Portal:England

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England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers approximately 62%, and over 100 smaller adjacent islands. It has land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west, and is otherwise surrounded by the North Sea to the east, the English Channel to the south, the Celtic Sea to the south-west, and the Irish Sea to the west. Continental Europe lies to the south-east, and Ireland to the west. At the 2021 census, the population was 56,490,048. London is both the largest city and the capital.

The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Paleolithic. It takes its name from the Angles, a Germanic tribe who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in the 10th century and has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world since the Age of Discovery, which began during the 15th century. The Kingdom of England, which included Wales after 1535, ceased to be a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707, when the Acts of Union brought into effect a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland that created the Kingdom of Great Britain.

England is the origin of the English language, the English legal system (which served as the basis for the common law systems of many other countries), association football, and the Anglican branch of Christianity; its 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 is home to the two oldest universities in the English-speaking world: the University of Oxford, founded in 1096, and the University of Cambridge, founded in 1209. Both universities are ranked among the most prestigious in the world.

England's terrain chiefly consists of low hills and plains, especially in the centre and south. Upland and mountainous terrain is mostly found in the north and west, including Dartmoor, the Lake District, the Pennines, and the Shropshire Hills. The country's capital is London, the metropolitan area of which has a population of 14.2 million as of 2021, representing the United Kingdom's largest metropolitan area. England's population of 56.3 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. (Full article...)

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The Beatles in 1964; clockwise from top left: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960, comprising John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and the recognition of popular music as an art form. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock 'n' roll, their sound incorporated elements of classical music and traditional pop in innovative ways. The band also explored music styles ranging from folk and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock. As pioneers in recording, songwriting and artistic presentation, the Beatles revolutionized many aspects of the music industry and were often publicized as leaders of the era's youth and sociocultural movements.

Led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, the Beatles evolved from Lennon's previous group, the Quarrymen, and built their reputation by playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg, Germany, over three years from 1960, initially with Stuart Sutcliffe playing bass. The core trio of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, together since 1958, went through a succession of drummers, including Pete Best, before inviting Starr to join them in 1962. Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act, and producer George Martin guided and developed their recordings, greatly expanding their domestic success after they signed with EMI Records and achieved their first hit, "Love Me Do", in late 1962. As their popularity grew into the intense fan frenzy dubbed "Beatlemania", the band acquired the nickname "the Fab Four". Epstein, Martin or another member of the band's entourage was sometimes informally referred to as a "fifth Beatle". (Full article...)

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West Midlands is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the larger West Midlands region of England. A landlocked county, it is bordered by Staffordshire to the north and west, Worcestershire to the south, and is surrounded by Warwickshire to the east. The largest settlement is the city of Birmingham.

The county is almost entirely urban, with an area of 902 km² (348 sq mi) and a population of 2,919,600, making it the second most populous county in England after Greater London. After Birmingham (1,144,919) the largest settlements are the cities of Coventry (345,324) and Wolverhampton (263,700), Solihull (126,577), and Sutton Coldfield (109,899). Nearly all of the county's settlements belong to the West Midlands and Coventry built-up areas, though the 'Meriden Gap' between them is rural. For local government purposes West Midlands comprises seven metropolitan boroughs: Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. They collaborate through the West Midlands Combined Authority. The county was historically part of Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from various England-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Canterbury 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.) (from Culture of England)
Image 2Procession of characters from Shakespeare's plays (from Culture of England)
Image 3Flatford Mill ('Scene on a Navigable River') by John Constable, c. 1816 (from Culture of England)
Image 4A traditional Punch and Judy booth, at Swanage, Dorset, England (from Culture of England)
Image 5Portrait of Edward VI, c. 1550 (from History of England)
Image 6Countries where English is natively spoken or has official status (from Culture of England)
Image 7King Henry VIII (from History of England)
Image 8Sir Francis Drake's voyage 1585–86 (from History of England)
Image 9Interior of Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford (from Culture of England)
Image 10Silbury Hill, c. 2400 BC (from History of England)
Image 11The epic poem Beowulf, set in 6th century Scandinavia, composed c. 700–1000 AD. (from History of England)
Image 12King James I of England (from History of England)
Image 13The wizard Merlin features as a character in many works of fiction, including the BBC series Merlin. (from Culture of England)
Image 14One of only four surviving exemplifications of the 1215 text, Cotton MS. Augustus II. 106, property of the British Library (from History of England)
Image 15Francis Bacon led the advancement of both natural philosophy and the scientific method and his works remained deeply influential in the Scientific Revolution. (from Culture of England)
Image 16Alfred Hitchcock is often regarded as the greatest British filmmaker, and was described as "a straightforward middle-class Englishman who just happened to be an artistic genius." (from Culture of England)
Image 17The Battersea Shield (detail), 350 BC. (from History of England)
Image 18Kingdoms and tribes in Britain, c. AD 600 (from History of England)
Image 19Sir Isaac Newton is regarded as one of the most influential scientists of all time and as a key figure in the Scientific Revolution. (from Culture of England)
Image 20King Charles II (from History of England)
Image 21The Mob Quad of Merton College, University of Oxford, 13th–14th century (from History of England)
Image 22Shoulder clasp from Sutton Hoo, 625 AD (from History of England)
Image 23Remains of the Roman baths at Bath, England. (from History of England)
Image 24The Roman Baths in Bath; a temple was constructed on the site between 60–70CE in the first few decades of Roman Britain. (from Culture of England)
Image 25King Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649 (from History of England)
Image 26Bronze coins of Cunobelin, called "King of the Britons" by Suetonius. 1–42 AD. (from History of England)
Image 27The Spanish Armada and English ships in August 1588, (unknown, 16th-century, English School) (from History of England)
Image 28Elizabeth I (from History of England)
Image 29The Lindisfarne Gospels (from Culture of England)
Image 30Victory in Europe Day celebrations in London, 8 May 1945 (from History of England)
Image 31The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork yet found. It consists of almost 4,600 items and metal fragments. (from Culture of England)
Image 32A pint of real ale (from Culture of England)
Image 33Anglo-Saxon helmet from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, 625 AD (replica) (from History of England)
Image 34Portrait of the Royal Tudors. At left, Henry VII, with Prince Arthur behind him, then Prince Henry (later Henry VIII), and Prince Edmund, who did not survive early childhood. To the right is Elizabeth of York, with Princess Margaret, then Princess Elizabeth who didn't survive childhood, Princess Mary, and Princess Katherine, who died shortly after her birth. (from History of England)
Image 35Durham Cathedral, dating from 1093 (from Culture of England)
Image 36King Charles II, a patron of the arts and sciences, supported the Royal Society, a scientific group whose early members included Robert Hooke, Robert Boyle and Sir Isaac Newton. (from Culture of England)
Image 37National performing arts are held annually at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as The Proms during the summer. (from Culture of England)
Image 38First English Civil War at the Battle of Marston Moor, 1644 (from History of England)
Image 39Gold torc from Snettisham, 70 BC (from History of England)
Image 40William 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. (from Culture of England)
Image 41Whitehall by Francis Dodd (1920) displaying the Palace of Westminster (from Culture of England)
Image 42Depiction of the Battle of Hastings (1066) on the Bayeux Tapestry (from History of England)
Image 43The Royal College of Music is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, established by royal charter in 1882. (from Culture of England)
Image 44Londinium (Roman London), c. 120 AD (from History of England)
Image 45Jack In the Green, a traditional English folk custom being celebrated in Hastings Old Town, known for its many pre-Victorian buildings. (from Culture of England)
Image 46Morris dancing (from Culture of England)
Image 47England playing Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground in the 2009 Ashes series. After winning the 2019 Cricket World Cup, England became the first country to win the World Cups in football, rugby union and cricket. (from Culture of England)
Image 48Artefacts from Bush Barrow at Stonehenge. Wessex culture, Early Bronze Age, c. 1900 BC (from History of England)
Image 49First played in 1877, the Wimbledon Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. (from Culture of England)
Image 50Stonehenge, erected in several stages from c.3000–2500 BC (from History of England)
Image 51Geoffrey Chaucer, c. 1340s–1400, author of The Canterbury Tales (from History of England)
Image 52King Alfred the Great statue in Winchester, Hampshire. The 9th-century English king encouraged education in his kingdom. (from Culture of England)
Image 53The Alfred Jewel, late 9th century (from History of England)
Image 54Durham Cathedral. The Norman cathedral was built 1093–1133 (from History of England)
Image 55The Billingsgate Fish Market in London in the early 19th century (from History of England)
Image 56Tomb of Richard I of England and Isabella of Angoulême (from History of England)
Image 57The White Tower of the Tower of London, built in 1078 (from History of England)
Image 58Anglo-Saxon king with his Witan. Biblical scene in the Old English Hexateuch (11th century) (from History of England)
Image 59Frontispiece of Bede's Life of St Cuthbert, showing King Æthelstan presenting a copy of the book to the saint himself. c. 930 (from History of England)
Image 60The Lady Chapel of Wells Cathedral (from Culture of England)
Image 61Folio 27r from the Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 720 AD (from History of England)
Image 62The Ruthwell Cross, 8th century AD (from History of England)
Image 63Remains of Hadrian's Wall (from History of England)
Image 64King's College in Cambridge is regarded as one of the greatest examples of late English Gothic architecture. It has the world's largest fan vault, while the chapel's stained-glass windows and wooden chancel screen are considered some of the finest from their era. (from Culture of England)
Image 65Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol played a major role in reviving the "spirit" of Christmas and seasonal goodwill. (from Culture of England)
Image 66England in 878 (from History of England)
Image 67The Procession Picture, c. 1600, showing Elizabeth I borne along by her courtiers (from History of England)
Image 68Canterbury Cathedral nave, 1377 (from History of England)
Image 69The Great Fire London, 1666. (from History of England)
Image 70Christopher Lee (seen here as Dracula in 1958) starred in many of Hammer's British horror films. (from Culture of England)
Image 71The first general laws against child labour, the Factory Acts, were passed in Britain in the first half of the 19th century. Children younger than nine were not allowed to work and the work day of youth under the age of 18 was limited to twelve hours. (from History of England)
Image 72Edward Elgar is one of England's most celebrated classical composers. (from Culture of England)
Image 73Maps of territory held by Royalists (red) and Parliamentarians (green) during the English Civil War (1642–1645) (from History of England)
Image 74Dover Castle, 12th–13th century (from History of England)
Image 75Stinking Bishop cheese (from Culture of England)
Image 76Chester, c. 1880 (from History of England)
Image 77View of the ramparts of the hillfort of Maiden Castle (450 BC), as they look today (from History of England)
Image 78The English landscape garden at Stourhead, described as a 'living work of art' when first opened in the 1750s (from Culture of England)

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The pier from Clevedon seafront

Clevedon Pier is a seaside pier in the town of Clevedon, Somerset, England on the east shore of the Severn Estuary. It was described by Sir John Betjeman, as "the most beautiful pier in England" and was designated a Grade I listed building in 2001.

The pier was built during the 1860s to attract tourists and provide a ferry port for rail passengers to South Wales. The pier is 312 m (1,024 ft) long and consists of eight spans supported by steel rails covered by wooden decking, with a pavilion on the pier head. (Full article...)

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Did you know?

...that Mary Somerville was the first to sign John Stuart Mill's petition to give women the right to vote?
...that William the Conqueror's transport of over 2000 horses across the English Channel during the Norman invasion of England is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry?
...that the Premier League's proposal to play some matches outside England was condemned by the Football Supporters' Federation as an "outrageous desecration of the national game"?

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In the news

20 June 2024 –: Two Just Stop Oil activists film themselves cutting through a metal fence and spraying orange paint on two private jets at Stansted Airport in Essex, England, United Kingdom. Police arrest the activists for criminal damage. (BBC News)
4 June 2024 –: The National Health Service declares a "critical incident" after several hospitals in London, including King's College Hospital, say they have cancelled appointments and turned away patients after a cyberattack on their Synnovis IT systems. (AP)
1 June 2024 – 2023–24 UEFA Champions League: In association football, Real Madrid win a record 15th Champions League title after defeating Borussia Dortmund 2–0 in the final at Wembley Stadium in London, England. (CNN)
29 May 2024 –: Four people are injured in a mass shooting in Dalston, London, UK. (BBC News)

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“

An Englishman, even if he is alone, forms an orderly queue of one.

”

— George Mikes

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Related WikiProjects

England • Bedfordshire • Brighton • Cheshire • Cornwall • Derbyshire • Dorset • Greater Manchester • Hampshire • Lincolnshire • London • Merseyside • Northamptonshire • North East England • Sheffield • Surrey. Warwickshire • West Midlands • Worcestershire • Yorkshire

Topics

Cities and major towns: Blackpool • Birmingham • Bristol • Chelmsford • Leeds • Liverpool • London • Manchester • Newcastle • Nottingham • Oxford • Portsmouth • Sheffield • Southampton • Stoke-on-Trent

Culture: The Football Association • Rugby Football Union • England and Wales Cricket Board • English inventions and discoveries

Geography: Geology • Climate • Mountains and hills • Islands • Rivers

Economy: Bank of England • London Stock Exchange • Chancellor of the Exchequer • Monetary Policy Committee • HM Treasury

History: Timeline of English history • Prehistoric Britain • Roman Britain • Anglo-Saxon England • Norman England • Plantagenet England • House of Lancaster • House of York • House of Tudor • House of Stuart

Governance: Kingdom of England • Prime Minister of the United Kingdom • Parliament of the United Kingdom • Home Secretary • Local Government Boundary Commission for England • Administrative divisions of England • English law

Symbols: Flags • Flag of England • St George's Cross • Tudor rose • Coat of arms of England

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Requested articles: Charterhouse Lane • Renewable energy in England • Ealing Village
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East Midlands	London	North East	North West	South East	South West	West Midlands	Yorkshire and the Humber
Derbyshire	London transport		Cheshire Cumbria Greater Manchester Lancashire	Berkshire East Sussex Hampshire Kent Oxfordshire Surrey West Sussex	Cornwall Devon Somerset	Staffordshire	Yorkshire


Ireland	Northern Ireland	Scotland	United Kingdom	Wales

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