Portal:England

The England portal

Flag of England	Royal Standard of England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. The country is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers roughly 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. The population was 56,490,048 at the 2021 census. London is both the largest city and the capital.

The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Paleolithic, but 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 being a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707 when the Acts of Union put the terms agreed in the Treaty of Union the previous year into effect; this resulted in a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland that created the Kingdom of Great Britain.

England is the origin of many well known worldwide exports, including 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 Church of England; 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 greater metropolitan 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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Battle of Bosworth, as depicted by Philip James de Loutherbourg (1740–1812); the painting dates to 1804 and the engraving dates to c. 1857

The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field (/ˈbɒzwərθ/ BOZ-wərth) was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York that extended across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by an alliance of Lancastrians and disaffected Yorkists. Their leader Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, became the first English monarch of the Tudor dynasty by his victory and subsequent marriage to a Yorkist princess. His opponent Richard III, the last king of the House of York, was killed during the battle, the last English monarch to die in combat. Historians consider Bosworth Field to mark the end of the Plantagenet dynasty, making it one of the defining moments of English history.

Richard's reign began in 1483 when he ascended the throne after his twelve-year-old nephew, Edward V, was declared illegitimate. The boy and his younger brother Richard soon disappeared, and their fate is a mystery still today. Across the English Channel Henry Tudor, a descendant of the greatly diminished House of Lancaster, seized on Richard's difficulties and laid claim to the throne. Henry's first attempt to invade England in 1483 foundered in a storm, but his second arrived unopposed on 7 August 1485 on the southwest coast of Wales. Marching inland, Henry gathered support as he made for London. Richard hurriedly mustered his troops and intercepted Henry's army near Ambion Hill, south of the town of Market Bosworth in Leicestershire. Lord Stanley and Sir William Stanley also brought a force to the battlefield, but held back while they decided which side it would be most advantageous to support, initially lending only four knights to Henry's cause; these were: Sir Robert Tunstall, Sir John Savage (nephew of Lord Stanley), Sir Hugh Persall and Sir Humphrey Stanley. Sir John Savage was placed in command of the left flank of Henry's army. (Full article...)

Selected article -

Nightingale, c. 1860

Florence Nightingale OM RRC DStJ (/ˈnaɪtɪŋɡeɪl/; 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was an English social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during the Crimean War, in which she organised care for wounded soldiers at Constantinople. She significantly reduced death rates by improving hygiene and living standards. Nightingale gave nursing a favourable reputation and became an icon of Victorian culture, especially in the persona of "The Lady with the Lamp" making rounds of wounded soldiers at night.

Recent commentators have asserted that Nightingale's Crimean War achievements were exaggerated by the media at the time, but critics agree on the importance of her later work in professionalising nursing roles for women. In 1860, she laid the foundation of professional nursing with the establishment of her nursing school at St Thomas' Hospital in London. It was the first secular nursing school in the world and is now part of King's College London. In recognition of her pioneering work in nursing, the Nightingale Pledge taken by new nurses, and the Florence Nightingale Medal, the highest international distinction a nurse can achieve, were named in her honour, and the annual International Nurses Day is celebrated on her birthday. Her social reforms included improving healthcare for all sections of British society, advocating better hunger relief in India, helping to abolish prostitution laws that were harsh for women, and expanding the acceptable forms of female participation in the workforce. (Full article...)

General images

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

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  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. (from Culture of England)
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  Geoffrey Chaucer, c. 1340s–1400, author of The Canterbury Tales (from History of England)
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  Durham Cathedral, dating from 1093 (from Culture of England)
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  Londinium (Roman London), c. 120 AD (from History of England)
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  The 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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  Francis 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)
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  The 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)
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  Stinking Bishop cheese (from Culture of England)
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  Elizabeth I (from History of England)
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  Remains of the Roman baths at Bath, England. (from History of England)
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  King Alfred the Great statue in Winchester, Hampshire. The 9th-century English king encouraged education in his kingdom. (from Culture of England)
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  England 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)
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  Countries where English is natively spoken or has official status (from Culture of England)
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  King'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)
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  England in 878 (from History of England)
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  One of only four surviving exemplifications of the 1215 text, Cotton MS. Augustus II. 106, property of the British Library (from History of England)
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  Edward Elgar is one of England's most celebrated classical composers. (from Culture of England)
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  Christopher Lee (seen here as Dracula in 1958) starred in many of Hammer's British horror films. (from Culture of England)
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  Portrait of Edward VI, c. 1550 (from History of England)
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  Maps of territory held by Royalists (red) and Parliamentarians (green) during the English Civil War (1642–1645) (from History of England)
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  Kingdoms and tribes in Britain, c. AD 600 (from History of England)
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  The Billingsgate Fish Market in London in the early 19th century (from History of England)
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  Procession of characters from Shakespeare's plays (from Culture of England)
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  Artefacts from Bush Barrow at Stonehenge. Wessex culture, Early Bronze Age, c. 1900 BC (from History of England)
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  Gold torc from Snettisham, 70 BC (from History of England)
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  View of the ramparts of the hillfort of Maiden Castle (450 BC), as they look today (from History of England)
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  The Royal College of Music is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, established by royal charter in 1882. (from Culture of England)
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  The 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)
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  King Henry VIII (from History of England)
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  Bronze coins of Cunobelin, called "King of the Britons" by Suetonius. 1–42 AD. (from History of England)
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  Portrait 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)
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  The Spanish Armada and English ships in August 1588, (unknown, 16th-century, English School) (from History of England)
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  King Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649 (from History of England)
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  The wizard Merlin features as a character in many works of fiction, including the BBC series Merlin. (from Culture of England)
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  The Battersea Shield (detail), 350 BC. (from History of England)
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  King James I of England (from History of England)
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  Frontispiece 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)
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  Flatford Mill ('Scene on a Navigable River') by John Constable, c. 1816 (from Culture of England)
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  The Lindisfarne Gospels (from Culture of England)
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  A pint of real ale (from Culture of England)
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  Anglo-Saxon helmet from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, 625 AD (replica) (from History of England)
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  The Lady Chapel of Wells Cathedral (from Culture of England)
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  Dover Castle, 12th–13th century (from History of England)
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  Remains of Hadrian's Wall (from History of England)
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  The Mob Quad of Merton College, University of Oxford, 13th–14th century (from History of England)
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  Durham Cathedral. The Norman cathedral was built 1093–1133 (from History of England)
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  A traditional Punch and Judy booth, at Swanage, Dorset, England (from Culture of England)
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  Morris dancing (from Culture of England)
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  Anglo-Saxon king with his Witan. Biblical scene in the Old English Hexateuch (11th century) (from History of England)
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  Sir Francis Drake's voyage 1585–86 (from History of England)
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  Jack 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)
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  The Alfred Jewel, late 9th century (from History of England)
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  Alfred 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)
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  Canterbury Cathedral nave, 1377 (from History of England)
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  Tomb of Richard I of England and Isabella of Angoulême (from History of England)
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  King 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)
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  The Procession Picture, c. 1600, showing Elizabeth I borne along by her courtiers (from History of England)
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  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.) (from Culture of England)
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  The epic poem Beowulf, set in 6th century Scandinavia, composed c. 700–1000 AD. (from History of England)
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  Sir 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)
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  Interior of Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford (from Culture of England)
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  Depiction of the Battle of Hastings (1066) on the Bayeux Tapestry (from History of England)
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  The Ruthwell Cross, 8th century AD (from History of England)
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  The 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)
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  The Great Fire London, 1666. (from History of England)
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  Silbury Hill, c. 2400 BC (from History of England)
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  Whitehall by Francis Dodd (1920) displaying the Palace of Westminster (from Culture of England)
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  First English Civil War at the Battle of Marston Moor, 1644 (from History of England)
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  King Charles II (from History of England)
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  National performing arts are held annually at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as The Proms during the summer. (from Culture of England)
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  Chester, c. 1880 (from History of England)
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  Victory in Europe Day celebrations in London, 8 May 1945 (from History of England)
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  The White Tower of the Tower of London, built in 1078 (from History of England)
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  Folio 27r from the Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 720 AD (from History of England)
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  Stonehenge, erected in several stages from c.3000–2500 BC (from History of England)
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  Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol played a major role in reviving the "spirit" of Christmas and seasonal goodwill. (from Culture of England)
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  First played in 1877, the Wimbledon Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. (from Culture of England)
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  Shoulder clasp from Sutton Hoo, 625 AD (from History of England)

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This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

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Clockwise from upper left: Jimmy Page, John Bonham, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones.

Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are cited as one of the progenitors of hard rock and heavy metal, although their style drew from a variety of influences, including blues and folk music. Led Zeppelin have been credited as significantly impacting the nature of the music industry, particularly in the development of album-oriented rock (AOR) and stadium rock.

Originally named the New Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin signed a deal with Atlantic Records that gave them considerable artistic freedom. Initially unpopular with critics, they achieved significant commercial success with eight studio albums over ten years. Their 1969 debut, Led Zeppelin, was a top-ten album in several countries and featured such tracks as "Good Times Bad Times", "Dazed and Confused" and "Communication Breakdown". Led Zeppelin II (1969) was their first number-one album, and yielded "Whole Lotta Love" and "Ramble On". In 1970, they released Led Zeppelin III which featured "Immigrant Song". Their untitled fourth album, commonly known as Led Zeppelin IV (1971), is one of the best-selling albums in history with 37 million copies sold. The album includes "Black Dog", "Rock and Roll" and "Stairway to Heaven", with the latter being among the most popular and influential works in rock history. Houses of the Holy (1973) yielded "The Song Remains the Same" and "Over the Hills and Far Away". Physical Graffiti (1975), a double album, featured "The Rover" and "Kashmir". (Full article...)

Did you know?

A trade-cog, the main horse-transport type used during the invasion of England

• ...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

In the news

4 May 2024 – 2024 London mayoral election

Sadiq Khan wins re-election as mayor of London, England, with 43.8% of the vote, becoming the first London mayor to be elected to a third term. (BBC News)

30 April 2024 – 2024 Hainault sword attack

A man attacks people with a sword after crashing a car into a house in Hainault, London, England, United Kingdom, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, including two police officers. (BBC News) (The New York Times)

17 April 2024 –

Scientists announce that they have identified fossil remains of the Ichthyotitan, the largest marine reptile currently known, in the Westbury Formation in England. (NOS)

Read more...

Selected featured content

Articles:

• Arsenal F.C.
• BBC television drama
• Charles I of England
• Manchester
• Mendip Hills
• National parks of England and Wales
• Only Fools and Horses
• Weymouth
• William IV of the United Kingdom

Lists:

• Grade I listed buildings in Bristol
• List of English Academy Award nominees and winners
• List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cleveland
• Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal

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England

British film studio executives

Buildings and structures in England

Communications in England

Culture of England

Economy of England

Education in England

Geography of England

Health in England

History of England

Housing in England

England-related lists

Military of England

Organisations based in England

English people

Politics of England

Regions of England

Religion in England

Science and technology in England

Society of England

Sport in England

Tourist attractions in England

Transport in England

Images of England

England stubs

Selected quotes

“ England... is a nation of shopkeepers ”

— Napoleon

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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

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• Requested articles: Charterhouse Lane • Renewable energy in England • Ealing Village
• Expand: Dorothy Boyd • David Troughton

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Ireland	Northern Ireland	Scotland	United Kingdom	Wales

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