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 about 62%, and more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It shares a land border with Scotland to the north and another land border with 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 extensive 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 amongst 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 London metropolitan area 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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Bristol, the largest city in South West England, has an eclectic combination of architectural styles, ranging from the medieval to 20th century brutalism and beyond. During the mid-19th century, Bristol Byzantine, an architectural style unique to the city, was developed, and several examples have survived.

Buildings from most of the architectural periods of the United Kingdom can be seen throughout Bristol. Parts of the fortified city and castle date back to the medieval era, as do some churches dating from the 12th century onwards. Outside the historical city centre there are several large Tudor mansions built for wealthy merchants. Almshouses and public houses of the same period survive, intermingled with areas of more recent development. Several Georgian-era squares were laid out for the enjoyment of the middle class. As the city grew, it merged with its surrounding villages, each with its own character and centre, often clustered around a parish church. (Full article...)

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The primary entrance to the Fitzwilliam Museum

The Fitzwilliam Museum is the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge. It is located on Trumpington Street opposite Fitzwilliam Street in central Cambridge. It was founded in 1816 under the will of Richard FitzWilliam, 7th Viscount FitzWilliam (1745–1816), and comprises one of the best collections of antiquities and modern art in western Europe. With over half a million objects and artworks in its collections, the displays in the museum explore world history and art from antiquity to the present. The treasures of the museum include artworks by Monet, Picasso, Rubens, Vincent van Gogh, Renoir, Rembrandt, Cézanne, Van Dyck, and Canaletto, as well as a winged bas-relief from Nimrud. Admission to the public is always free.

The museum is a partner in the University of Cambridge Museums consortium, one of 16 Major Partner Museum services funded by Arts Council England to lead the development of the museums sector. (Full article...)

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

Image 1A traditional Punch and Judy booth, at Swanage, Dorset, England (from Culture of England)
Image 2Elizabeth I (from History of England)
Image 3Countries where English is natively spoken or has official status (from Culture of England)
Image 4Sir 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 5Canterbury Cathedral nave, 1377 (from History of England)
Image 6Artefacts from Bush Barrow at Stonehenge. Wessex culture, Early Bronze Age, c. 1900 BC (from History of England)
Image 7The Spanish Armada and English ships in August 1588, (unknown, 16th-century, English School) (from History of England)
Image 8Interior of Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford (from Culture of England)
Image 9Geoffrey Chaucer, c. 1340s–1400, author of The Canterbury Tales (from History of England)
Image 10Tomb of Richard I of England and Isabella of Angoulême (from History of England)
Image 11Procession of characters from Shakespeare's plays (from Culture of England)
Image 12Bronze coins of Cunobelin, called "King of the Britons" by Suetonius. 1–42 AD. (from History of England)
Image 13Alfred 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 14Portrait of Edward VI, c. 1550 (from History of England)
Image 15The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork yet found^[update]. It consists of almost 4,600 items and metal fragments. (from Culture of England)
Image 16Portrait 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 17Kingdoms and tribes in Britain, c. AD 600 (from History of England)
Image 18Frontispiece 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 19Dover Castle, 12th–13th century (from History of England)
Image 20Anglo-Saxon king with his Witan. Biblical scene in the Old English Hexateuch (11th century) (from History of England)
Image 21Josiah Wedgwood was a leading entrepreneur in the Industrial Revolution. (from Culture of England)
Image 22Sir Francis Drake's voyage 1585–86 (from History of England)
Image 23Remains of the Roman baths at Bath, England. (from History of England)
Image 24King'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 25The epic poem Beowulf, set in 6th century Scandinavia, composed c. 700–1000 AD. (from History of England)
Image 26Maps of territory held by Royalists (red) and Parliamentarians (green) during the English Civil War (1642–1645) (from History of England)
Image 27The wizard Merlin features as a character in many works of fiction, including the BBC series Merlin. (from Culture of England)
Image 28The Great Fire London, 1666. (from History of England)
Image 29Depiction of the Battle of Hastings (1066) on the Bayeux Tapestry (from History of England)
Image 30King 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 31Durham Cathedral, dating from 1093 (from Culture of England)
Image 32Chester, c. 1880 (from History of England)
Image 33The Fairy Ring by William Holmes Sullivan, c.1908 (from Culture of England)
Image 34Stonehenge, erected in several stages from c.3000–2500 BC (from History of England)
Image 35National performing arts are held annually at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as The Proms during the summer. (from Culture of England)
Image 36Jack 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 37King Henry VIII (from History of England)
Image 38Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol played a major role in reviving the "spirit" of Christmas and seasonal goodwill. (from Culture of England)
Image 39One of only four surviving exemplifications of the 1215 text, Cotton MS. Augustus II. 106, property of the British Library (from History of England)
Image 40Anglo-Saxon helmet from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, 625 AD (replica) (from History of England)
Image 41Edward Elgar is one of England's most celebrated classical composers. (from Culture of England)
Image 42Folio 27r from the Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 720 AD (from History of England)
Image 43Flatford Mill ('Scene on a Navigable River') by John Constable, c. 1816 (from Culture of England)
Image 44Francis 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 45William 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 46Victory in Europe Day celebrations in London, 8 May 1945 (from History of England)
Image 47A pint of real ale (from Culture of England)
Image 48King Charles II (from History of England)
Image 49Shoulder clasp from Sutton Hoo, 625 AD (from History of England)
Image 50Gold torc from Snettisham, 70 BC (from History of England)
Image 51View of the ramparts of the hillfort of Maiden Castle (450 BC), as they look today (from History of England)
Image 52The Ruthwell Cross, 8th century AD (from History of England)
Image 53The White Tower of the Tower of London, built in 1078 (from History of England)
Image 54The Mob Quad of Merton College, University of Oxford, 13th–14th century (from History of England)
Image 55Remains of Hadrian's Wall (from History of England)
Image 56Canterbury 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 57The Lady Chapel of Wells Cathedral (from Culture of England)
Image 58The 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 59Stinking Bishop cheese (from Culture of England)
Image 60England 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 61The 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 62King Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649 (from History of England)
Image 63King James I of England (from History of England)
Image 64King Alfred the Great statue in Winchester, Hampshire. The 9th-century English king encouraged education in his kingdom. (from Culture of England)
Image 65The Lindisfarne Gospels (from Culture of England)
Image 66The English landscape garden at Stourhead, described as a 'living work of art' when first opened in the 1750s (from Culture of England)
Image 67Morris dancing (from Culture of England)
Image 68The Billingsgate Fish Market in London in the early 19th century (from History of England)
Image 69The Alfred Jewel, late 9th century (from History of England)
Image 70Durham Cathedral. The Norman cathedral was built 1093–1133 (from History of England)
Image 71The Procession Picture, c. 1600, showing Elizabeth I borne along by her courtiers (from History of England)
Image 72Christopher Lee (seen here as Dracula in 1958) starred in many of Hammer's British horror films. (from Culture of England)
Image 73Silbury Hill, c. 2400 BC (from History of England)
Image 74First English Civil War at the Battle of Marston Moor, 1644 (from History of England)
Image 75England in 878 (from History of England)
Image 76The Royal College of Music is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, established by royal charter in 1882. (from Culture of England)
Image 77Whitehall by Francis Dodd (1920) displaying the Palace of Westminster (from Culture of England)
Image 78The Battersea Shield (detail), 350 BC. (from History of England)
Image 79First played in 1877, the Wimbledon Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. (from Culture of England)

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Portrait of Newton, 1689

Sir Isaac Newton (4 January [O.S. 25 December] 1643 – 31 March [O.S. 20 March] 1727) was an English polymath active as a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author. Newton was a key figure in the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment that followed. His book Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy), first published in 1687, achieved the first great unification in physics and established classical mechanics. Newton also made seminal contributions to optics, and shares credit with German mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz for formulating infinitesimal calculus, though he developed calculus years before Leibniz. Newton contributed to and refined the scientific method, and his work is considered the most influential in bringing forth modern science.

In the Principia, Newton formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation that formed the dominant scientific viewpoint for centuries until it was superseded by the theory of relativity. He used his mathematical description of gravity to derive Kepler's laws of planetary motion, account for tides, the trajectories of comets, the precession of the equinoxes and other phenomena, eradicating doubt about the Solar System's heliocentricity. Newton solved the two-body problem, and introduced the three-body problem. He demonstrated that the motion of objects on Earth and celestial bodies could be accounted for by the same principles. Newton's inference that the Earth is an oblate spheroid was later confirmed by the geodetic measurements of Alexis Clairaut, Charles Marie de La Condamine, and others, convincing most European scientists of the superiority of Newtonian mechanics over earlier systems. He was also the first to calculate the age of Earth by experiment, and described a precursor to the modern wind tunnel. (Full article...)

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Did you know?

The Westminster Assembly

... that the 1643 Westminster Assembly, which was appointed by the Parliament of England to restructure the Church of England, produced the Westminster Confession, the foundation of the Presbyterian Church?
... that Declaration of Sports was a 1617 declaration of James I of England listing archery and dancing as permissible on Sundays and that Puritans in Parliament had it publicly burned in 1643?
... that Jemmy Button was a Yaghan from Tierra del Fuego who was bought for a mother-of-pearl button in 1830 and taken on HMS Beagle to meet the King and Queen of England?

In the news

20 June 2025 –: The United Kingdom parliament votes to approve a bill allowing terminally ill adults to voluntarily end their lives, moving towards legalizing assisted suicide in England and Wales. (DW) (BBC News)
10 June 2025 – Fossil fuel phase-out: The British government announces it will invest £14.2 billion (US$19 billion) to construct the new Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk, England, to reduce the country's reliance on fossil fuels. (AP) (Reuters)
26 May 2025 – 2025 Liverpool parade incident: A vehicle ploughs into crowds of Liverpool F.C. fans celebrating their Premier League title win in the city centre of Liverpool, England. 109 people are injured, and a suspect is detained by Merseyside Police. (BBC News)

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“

I have seen much to hate here, much to forgive. But in a world where England is finished and dead, I do not wish to live.

”

— Alice Duer Miller

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

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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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