Icons of England

Product Information

Churchill - Winston Churchill (1874-1965), born at Blenheim Palace, was Britain's Prime Minister in World War II. The adjective Churchillian defines his best attributes: determined, focused, strong and uncompromising. A statue of the great wartime leader stands in Westminster. Even if you have not much interest in the essays, it's worth having a look at this book** for the pictures alone. For truly, they are glorious. The pictures could get all but the most determined city boys and girls interested in protecting our countryside. Who would not want to look after such beautiful places? The British Museum underwent something of a rebirth in 2000, with the opening of the Great Court, designed by Norman Foster. It’s a large open space around the central dome, with its glass roof flooding it with light even on the murkiest of days.

Fish and chips has been a recognisable cultural and culinary symbol of England since the mid-19th century. [8] A strong contender for the unofficial title of England's national dish, it remains hugely popular as an affordable and nutritious takeaway meal. Famous Landmarks in England 1. Big Ben & The HousesOfParliament,London Big Ben through a phone box window The Wall is 73 miles – 118 km – long, and the best-preserved sections are on higher ground – the lower-lying sections of the wall would have served as a quarry for locals. Some of the best places to appreciate the Wall are Walltown Crags and Housesteads Roman Fort. Spitfire - the iconic fighter plane that saved Britain from defeat by the Germans in World War II. It was powered by Rolls Royce engines. And because of this the Welsh still proudly wear a leek on St David’s Day as is the tradition. Even Henry V claimed to have worn a leek in Shakespeare’s play of the same title. Exclaiming on the battle field ‘I wear a leek on St David’s Day, for I am Welsh, you know, good countryman’. Leeks are also waved as the national Rugby team take the field for exactly the same reason to show that ‘I am Welsh’. Although a more controversial aspect of the Wales Rugby team is that they use the Prince of Wales Ostrich feathers on the RFU badge. Not a leek or even a daffodil, but that is a whole other story.

Visit our partner sites:

The street looksexactly the samewith its thatched cottages on one side and Abbey ramparts on the other. 13. CheddarGorge The limestone spires of Cheddar Gorge The formidable central White Tower was completed in 1078, the keep of the whole Castle complex, with outer walls added subsequently. One of the great icons of London, it’s home to the Beefeaters, or Yeomen Warders, ceremonial palace guards and tour guides. Afternoon Tea - what better place to enjoy a classic British afternoon tea than the Art Deco masterpiece that is Claridge's Foyer. Located on the ground floor of the hotel, the Foyer is a glorious Art Deco jewel. Red leather banquettes, gold pillars, fine chandeliers and gilt-trimmed mirrors are crowned by a stupendous Dale Chihuly silver-white light sculpture, assembled from more than 800 hand-blown glass pieces. Browse through our nominations and tell us what you think, by voting for or against icons or by posting a comment. Have a look to see whether your favourite has been nominated. And if you don’t see your own favourite on the list, nominate it yourself!’

The original Elizabethan House was replaced by the English Baroque House we see today, and substantial parts of it were complete by the end of the 17 th century. Only a small number of rooms out of over 300 are open to the public, but these include the magnificent Painted Hall and State Rooms. Universities - Oxford and Cambridge - Oxbridge conjures up images of students lazily punting along rivers. Oxford University is the oldest university in Britain and dates from 1096. Cambridge was founded in 1209. V Telephone Boxes - the mobile phone has killed off the need for telephone boxes. Many are just empty shells with no phone inside. However, the red telephone box is a true icon of the British street scene. The first public phone box appeared in the UK in 1920 but it was not until 1924 that the first red kiosk (K2) appeared.

If the thistle is a common sight throughout Scotland then the national heraldic animal is anything but except on buildings. The Unicorn. Although there is no direct myth or legend that associates Scotland with the Unicorn, in mythology it symbolises so much. It is both pure and innocent, as well as masculine and powerful. The unicorn design was first used by William I on his coat of arms. And when James VI unified Scotland and England the Scottish Royal Arms had a Unicorn either side of the shield. When he then also became James I of England and Ireland he replaced the left sided Unicorn with England’s national animal, the lion. This was to show that Scotland and England were now united. Liverpool Anglican Cathedral is the largest church in Britain and the eighth largest in the world. It was built in Gothic Revival style by Giles Gilbert Scott, who also gave the world the K6 red telephone box, and was completed in 1978, years after the architect’s death. I Titanic - Built in Belfast in Northern Ireland, the ship hit an iceberg in the Atlantic and sunk in 1912. The doomed vessel inspired a hit movie and a legend. Land Rover - another classic British car now owned by India's Tata Motors. Land Rover is the epitome of off-road, four-wheel drive style. Mini Cooper on a British Street M

Queen Victoria (1819–1901): her reign (1837–1901), known as the Victorian era, was a period of great industrial, cultural, political, scientific, and military change, and was marked by a grand expansion of the British Empire. [43] There has been no official national flag of Northern Ireland [5] since 1973. However, the shown Ulster banner, official flag of the Government of Northern Ireland between 1953–1973, has since been the de facto flag of Northern Ireland, and continued to be used by international sporting organisations. [6] See Northern Ireland flags issue for more information. Weather - the ultimate conversation filler in the UK. British weather changes all the time so there's lots to talk about. Stonehenge is one of the most iconic landmarks in England, and possibly the most famous prehistoric stone circle in the world.

The chalky White Cliffs extend a total of 8 miles – 13 km – either side of the town and port of Dover, and their highest point is 350 feet (110 metres). 38. Natural History Museum, London Natural History Museum in South Kensington It is also one of the oldest cathedrals in England, with much of the building dating from the late 11 th and early 12th centuries. This Romanesque masterpiece was built to house the relics of two saints from the North East of England – St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede. Football - the game as we know originated in Britain and is akin to a national obsession, along with the weather. The National Football Museum in central Manchester is a good place to get a feel for the history and culture of the sport. A trip to any match serves up a unique and very British cultural experience.

Apparently it was originally a coffee-table book, where I guess the text is something you only glance at uncritically while swooning over the luscious photography. The pictures, needless to say, are absent from this edition, (though I’m not sure what possible image could have accompanied the piece about discovering that country folk are more friendly than Londoners.) Skips - a true British icon to rank with the Sunday Roast and K6 telephone boxes? The skip is right up there in the top ten of British icons, in this writer's opinion. The First Foot Guards. "Coat of Arms of King George III". footguards.tripod.com . Retrieved 4 February 2010. The State Rooms of the Royal Palace are also open to visitors ten weeks a year, and there are plans to open the Gardens at the rear of the Palacein the near futureas well.It’s unique in that it has sections of each of the main periods of English Gothic architecture – Early English, Decorated and Perpendicular. One of the most impressive landmarks in Britain. 26. Roman Baths, Bath Coventry Cathedral is one of the most fascinating English landmarks, and one of the greatest British buildings of the 20 th century.