England comprises the central and southern two-thirds of Great Britain Island as well as some offshore islands, bordered by Wales to its west and Scotland to its north, with continental Europe closer than anywhere else within the United Kingdom.
English local governance structures consist of shire counties, combined authorities, metropolitan boroughs and ceremonial districts. English culture is revered around the globe and its cuisine has inspired numerous international dishes.
Origins
England covers the southern two-thirds of Great Britain and shares land borders with Wales on its west and Scotland on its north sides, although most people live in London which is one of the largest metropolitan areas worldwide. England is famous for its long history, literary legacy, fine architecture and Stonehenge legends as well as being an integral part of modern parliamentary democracy and European industrialization.
Successive waves of invaders and settlers – from Romans to Saxons, Jutes, Angles, Norse and Normans – have left their mark on England. Some traditions can still be found today in stories and folklore such as Herne the Hunter while many aspects of King Arthur legends bear a distinct Romano-gaulic flavor.
William I of England (1027-1087) initiated an early medieval period survey (Domesday Book), redistributed land property among his vassals, and utilized Norman French exclusively for nobility and royalty while English continued as the language of the people and gradually transformed itself into contemporary English over two centuries. Over this time period, England became a powerful economic powerhouse within Europe, rivalling any other nation.
In 1707, England united with Scotland and Wales to form the United Kingdom. Although the term England remains widely used today, its official definition has since changed; while Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland all possess some degree of self-governance compared with England which does not. Few institutions exist solely for England – Church of England parishes and sporting associations being notable exceptions.
Language
English is the primary language spoken across all four nations that form up the United Kingdom: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Of these four, England holds 84% of total population, making English both its official educational medium as well as home to millions of immigrant communities from around the globe who have settled here.
English culture and economy is extremely varied despite its small size, with each region’s distinctive dialect often marking them out. People from Liverpool employ Scouse (pronounced “WOSS DTHAF? “), an accent marked by emphasising A and Y while rolling of R; Yorkshire accent features an /o:/ vowel pronunciation so that words like [bairn, fairst, nurse] become [bahrn farst nairs].
At one time, working-class people were sometimes uncertain where to pronounce the h in words like harm or arm; this became known as “h-dropping”. While less common now, A C Gimson noted that most dialects retain this practice when speaking their dialect such as palm, test, pet and tomato.
Outside English, some of the most prominent immigrant languages include Polish (596,602), Punjabi (273,231), Urdu (268,680) and Bengali (221,094). Children learn these and other foreign languages at school while older generations often speak them – particularly in London and Birmingham where there are an estimated 300 or more different spoken tongues – partly as a result of Britain being such an open country for immigration; now an international hub for business and tourism alike.
Culture
England, like its neighbouring nations, has its culture shaped by an imperial past. From wealth creation to conflict resolution, Britain’s imperial legacy left its mark on English society through language, cuisine, architecture and the arts.
Although Christianity remains England’s official state religion, English people are becoming more spiritually diverse. Additionally, geographical and historical fragmentation have given rise to strong regional identities for individuals as they identify with their county or shire of birth, creating a vibrant and unique cultural scene in England.
Early English art was notable for its figurative depictions of biblical scenes and Celtic patterns, evidenced in pre-Norman ivory carvings and Celtic high crosses. England was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, its cities becoming global hubs that processed raw materials into manufactured goods exported around the globe. Additionally, England became a center for Western scientific and philosophical thought with such luminaries as Sir Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon, Charles Darwin and Ernest Rutherford from New Zealand all having great impact; John Locke and Thomas Hobbes being prolific figures that helped shape it further.
English music history boasts some of the world’s greatest composers and performers in history – classical composers Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst as well as rock/pop musicians The Beatles, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Cilla Black, the Zutons and Wombats are only some of them! England also ranks highly among film production nations with many stars emerging during silent era films up through modern blockbusters.
While England lacks an official national costume, military uniforms such as Beefeater and Queen’s Guard uniforms have come to symbolize English identity. Traditional music includes folk and blues music while dance styles such as Morris dancing and Maypole dancing have come to define the English identity. English citizens also tend to love their cider – an fermented apple juice traditionally consumed at harvest festivals and pubs – much as other nationalities do.
Cuisine
England is famous for its delectable cuisine. Traditional meals consist of meat and vegetables served alongside bread or potatoes as a side dish. Along England’s coastline there is also an array of seafood such as crabs from Cromer and potted shrimp; additionally smoked herring fillets known as kippers are an exquisite breakfast treat.
Fish and chips remain one of the nation’s favorite fast foods. Common choices for battered white fish include cod, haddock, pollack and plaice (both members of the flounder family). A side of crisp fries completes the meal; meals typically come served in paper wrappers for convenient consumption on-the-go. The first fish and chip shop opened its doors back in 1860s; today most towns feature at least one “chippy.”
British gourmands have an exquisite sweet tooth and indulge in an abundance of decadent puddings and desserts, including hearty steamed and baked puddings, jellies, milk puddings and fruit fools. For something different try out a ‘tippy laird’ – a Scottish variation on trifle which adds sophistication by substituting sherry-soaked sponge fingers with whisky liqueur instead.
The English are known to enjoy a relaxing cup of tea throughout the day – not just for afternoon tea! Enjoying strong black tea with sugar and milk is common during the daytime; Devon and Cornwall often host cream teas (with scones, jam and clotted cream being included as part of it!). Also look out for cheese labeled as being from West Country farmhouse to ensure you’re getting authentic cheese made in limestone caves!
History
The English have a rich and dynamic history dating back to Viking and Norman conquests to Middle Age cathedral building projects and then, following the Industrial Revolution that started here, creating an enormous empire which spread throughout the globe until World Wars I and II weakened it and, eventually, in 1707 England united with Scotland into one sovereign state known as Great Britain.
In the ninth century, King AEthelstan expanded the boundaries of what we now refer to as England, defeating a combined Scottish-Viking army at Brunanburh and thus expanding it further. Unfortunately, his successors struggled to maintain unity – until Henry VIII emerged, famous for his six wives and attempts at divorce from Rome/the Catholic church; each son took different approaches towards reformation: Edward being very strict while Mary attempted to revive Catholicism while Elizabeth found a compromise solution.
The final days of the Tudor dynasty were marked by internal division and religious turmoil that ultimately resulted in war. The English Civil War (1642-1651) pitted Royalist troops against Parliamentarians, leading to many medieval castles being destroyed as Royalist troops battled Parliamentarian forces – only ending after Charles I (1600-1649 died and Queen Victoria (1719-1837 restored a united England under her leadership. Under Queen Victoria, England experienced global expansion due to Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh exploring more lands while its culture blossomed under her watch while William Shakespeare helped develop its cultural significance even further.
Although England no longer exists as an autonomous nation (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own political systems), most people still regard it as one of the major cultural centres worldwide. Its island location has helped shape English identity with contrasting traits of candour and reserve coexisting alongside conformity and good manners.