Mendips) are a range of limestone hills situated to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset?
- ...the England and Wales Cricket Board was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB), the National Cricket Association (NCA) and the Cricket Council?
- ...that the Flag of England is the St George's Cross?
- ...that the Tudor rose (pictured) is a traditional heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the Tudor dynasty?
In the news
- 7 June 2019 – 2018–19 European windstorm season
- Three people on a rescue mission are killed when Storm Miguel, with max winds of 129 km/h (80 mph), overturned their National Society of Sea Rescue boat off the west coast of France in the Atlantic Ocean. The storm, unusual at the start of the summer tourist season, hit Spain, the Netherlands and southern England and Wales yesterday and is heading north toward England, Wales and Scotland. (BBC) (AccuWeather)
- 1 June 2019 – Indictment and arrest of Julian Assange
- The United Nations special rapporteur on torture, Nils Melzer, accuses the United States, the United Kingdom and Sweden of "ganging up" on Julian Assange and subjecting him to "psychological torture" and "collective persecution" after spending seven years living inside London's Ecuadorian Embassy. (The New York Times)
- 24 May 2019 – Shiregreen child deaths
- During a police raid, six children are found unconscious inside a residential property in the Shiregreen suburb of Sheffield, England. The eldest two children, aged 13 and 14, subsequently died at Sheffield Children's Hospital; the other four children remain hospitalised. (BBC)
- 18 May 2019 – 2019 FA Cup Final, 2018–19 Manchester City F.C. season
- Manchester City F.C. win England's 2018–19 FA Cup by defeating Watford F.C. 6-0 in the final, marking the first time that an English club has won all three domestic titles in one season. (England's Football Association)
Selected featured content
Subcategories
Selected quotes
| “ | The rustics of England, especially those inhabiting the South hams (villages) of Devonshire, have great fun Wassailing the Orchards on Christmans Eve, New Year's and Twelfth Nigh (Boxing Day), when they drink toasts to the largest apple trees and sprinkle them with cyder (cider) carried by the beadle, the parish clerk, or some other such obsolete individual. The Devonshire people do this because they did it the year before. | ” |
Related WikiProjects
England • Bedfordshire • Brighton • Cheshire • Cornwall • Derbyshire • Greater Manchester • Hampshire • Lincolnshire • London • Merseyside • Northamptonshire • North East England • Sheffield • Surrey. Warwickshire • West Midlands • Worcestershire • Yorkshire
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- Help nominate and select new content for the England portal.
- Requested articles: Charterhouse Lane • Renewable energy in England • Ealing Village
- Expand: Dorothy Boyd • David Troughton
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