trip to England

ΓΥΜΝΑΣΙΟ – ΛΥΚΕΙΑΚΕΣ ΤΑΞΕΙΣ ΚΟΙΛΑΔΑΣ ΣΧ. ΕΤΟΣ 2013-14 ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΤΙΚΟ ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΜΕ ΘΕΜΑ:

Υπεύθυνη καθηγήτρια: Κομιώτου Ανθή

2

Πλαίσιο- Στόχοι - Μεθοδολογία προγράμματος Το πρόγραμμα με τίτλο «Ταξίδι στην Αγγλία» εντάσσεται στην θεματολογία «Πολιτιστικά Θέματα» και υλοποιήθηκε από ομάδα μαθητών του Γυμνασίου – Λυκειακών Τάξεων Κοιλάδας. Συγκεκριμένα συμμετείχαν δεκατρείς μαθητές από τη Β γυμνασίου, την Α και Β λυκείου. Στόχοι του προγράμματος ήταν: •

Η εκμάθηση και εξάσκηση της Αγγλικής γλώσσας

•

Η γνωριμία με την χώρα

•

Η εξάσκηση στην οργάνωση και την επεξεργασία των πληροφοριών με την χρήση νέων τεχνολογιών

•

Η βελτίωση της κριτικής ικανότητας των μαθητών

•

Η ενίσχυση της συνεργασίας και του ομαδικού πνεύματος.

Οι μαθητές χωρίστηκαν σε ομάδες και επιμελήθηκαν τις ενότητες του προγράμματος. Χρησιμοποιήθηκε υλικό από τα μαθήματα της Ιστορίας της Γεωγραφίας των Αγγλικών της Μουσικής, κ.α. Οι μαθητές αναζήτησαν πληροφορίες από το διαδίκτυο και τις επεξεργάστηκαν. Χρησιμοποίησαν νέες τεχνολογίες για να συντάξουν την εργασία τους (Microsoft word) και να την παρουσιάσουν (Microsoft PowerPoint). Η συγγραφή της έγινε στην αγγλική γλώσσα. Δημιούργησαν αφίσα του προγράμματος και αναρτήθηκε στον χώρο του σχολείου. Στα πλαίσια του προγράμματος πραγματοποιήθηκε εκπαιδευτική επίσκεψη στο τμήμα Αγγλικής φιλολογίας του Καποδιστριακού Παν/μιου Αθηνών και στο Βρεττανικό Συμβούλιο. Οι μαθητές ενημερώθηκαν για τα προγράμματα σπουδών, ξεναγήθηκαν στους χώρους της σχολής και παρακολούθησαν μάθημα στην Αγγλική γλώσσα.

Συμμετέχοντες μαθητές:

Συμμετέχοντες καθηγητές

Β’ γυμνασίου Ανδροβιτσανέας Ρήγας Βλησαρούλη Αθανασία Δράκου Παναγιώτα Χονδρού Αικατερίνη Στάθη Εύα Νατσίδη Μαρία Πατσιούρα Κρυσταλλία Μπούτλας Θεόδωρος Σούλα Οδυσσέας Σαρούδη Δανάη Α’ λυκείου Πατσιούρα Αικατερίνη Παπαδοπούλου Σεβαστή Β’ λυκείου Τοπαλσάββα Ελένη

Νάστου Αγλαΐα Κιάτος Ιωάννης

3

1. ENGLAND GEOGRAPHY

England is made up of about 65% of the island of Great Britain as well as the Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly. Scotland borders England to the north and Wales to the west. The Irish Sea, Atlantic Ocean and North Sea surround England, granting it an extensive coastline. This contributes to its natural abundance, popularity amongst locals and tourists and transport system England covers approximately 130 410 square kilometres or 50 356 square miles and has a population of just under 60 million people.

England can be divided into: 1. The Highland Zone This zone is characterised by rocky, rugged hills and eroded mountain faces, interrupted by valleys and extensive plains. Because these higher lying areas get less sunlight during the day and more rainfall than the lower lying areas, they are generally colder and unsuitable for farming. The Pennine Mountain Range, Cumbrian Mountains and the mountains of the Lake District are included in the Highland Zone.

Some of these mountains peak at an impressive 3000 feet (or 914 metres) above sea level. Devon and Cornwall are situated on a peninsula that is part of the Highland Zone, and is particularly rugged and bare.

2. The Lowland Zone This zone experiences less rain and more sunshine than the high-lying regions. The soil is more fertile, yielding far better crops. The landscape boasts rolling hills that are not very high, making for the ideal place to live and farm. For this reason, most English inhabitants can be found in the Lowland Zone. The Lowlands include the Cotswold Hills, Chiltern Hills, North Downs and South Downs.

4

England Derbyshire Peak District national park high peak junction

England makes extensive use of its inland waterways, such as its rivers. The Thames River, Mersey River and Tyne River are particularly important as they have formal ports in London, Liverpool and Newcastle respectively. When the tide is high, ships can travel along these rivers and into the ports. The Thames River is also the country’s longest at 346 kilometres in length.

The Pennines Mountain Range is the oldest of its kind in England, being dated at 300 million years of age. This mountain range measures approximately 400 kilometres or 250 miles in length. The whole area of the Pennines is diverse, boasting valleys, rivers and stark cliff faces as part of its topography.

The highest peak in all of England is Scafell Pike (Cumbria), at an amazing 3209 feet or 978 metres above sea level.

England's Climate England is part of the United Kingdom (along with Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland). It is situated to the west of Eurasia and has an extensive coastline. Such a positioning is responsible for its fairly complex climate, which demonstrates the meeting of the dry continental air and the moist maritime air. This creates rather large differences in temperature ranges and also leads to the occurrence of several ‘seasons’ over the course of one day.

Generally speaking, the parts of England closest to the Atlantic Ocean experience the mildest temperatures, although these are also the wettest and experience the most wind. The areas in the east, on the other hand, are drier and less windy, but also display cooler temperatures.

England is warmer and sunnier than any of the other countries making up the United Kingdom.

The month with the most sunshine is July, which is also England’s driest month.

On average, the sun shines for about 1340 hours every year in England. The south coast has the clearest skies (i.e. the least cloud cover) due to the prevailing winds in that area. This means that counties like Kent and Sussex benefit from significantly more sunshine, attracting 5

local and international visitors to their shores. The cloudiest areas are in the northern and western parts of England as well as in the mountainous areas.

England’s climate is expected to change over the course of a few decades due to pollution and global warming. Annual temperatures are expected to rise by two degrees Celsius and summer highs are expected to soar by three degrees by the year 2050. Rainfall will decrease in general but winter rainfall will increase.

English cathedral on a perfect summers day

Spring Spring is from March to May and is cool and dry. Noonday highs can become quite warm, particularly as summer approaches. However, snow is still possible, right up until the middle of April. Temperatures range between about 0 and 10 degrees Celsius during the English spring time.

Summer Between June and August, England experiences its highest temperatures. While this is the driest season, localised thunderstorms (usually in the southern, eastern and central parts of the country) ensure that the gardens are kept lush and green. The south eastern parts of England generally experience higher noonday temperatures, which reach around 30 degrees Celsius at the hottest, while most days average around 17 to 20 degrees.

Autumn Autumn occurs between September and November and produces unstable weather conditions throughout England. Different pressure systems and cold air creates an increased amount of precipitation. Autumn temperatures range between about 1 and 13 degrees Celsius.

6

Winter The cold winter lasts from December until February. This is a very wet and windy season and snowfall is common in many parts of England. Temperatures can range from as low as 0 degrees Celsius to about 10 degrees Celsius, with very chilly winds. During late winter, when the Atlantic Ocean has cooled down, the climate stabilises, particularly along the coastal regions.

Snow Snowfall is an annual event, with only the quantities differing over regions and time. Over the past few centuries, decades and years, snowfall has decreased due to the ever-changing effects of global warming.

England’s climate is described as being “temperate maritime�. Winter temperatures seldom plummet below zero degrees Celsius, while summer highs can reach about 30 degrees Celsius. January and February are coldest and usually experience snowfall, while July is the hottest month. England is a relatively wet country due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. This, in turn, has created a lush land of greenery and blooms.

Of the total land area of England, urban development makes up about 21%, crops and fallow land about 30%, grasses and grazing area 36%, other agricultural land 5% and forests about 8%.

7

2. HISTORY What is the British National Anthem?

The National Anthem is “God Save the Queen�.The British National Anthem originated in a patriotic song first performed in 1745. It became known as the National Anthem from the beginning of the nineteenth century.

On official occasions, only the first verse is usually sung, as follows: God save our gracious Queen!

Long live our noble Queen!

God save the Queen!

Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God save the Queen.

An additional verse is occasionally sung: Thy choicest gifts in store On her be pleased to pour, Long may she reign.

May she defend our laws, And give us ever cause, To sing with heart and voice, God save the Queen.

What Do the Colours of the English Flag Mean?

The English flag has a white colour which stands for purity and honesty, and a red colour that represents bravery, strength, hardiness and valour. It is the white colour that forms the flag's background, while the red colour is a centred cross that extends to the edges. This flag portrays the cross of St. George, who is England's patron saint.

8

History of Britain - Timeline and Facts Thousands of years ago, Great Britain was joined to Europe and was covered with ice. About 15,000 years ago, the weather became warmer. The ice melted and the sea level rose. Great Britain became an island about 8000 years ago.

Celtic people called Britons settles in Britain. They were warriors and farmers who were skilled metal workers. They built villages and hill forts, and used iron weapons and tools. Celts called Gaels lived in Ireland.

Prehistoric Britain

BC Roman Britain43 AD

Viking Britain793

Medieval Britain 1066

Stuart Britain1603

Georgian Britain

Modern Britain

Anglo Saxon Britain 450 Tudor Britain1485

1714 Victorian Britain1837

1902 +

Romans Saxons Vikings Normans Tudors

43

450

793

1066

1485

Victorians

WW ll

1837

1939

History of England The territory that now constitutes England, a country within the United Kingdom, was inhabited by ancient humans 800,000 years ago as the discovery of flint tools at Happisburgh in Norfolk has revealed.[1] The earliest evidence for early modern humans in North West Europe is a jawbone discovered in Devon at Kents Cavern in 1927, which was re-dated in 2011 to between 41,000 and 44,000 years old. Continuous human habitation dates to around 12,000 years ago, at the end of the last glacial period. The region has numerous remains from the Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age, such as Stonehenge and Avebury. In the Iron Age, England, like all of Britain south of the Firth of Forth, was inhabited by the Celtic people known as the Britons, but also by some Belgae tribes (e.g. the Atrebates, the Catuvellauni, the Trinovantes, etc.) in the south east. In AD 43 the Roman conquest of Britain began; the Romans maintained control of their province of Britannia through to the 5th century.

9

The Middle Ages After the departure of the Romans in the fifth century, the island of Great Britain was largely controlled by Anglo-Saxon settlers, a collection of various Germanic peoples from the north whose various kingdoms unified during the 10th century. They introduced the Old English language, which displaced the previous British language. The Anglo-Saxons warred with British successor states in Wales, Cornwall, and the Hen Ogledd (Old North; the Brythonic-speaking parts of northern England and southern Scotland), as well as with each other. Raids by the Vikings were frequent after about AD 800, and the Norsemen took control of large parts of what is now England. During this period several rulers attempted to unite the various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, an effort that led to the emergence of the Kingdom of England by the 10th century.

In 1066, the Normans invaded and conquered England . The Norman Dynasty established by William the Conqueror ruled England for over half a century before the period of succession crisis known as The Anarchy. Following the Anarchy, England came to be ruled by the House of Plantagenet, a dynasty which also had claims to the Kingdom of France; a succession crisis in France led to the Hundred Years Wars, a series of conflicts involving the peoples and leaders of both nations.

Following the Hundred Years Wars, England became embroiled in its own succession wars; the War of the Roses pitted two branches of the House of Plantagenet against one another, the House of York and the House of Lancaster. Henry Tudor ended the War of the Roses and established the Tudor

dynasty . The 12th, 13th and 14th centuries saw the development of a distinct English culture and the establishment of a system of law, including the issue in 1215 of the Magna Carta. In the late 1340s, the plague pandemic known as the Black Death devastated England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, killing an estimated one-third of the British population.

The Tudor Period (1485-1603) Following the dynastic struggle known as the Wars of the Roses, Henry VII of the House of Tudor ascended the throne in 1485. His son, Henry VIII, broke with the Roman Catholic Church, appointing himself head of the Church of England and effectively making England a Protestant nation. The 44-year reign of Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch, was marked by a flourishing of British literature, music and theatre. Elizabeth also led England during its 1588 defeat of the Spanish Armada, an event that weakened the Spanish Empire and paved the way for future British colonization of North America.

The Stuart Period (1603-1714) After the death of his cousin Elizabeth I, James I of the House of Stuart, which had ruled Scotland since the late 14th century, ascended the throne of England, bringing the kingdoms of England, Ireland and Scotland under a single crown. In 1649, in the midst of the English Civil War, the Stuart dynasty was briefly overthrown when parliamentarians executed Charles I and replaced the monarchy with a republican form of government; it was restored to power with the return of Charles II from exile in 1660.

In 1707, the Treaty of Union combined the kingdoms of England, Wales and Scotland, creating the United Kingdom. Perhaps most significantly, the Stuart Period saw the establishment of numerous colonies and trading posts in North America and the Caribbean as the British Empire began to take shape.

10

The Georgian Era (1714-1837) Born and raised in Germany, George I succeeded his second cousin Anne to the British throne in 1714, becoming the first monarch of the House of Hanover. In the decades that followed, waves of reform and unrest swept the realm, laying the foundation for the modern British political system and inspiring an artistic revolution. Meanwhile, the British Empire continued to expand through trade, exploration and military victories in conflicts such as the Seven Years War and the Napoleonic Wars. It also suffered a major loss in the form of its 13 American colonies, which gained their independence after decades of escalating tensions and a violent eight-year struggle. In the final years of the Georgian Era, Great Britain emerged as the strongest imperial power on the planet, dominating global trade and leading the world in industry and technology.

The Victorian Era (1837-1901) Bolstered by the riches of its territories abroad and rising standards of living at home, most of the United Kingdom enjoyed a period of prosperity and unprecedented population growth during Queen Victoria’s reign; the exception was Ireland, where in the 1840s a severe famine caused a million deaths and spurred a mass exodus. The era was deeply influenced by the Industrial Revolution, which had begun in the late 18th century and reached its zenith under Victoria, and by advances in the scientific realm, including Darwin’s work on evolution. Britain continued to pursue an expansionist agenda during this period and fought in several conflicts, including the Crimean War and the Boer Wars.

The 20th Century The United Kingdom entered the 20th century as the most powerful nation in the world. Within 50 years, it had weathered a violent revolt that culminated in the 1922 secession of the Irish Free State, later known as the Republic of Ireland, and two devastating world wars that upended the global balance of power. The interwar and post war periods also witnessed the rise and ultimate success of independence movements in many of Britain’s spheres of influence overseas, including India, Sudan, South Africa, Palestine and Hong Kong. The mighty British Empire slowly gave way to a commonwealth of independent nations with shared values and loose cultural ties. On the domestic front, Britain’s social and political institutions underwent a major transformation as women gained the right to vote, immigrants arrived from new corners of the globe and the state became more involved in the lives of its citizens.

11

Great and Famous English people •

Alfred the Great - the first King of the Anglo-Saxons.

• •

Oliver Cromwell - English military and political leader.

•

William Shakespeare - English poet, playwright, and dramatist.

•

Michael Palin - English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter.

•

Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire - English duchess and socialite.

•

Walter Raleigh - English writer, poet, soldier, courtier and explorer.

•

Sting - English musician and occasional actor.

•

Elizabeth I of England - Tudor Queen of England.

•

Bobby Moore - English footballer who captained the England national football team that won the 1966 World Cup.

•

Margaret Thatcher - a politician born in England who served as Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

•

David Beckham - English international footballer and occasional model.

•

Harold Godwinson - English monarch.

•

Kate Winslet - English actress and occasional singer.

•

Charles Dickens - English novelist and social campaigner.

•

Pope Adrian IV (born Nicholas Breakspear or Breakspeare) - the English Pope from 1154 to 1159.

•

Daniel Craig - English actor and film producer.

•

Isaac Newton - English polymath.

•

George Harrison - English rock guitarist, singer-songwriter and film producer.

•

Jane Austen - English novelist.

•

Damon Albarn - English singer-songwriter and record producer.

•

George Stephenson - pioneering English civil engineer.

12

3. POLITICAL SYSTEM The British government runs the UK. The leader of the government is the Prime Minister.

Parliamentary democracy Great Britain (UK) is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional Monarch as Head of State.The principle behind British democracy is that the people elect Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons in London at a general election, held no more than five years apart. Most MPs belong to a political party, and the party with the largest number of MPs in the House of Commons forms the government.

Houses of Parliament For the first time since 1707, the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have more say over what happens in their countries, the UK Parliament has devolved (given away) some of its powers to other national and regional bodies. It is only England, that doesn't have its own parliament. Issues that effect England are decided by the UK government, which consists of MPs from all over the UK..

Parliament is where politicians (MPs) meet to decide laws and make decisions for the United Kingdom. It is not the same as the Government (which runs the country). One of the jobs Parliament does is to check that the Government is running the country properly.

The main functions of Parliament are: •

to pass laws

•

to provide, by voting for taxation, the means of carrying on the work of government

•

to scrutinise government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditure

•

to debate the major issues of the day

Parliament is made up of three parts: • •

The Queen The House of Lords

•

The House of Commons

13

4. ROYAL FAMILY The British Royal Family

The British Royal Family’s surname is Windsor. They changed their name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in 1917.The Royal family are members of the Church of England. The Royal family can only be Church of England. Although, the queen is no longer responsible for governing the country, she carries out a great many important tasks on behalf of the nation .The heir to the throne is always called the Prince of Wales.

Members of Royal Family

Queen Elizabeth II Born: 21 April, 1926.

HM Queen's Diamond Jubilee 2012

Queen since 6 February 1952

Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) was born on 21 April, 1926 at 17 Bruton Street, London.

Her birthday is officially celebrated in Britain on the second Saturday of June each year. The day is referred to as “the Trooping of the Colour”, the official name is “the Queen’s Birthday Parade”.

Queen Elizabeth II is a 'constitutional monarch'*. This means that although she is officially the head of the state, the country is actually run by the government, led by the Prime Minister. *The English Bill of Rights Act of 1689 curtailed the power of the sovereign and confirmed Parliaments place at the heart of the English constitution. From this date English Monarchs (now British Monarchs) would rule in partnership with Parliament.

Members of Royal Family

HM = Her Majesty HRH = His of Her Royal Highness TRH = Their Royal Highnesses

14

HM Queen Elizabeth II

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (The Queen's husband)

HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall Prince Charles is the Queen's eldest son and his wife (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) Prince Charles is known as "The Prince of Wales" The title 'Prince of Wales' is given to the heir to the British throne. The tradition of investing the heir of the monarch of Britain with the title of "Prince of Wales" began in 1301, when King Edward I of England, having completed the conquest of Wales, gave the title to his heir, Prince Edward (later King Edward II of England).

HRH Prince William of Wales (The Prince of Wales's elder son) Prince William Arthur Philip Louis was born on 21 June 1982

HRH Prince Harry of Wales (The Prince of Wales's younger son) Prince Henry Charles Albert David (always known as Prince Harry) was born on 15 September 1984

15

HRH The Princess Royal (The Queen's daughter) (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950 ) Princess Anne "The Princess Royal" Princess Royal is a title customarily (but not automatically) awarded by a British monarch to his or her eldest daughter.

HRH The Duke of York (Andrew Albert Christian Edward; born 19 February 1960) Prince Andrew is the third child and second son of Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Andrew "The Duke of York" Since the 15th century, the title 'Duke of York' has, when granted, been usually given to the second son of the British monarch. (Andrew has currently no male heirs, thus, the most likely candidates for the next "Duke of York" are Prince Harry of Wales, being the second son of Charles, Prince of Wales, or a second son of Prince William of Wales.)

The wife of the Duke of York is known as The Duchess of York .

TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex (The Queen's youngest son and his wife) (Edward Antony Richard Louis; born 10 March 1964) Prince Edward is the youngest child and third son of Queen Elizabeth II. He has held the title of Earl of Wessex since 1999.

Prince Edward, "The Earl of Wessex", Younger sons of the monarch are normally given dukedoms at the time of their marriage. However, given the Prince's theatrical links and the Royal Family's policy of "slimming down" their size — and Edward's being seventh in the order of succession to the British throne, the Earldom of Wessex was recreated, Earl being a lesser title than Duke.

The region of Wessex (the "West Saxons'), in the south and southwest of England, was one of the seven major Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.

TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester (The Queen's cousin and his wife) TRH The Duke and Duchess of Kent (The Queen's cousin and his wife) TRH Prince and Princess Michael of Kent (The Queen's cousin and his wife) HRH Princess Alexandra (The Queen's cousin)

The next king or Queen Prince Charles is presently heir to the British throne. He will not become king until his mother, Queen

16

Elizabeth, abdicate, retires or dies. When either of this happen, Prince Charles may abdicate and pass the throne to his eldest son Prince William.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is where the Queen lives.

Buckingham Palace is the Queen's official and main royal London home. It has been the official London residence of Britain's monarchy since 1837. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to live there.

One of the two traffic gates

Who lives in Buckingham Palace today?

17

Buckingham Palace is not only the home of the Queen and Prince Philip but also the London residence of the Duke of York (Prince Andrew) and the Earl and Countess of Wessex (Prince Edward and his wife) and their daughter.

Buckingham Palace is also an office Buckingham Palace is used also for the administrative work for the monarchy. It is here in the state apartments that Her Majesty receives and entertains guests invited to the Palace.

History of Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace was originally a grand house built by the Dukes of Buckingham for his wife. George IV began transforming it into a palace in 1826.

The Queen's other Homes The Queen has other homes too including Windsor Castle and Balmoral in Scotland.

The Royal Flag

W h e n c a n w e s e e t h e f l a g o n t h e p o l e?

When the Queen is at home, you can see her royal flag flying from the flag pole on top of Buckingham Palace. This flag is called the Royal Standard.

The flag is split into four quadrants. The first and fourth quadrants represent England and contain three gold lions walking (passant) on a red field; the second quadrant represents Scotland contains a red lion standing on the left hind foot (rampant) on a gold field; the third quadrant represents Ireland and contains the gold Coat of arms of Ireland on a blue field.

In flag protocol, the Royal Standard is supreme. It must only be flown from buildings where the Queen is present. It flies above the British Union Flag (Union Jack), Standards of other Royal Family members, and other British flags. It never flies at half staff.

18

Standing guard outside Buckingham Palace Foot Guards Who guards the palace? What do they wear?

Five regiments of Foot Guards guard the Palace. They wear red jackets and tall, furry hats called bearskins.

When the first guards come on duty, there is a ceremony called the Changing of the Guard.

A familiar sight at Buckingham Palace is the Changing of the Guard ceremony that takes place in the forecourt each morning. The monarch and the royal palaces have been guarded by the Household Troops since 1660.

19

W h a t c a n y o u s e e i n si d e B u c k i n

gham Palace?

The Palace has around 600 rooms, including 19 State rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 78 bathrooms, 92 offices, a cinema and a swimming pool. It also has its own post office and police station.

About 400 people work at the Palace, including domestic servants, chefs, footmen, cleaners, plumbers, gardeners, chauffers, electricians, and two people who look after the 300 clocks.

Royal Parties Every year, more than 50,000 people come to the Palace each year as guests to banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions, and Royal Garden Parties Interesting facts about Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms including 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.

20

5. THE HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE What is English?

A short history of the origins and development of English The history of the English language really started with the arrival of three Germanic tribes who invaded Britain during the 5th century AD. These tribes, the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes, crossed the North Sea from what today is Denmark and northern Germany. At that time the inhabitants of Britain spoke a Celtic language. But most of the Celtic speakers were pushed west and north by the invaders - mainly into what is now Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The Angles came from "Englaland" [sic] and their language was called "Englisc" - from which the words "England" and "English" are derived.

Germanic invaders entered Britain on the east and south coasts in the 5th century.

Old English (450-1100 AD) The invading Germanic tribes spoke similar languages, which in Britain developed into what we now call Old English. Old English did not sound or look like English today. Native Part of Beowulf, a poem written in Old English.

English speakers now would have great difficulty understanding Old English. Nevertheless, about half of the most commonly used words in Modern English have Old English roots. The

21

words be,strong and water, for example, derive from Old English. Old English was spoken until around 1100.

Middle English (1100-1500) In 1066 William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy (part of modern France), invaded and conquered England. The new conquerors (called the Normans) brought with them a kind of French, which became the language of the Royal Court, and the ruling and business classes. For a period there was a kind of linguistic class division, where the lower classes spoke English and the upper classes spoke French. In the 14th century English became dominant in Britain again, but with many French words added. This language is called Middle English. It was the language of the great poet Chaucer (c1340-1400), but it would still be difficult

An example of Middle English by Chaucer.

for native English speakers to understand today.

Modern English Early Modern English (1500-1800) Towards the end of Middle English, a sudden and distinct change in pronunciation (the Great Vowel Shift) started, with vowels being pronounced shorter and shorter. From the 16th century the British had contact with many peoples from around the world.

This, and the Renaissance of Classical learning, meant that many new words and phrases entered the language. The invention of printing also meant that there was now a common language in print. Books became cheaper and more people learned to read. Printing also brought standardization to English. Spelling and grammar became fixed, and the dialect of London, where most publishing houses were, became the standard. In 1604 the first English dictionary was published.

Hamlet's famous "To be, or not to be" lines, written in Early Modern English by Shakespeare.

Late Modern English (1800-Present) The main difference between Early Modern English and Late Modern English is vocabulary. Late Modern English has many more words, arising from two principal factors: firstly, the Industrial Revolution and technology created a need for new words; secondly, the British Empire at its height covered one quarter of the earth's surface, and the English language adopted foreign words from many countries.

22

Varieties of English From around 1600, the English colonization of North America resulted in the creation of a distinct American variety of English. Some English pronunciations and words "froze" when they reached America. In some ways, American English is more like the English of Shakespeare than modern British English is. Some expressions that the British call "Americanisms" are in fact original British expressions that were preserved in the colonies while lost for a time in Britain (for example trash for rubbish, loan as a verb instead of lend, and fall for autumn; another example, frame-up, was re-imported into Britain through Hollywood gangster movies). Spanish also had an influence on American English (and subsequently British English), with words like canyon, ranch, stampede and vigilante being examples of Spanish words that entered English through the settlement of the American West. French words (through Louisiana) and West African words (through the slave trade) also influenced American English (and so, to an extent, British English).

Today, American English is particularly influential, due to the USA's dominance of cinema, television, popular music, trade and technology (including the Internet). But there are many other varieties of English around the world, including for example Australian English, New Zealand English, Canadian English, South African English, Indian English and Caribbean English.

The Germanic Family of Languages

English is a member of the Germanic family of languages.

Germanic is a branch of the Indo-European language family.

English is a West Germanic language that was first spoken in early medieval England and is now the most widely used language in the world. It is spoken as a first language by the majority populations of several sovereign states, including the United Kingdom, the United States,Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and a number of Caribbean nations; and it is an official language of almost 60 sovereign states. It is the third-most-common native language in the world, after Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. It is widely learned as a second language and is an official language of the European Union, many Commonwealth countries and the United Nations, as well as in many world organisations.

English arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and what is now southeast Scotland. Following the extensive influence of Great Britain and the United Kingdom from the 17th to mid-20th centuries through the British Empire, it has been widely propagated around the world. Through the spread of American-dominated media and technology, English has become the leading language of international discourse and the lingua franca in many regions.

Historically, English originated from the fusion of closely related dialects, now collectively termed Old English, which were brought to the eastern coast of Great Britain by Germanic settlers (Anglo-Saxons) by the 5th century; the word English is derived from the name of the Angles, and ultimately from their ancestral region of Angeln (in what is now Schleswig-Holstein). The language was also influenced early on by the Old Norse language through Viking invasions in the 9th and 10th centuries.

23

The Norman conquest of England in the 11th century gave rise to heavy borrowings from Norman French, and vocabulary and spelling conventions began to give the appearance of a close relationship with those of Latin-derived Romance languages (though English is not a Romance language itself) to what had then become Middle English. The Great Vowel Shift that began in the south of England in the 15th century is one of the historical events that mark the emergence of Modern English from Middle English.

In addition to its Anglo-Saxon and Norman French roots, a significant number of English words are constructed on the basis of roots from Latin, because Latin in some form was the lingua franca of the Christian Church and of European intellectual life and remains the wellspring of much modern scientific and technical vocabulary.

Owing to the assimilation of words from many other languages throughout history, modern English contains a very large vocabulary, with complex and irregular spelling, particularly of vowels. Modern English has not only assimilated words from other European languages, but from all over the world.

The Oxford English Dictionary lists more than 250,000 distinct words, not including many technical, scientific, and slang terms.

HOW MANY PEOPLE SPEAK ENGLISH? English has official or special status in at least seventy five countries with a total population of over two billion English is spoken as a first language by around 375 million speakers in the world. Speakers of English as a second language probably outnumber those who speak it as a first language. Around 750 million people are believed to speak English as a foreign language. One out of four of the world's population speak English to some level of competence; demand from the other three-quarters is increasing.

WHAT DO PEOPLE USE ENGLISH FOR? English is the main language of books, newspapers, airports and air-traffic control, international business and academic conferences, science, technology, diplomacy, sport, international competitions, pop music and advertising. Over two-thirds of the world's scientists read in English. Three quarters of the world's mail is written in English. Eighty per cent of the world's electronically stored information is in English. Of the estimated 200 million users of the Internet, some thirty-six per cent communicate in English HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LEARNING ENGLISH? by the year 2000 it was estimated that over one billion people will be learning English at any one time there are 130,000 students learning English and other skills through the medium of English in British Council teaching centres worldwide HOW MANY PEOPLE COME TO THE UK TO LEARN ENGLISH? around 700,000 people come to learn English in the UK each year.

24

6. ENGLISH LITERATURE FAMOUS WRITERS & THEIR WORK Old English (Anglo-Saxon Period): writers: Caedmon and Cynewulf. work: Beowulf (by anonymous).

1200-1500: Middle English Period : Geoffrey Chaucer's(1343-1400) : The Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseyde and Book of the Duchess.

Other Major Poems The House of Fame, The Parliament of Fowles, The Legend of Good Women. Prose Treatises Treatise on the astrolabe. Short Poems The Complaint of Chaucer to His Purse ,Truth, Gentilesse, Merciles Beaute, Lak of Stedfastnesse, Against Women Unconstant.

Geoffrey Chaucer

Thomas Malory's (1405-1471) : Morte d'Arthur. work: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (by anonymous).

1500-1660: The English Renaissance 1500-1558: Tudor Period (Humanist Era) The Humanists:

25

Sir Thomas More (1478-1535) : Utopia, The History of King Richard the Third, The Life of Pico della Mirandola, The Four Last Things, A Dialogue Concerning Tyndale, The Confutation of Tyndale's Answer, A Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation and Sadness of Christ .

Sir Thomas More

John Skelton (1460-1529): A ballade of the Scottysshe Kynge

John Skelton

26

Sir Thomas Wyatt(1503-1542): My Lute Awake!, Once, As Methought, Fortune, Me Kissed, They Flee From Me, The restful place !, renewer of my smart, It may be good, There Was Never Nothing More, Patience !, though I have not Though I Cannot Your Cruelty Constrain Blame Not My Lute My Pen !, Take Pain, service to you Is It Possible? And Wilt Thou Leave Me Thus? Since so ye please to hear me Tried Intent What Should I Say!

Sir Thomas Wyatt.

The Renaissance Period consists of four subsets: 1. 1558-1603: The Elizabethan Age (High Renaissance):

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Comedies: All's Well That Ends Well, As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors, Love's Labour's Lost, Measure for Measure, The Merchant of Venice, The Merry Wives of Windsor, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, or What You Will, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Two Noble Kinsmen, The Winter's Tale Histories: King John, Richard II, Henry IV, part 1, Henry IV, part 2, Henry V, Henry VI, part1, Henry VI, part 2, Henry VI, part 3, Richard III ,Henry VIII Tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, Coriolanus, Titus Andronicus, Timon of Athens, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Hamlet, Troilus and Cressida, King Lear, Othello, Antony and Cleopatra.Poems: Shakespeare's Sonnets, Venus and Adonis, The Rape of Lucrece, The Passionate Pilgrim, The Phoenix and the Turtle, A Lover's Complaint.

27

William Shakespeare

Christopher Marlowe(1564-1593): The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus The Jew of Malta Massacre at Paris Tamburlaine the Great, Part 1 Tamburlaine the Great, Part 2 Lucan's First Book Edward II Dido Queen of Carthage Hero and Leander Ovid's Elegies The Passionate Shepherd to his Love

Christopher Marlowe

Edmund Spenser(1552-1599): The Faerie Queene, Iambicum Trimetrum, The Shepheardes Calender.

28

Edmund Spenser

Sir Walter Raleigh(1552 – 1618): What is Our Life, The Ocean to Cynthia and The Lie.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Ben Jonson(1573-1637): An Hymn to God the Father An Hymn on the Nativity of My Savior An Epitaph on Master Vincent Corbet On the Portrait of Shakspeare To the Memory of My Beloved the Author, Mr. William Shakespeare To Mr. John Fletcher, Upon His "Faithful Shepherdess" Epitaph on the Countess of Pembroke Epitaph on

29

Michael Drayton To His Much and Worthily Esteemed Friend, the Author To My Worthy and Honored Friend, Master George Chapman

Ben Jonson 2. 1603-1625:The Jacobean Age {Mannerist Style (1590-1640) other styles: Metaphysical Poets; Devotional Poets}: John Donne(1572-1631): Song A Hymn to God the Father Death, Be Not Proud Confined Love The Dissolution Oh my black soul! now art thou summoned Father, part of his double interest A Hymn to Christ at the Author's Last Going into Germany

John Donne Francis Bacon (1561-1626): The Advancement of Learning, The Essays, The New Atlantis, Valerius Terminus of the Interpretation of Nature

30

Francis Bacon

Thomas Middleton (1580-1627): The Phoenix Michaelmas Term A Mad World, My Masters A Trick to Catch the Old One The Puritan

Thomas Middleton

3.1625-1649: The Caroline Age : John Ford, John Milton John Milton (1608-1674): Lycidas Paradise Lost Paradise Regained

31

John Milton

John Ford (1586-1640): Fame's Memorial Christ's Bloody Sweat, attr. Honour Triumphant The Witch of Edmonton The Sun's Darling The Lover's Melancholy Contention of a Bird and a Musician The Broken Heart A Bridal Song Love's Sacrifice 'Tis Pity She's a Whore Perkin Warbeck The Fancies, Chaste and Noble The Lady's Trial

John Ford

4. 1649-1660: The Commonwealth Period (which is also known as the Puritan & The Protectorate (Baroque Style, and later, Rococo Style) Andrew Marvell (1621-1678): To his coy mistress

32

The Neoclassical Period (1660 – 1800) : political writings of John Milton, Thomas Hobbes' political treatise Leviathan, and the prose of Andrew Marvell.

The Neoclassical Period can be divided into three subsets: 1. 1660-1700: The Restoration: John Milton (1608-1674): Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained.

John Dryden (1631-1700), John Wilmot 2nd Earl of Rochester (1647–1680), satirical poet; and John Locke.

John Dryden 2. 1700-1800: The Eighteenth Century(The Enlightenment; Neoclassical Period; The Augustan Age) The Augustan Age: Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope , Daniel Defoe: Robinson Crusoe, (first English novels by Defoe) and Pamela, by Samuel Richardson.

Alexander Pope (1688-1744): An Essay on Criticism The Rape of the Lock The Dunciad

Alexander Pope Jonathan Swift (1667-1745): A Modest Proposal Gulliver's Travels Lady´s Dressing room Strephon and Chloe Cassinus and Peter

33

Jonathan Swift

3. The Age of Sensibility.

Samuel Johnson , and Henry Fielding Henry Fielding (1707-1754) Tom Jones.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784): A Dictionary of the English Language To the Right Honorable the Earl of Chesterfield 1785-1870: Romanticism (The Age of Revolution) William Blake, William Wordsworth, S.T. Coleridge, George Gordon Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats, Jane Austen.

William Wordsworth (1770-1850): London 1802 Ode: Intimations of Immortality The Prelude To a Skylark Tintern Abbey

34

William Wordsworth

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772 – 1834): The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Chrisabel Kubla Khan

Samuel Taylor Coleridge George Gordon Byron (1788-1824): Childe Harold's Pilgrimage Don Juan Song for the Luddites

35

The Isles of Greece

George Gordon Byron 1870-1914: Victorian Period (Early, Middle and Late Victorian) Charles Dickens, the BrontĂŤs, George Eliot, Robert Browning, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Thomas Hardy.

Charles Dickens (1812-1870): Great Expectations Hard Times The Old Curiosity Shop Dombey and Son A Tale of Two Cities Oliver Twist

Charles Dickens

George Eliot (1819-1880): Middlemarch The mill on the floss George Eliot

36

Robert Browning (1812-1889): The Ring and the Book My Last Duchess

Robert Browning 1914-1945: Modern Period: George Bernard Shaw, John Galosworthy, William Butler Yeats, James Joyce, D.H. Lawrence, T.S. Eliot.

George Bernard Shaw(1856-1950): Candida Pygmalion An Unsocial Socialist Arms and the Man Caesar and Cleopatra The Irrational Knot Cashel Byron's Profession

37

George Bernard Shaw William Butler Yeats (1865-1939): The Island Of Statutes Iris Fairy Tales On Baile' Strand The Hour Glass In The Seven Woods The Kings Treshold Reveries Over Childhood And Youth Responsibilities Sailing To Byzantium The Second Coming At The Hawk's Well

William Butler Yeats

38

D.H. Lawrence(1885-1930): Sons and Lovers Everlasting Flowers Elegy Discord in Childhood Dolor of Autumn Excursion Lady Chatterley's Lover Women in Love

D.H. Lawrence T.S.Eliot(1888-1965): The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.

Gerontion Sweeney Among the Nightingales The Waste Land The Hollow Men The Journey of the Magi Ash Wednesday

T.S.Eliot 1945- Post modern and Contemporary Period

39

Virginia Woolf Virginia Woolf was a British modernist writer. She was a prominent figure in interwar literary circles and a member of the Bloomsbury Group.

Adams, Douglass (born 1952; Cambridge, England) Aldiss, Brian W. (born 1925; East Dereham, England) Amis, Martin (born 1949; Oxford, England) Bainbridge, Beryl (born 1934; Liverpool, England) Ballard, J. G. (born 1930; Shanghai, China) Banks, Ian (born 1954; Fife, Scotland) Barker, Pat (born 1943; Thornaby-on-Tees, England) Barnes, Julian (born 1946; Leicester, England)

Popular Classic English Literature Books

Jane Eyre by Charlotte BrontĂŤ

Wuthering Heights by Emily BrontĂŤ

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (shelved 2 times as classic-english-literature)

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (shelved 2 times as classic-english-literature)

40

Pride and Prejudice (Modern Library Classics) by Jane Austen (shelved 2 times as classicenglish-literature) by Oscar Wilde (shelved 2 times as classic-english-literature)

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (shelved 2 times as classic-english-literature)

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (shelved 2 times as classic-english-literature)

41

7. EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM Education is an important part of English life. There are hundreds of schools, colleges and universities, including some of the most famous in the world.

Education is free and compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 - 16. Some children are educated at home rather than in school.

Children's education in England is normally divided into two separate stages. They begin with primary education at the age of five and this usually lasts until they are eleven. Then they move to secondary school, there they stay until they reach sixteen, seventeen or eighteen years of age.

Children normally start primary school at the age of four or five, but many schools now have a reception year for four year olds.

Children normally leave at the age of 11, moving on to secondary school (High school).

Most schools in England require children to wear a school uniform.

The uniform Boys Long grey or black trousers (shorts may be worn in the Summer) White Shirt School tie (optional in most primary schools) Jumper or sweater with the school logo on. The colour is the choice of the schools.

Black shoes Girls As above.

Girls may wear skirts During the summer term girls often wear summer school dresses.

The Start School begins at 8:55 am. The duty teacher blows a whistle and the children line up in their class groups. They wait quietly for the teacher to send them to their classrooms.

On arriving in their classrooms, the children empty their bags and put their homework in the marking trays/boxes. They hang their bags and coats on the pegs in the cloakrooms (each class has their own cloakroom). The children then go back into their classrooms.

The most famous public schools are Eton, Harrow and Winchester.

There are many school events during the year, such as: Students compete in sporting activities and relay races.

Excursions (school trips) To points of historical or geographical significance Musical and drama performances by students.

Music Concert Christmas Nativity play

In British schools, children can usually choose between a hot or cold provided by the school or a packed lunch taken from home. Some

42

dinner children

are entitled to a free school dinner, but most children pay for theirs.

Their lunch break is from 12.15 noon to 1.15 p.m. and children may have a school meal or bring a packed lunch.

Swipe Cards Every Student carries a swipe card. They swipe into every lesson to let the school know that they have attended that certain lesson and to know where they are in case of emergencies.

On the Swipe Card there are two stripes, a black and a brown. The brown is to swipe into lessons and the black is to get into the toilets and buildings.

They can put money on our Swipe cards instead of carrying cash around. When they want to pay for snacks at the Tuck Shop or canteen they just hand over their cards and they deduct the money.

They don't use our Tablet PCs in all lessons because some rooms do not have enough power sockets.

They use the Tablets to do their work on and to search the Internet. Their Tablet PCs are connected to a Network so they can send their work straight to their teachers. and they can send them back with their comments.

They believe extra-curricular activities play a very important role in the life of the pupil and the school.

They therefore offer a variety of clubs for their students to join and enjoy. Many of their students also learn a musical instrument.

Once the children have joined a club they are expected to attend regularly.

Some of the clubs only run at certain times of the year.

London's 45 universities, colleges and schools are amongst the best and most prestigious in the UK for international students. All of the universities below are fully accredited and recognised as Highly Trusted Sponsors by the UK Border Agency.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Brunel University City University London Conservatoire for Dance and Drama Goldsmiths, University of London Guildhall School of Music and Drama Heythrop College, University of London Imperial College London Institute of Education King's College London Kingston University London London Business School London Metropolitan University London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Middlesex University Open University Regent's University London Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance Royal College of Art Royal College of Music Royal Holloway University of London Royal Veterinary College School of Advanced Study Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance UCL (University College London) UEA London University of Greenwich

43

• •

University of London International Programmes University of the Arts London

At what age do children start school in England?

In England term starts in September, the entry year is reception (R) and children must be 5 before August 31 the following year. Children attend primary school for seven years, where they study English, mathematics, science, Religious education, history, geography, music, art and crafts, physical education, information technology (computers) and a foreign language.

The children attend school from Monday to Friday, from 08:55 - 15:15.

EVENT

ENGLAND

School Year Begins

Approx 4 September

Sept Weekend

-

October

5 days (Wk 3 or 4)

Christmas

2 weeks

February

5 days

Easter

2 weeks

May day

1 day

May (end of)

5 days

School Year Ends

3rd week in July

The British Government places great importance on the need to assess and test pupils in order to know what they have achieved. Compulsory testing takes place at the ages of seven, eleven and fourteen in England .All children in state schools are tested in English and mathematics at the ages of seven, 11 and 14, and pupils aged 11 and 14 are also tested in science.

Most young people take GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) examinations at sixteen, and many take vocational qualifications, A/S and A levels (Advanced levels), at seventeen and eighteen.

Age 3-4

Stage

Grade

Tests

Foundation

4-5

44

5-6

Key Stage 1

6-7

Year 1

Year 2

7-8

Key Stage 2

Year 4

9-10

Year 5

10-11

Year 6

Key Stage 3

Year 8

13-14

Year 9

Key Stage 4

15-16

National tests in English and maths (SATs)

Year 7

12-13

14-15

and maths (SATs)

Year 3

8-9

11-12

National tests and tasks in English

Year 10

National tests in English, maths and science (SATs)

Some children take GCSEs

Year 11 Most children take GCSEs, GNVQs or other national qualifications

The main categories of school are:• •

local authority maintained schools (State Schools) Free to all children between the ages of 5 - 16 independent schools. (Private/Public Schools) Parents pay for their children's' education.

State Schools 93% of the children in England go to "state schools". State schools are non fee-paying, funded from taxes and most are organised by Local Authorities (LA).

45

Parents are expected to make sure that their child has a pen, pencil, ruler etc. but the cost of other more specialised equipment, books, examination fees are covered by the school.

Parents are, however, expected to pay for their child's school uniform and items of sports wear. Charges may also be made for music lessons and for board and lodgings on residential trips. Schools may ask for voluntary contributions for school time activities - but no pupil may be left out of an activity if their parents or guardian cannot or do not contribute.

Primary schools (5 - 11 year olds) In the UK, the first level of education is known as primary education. These are almost always mixed sex, and usually located close to the child's home. Children tend to be with the same group throughout the day, and one teacher has responsibility for most of the work they do.

Parents are strongly encouraged to help their children, particularly with reading and writing, and small amounts of homework are set to all children, even during the early years at school.

Secondary schools (11 - 16 year olds) Most children transfer at the age of 11 - usually to their nearest secondary school, though the law allows parents in England to express preferences for other schools too. A place has to be offered at the parents' preferred school unless the school has more applicants than places; in that case it will admit the children who have the highest priority under its published admission arrangements which can vary a little in different places.

Most secondary schools cater for both sexes. They tend to be much larger than primary schools.

Nearly 88 per cent of secondary school pupils in England go to comprehensive schools, as do all pupils in Wales. These take children of all abilities and provide a wide range of secondary education for all or most of the children in a district from 11 to 16 or 18. All children in Scotland go to non-selective schools.

Grammar Schools are selective, they offer academically oriented general education. Entrance is based on a test of ability, usually at 11 (11+). Grammar schools are single sexed schools i.e. Children either go to a boys Grammar School or a Girls Grammar School. There are grammar schools in Northern Ireland and some parts of England.

Fee Paying Schools Independent Schools 7% of the children in England go to independent schools. Independent schools are known as private schools and public schools . Parents pay for their children to attend these schools.

Nursery/Kindergarten 2 to 4 years Pre-preparatory 3 or 4 to 7 years Preparatory 7 to 11 or 13 years Public 11 or 13 to 18 years Prep Schools A preparatory school is a school to prepare pupils to go to a public school.

Public Schools A public school is an independent secondary school. Public schools in England are not run by the

46

government. The entrance exams used by most public schools are known as Common Entrance exams and are taken at the age of 11 (girls) or 13 (boys).

The most famous public schools are Eton, Harrow and Winchester.

Higher Education Around 30% of the 18 to 19 year olds enter full-time higher education. The formal entry requirements to most degree courses are two A-levels at grade E or above. In practice, most offers of places require qualifications in excess of this.

47

8. ENGLISH THEATRES Theatre of the United Kingdom plays an important part in British culture, and the countries that constitute the UK have had a vibrant tradition of theatre since the Renaissance with roots going back

beyond that.

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, opened in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1932, named after the famous playwright, William Shakespeare Theatre was introduced from Europe to what is now the United Kingdom by the Romans and auditoriums were constructed across the country for this purpose (an example has been excavated at Verulamium).

By the medieval period theatre had developed with the mummers' plays, a form of early street theatre associated with the Morris dance, concentrating on themes such as Saint George and the Dragon and Robin Hood. These were folk tales re-telling old stories, and the actors travelled from town to town performing these for their audiences in return for money and hospitality.

Medieval theatre

A moment from The Second Shepherds' Play in the Wakefield Mystery Plays as performed by The Players of St Peter in London in 2005 The medieval mystery plays and morality plays, which dealt with Christian themes, were performed at religious festivals. The most important work of literature surviving from the Middle Cornish period is An Ordinale Kernewek ("The Cornish Ordinalia"), a 9000-line religious drama composed around the year 1400. The longest single surviving work of Cornish literature is Bywnans Meriasek (The Life of Meriasek), a play dated 1504, but probably copied from an earlier manuscript.

48

Renaissance theatre

The Comedy of Errors in performance at the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in 2002 The reign of Elizabeth I in the late 16th and early 17th century saw a flowering of the drama and all the arts. Perhaps the most famous playwright in the world, William Shakespeare, wrote around 40 plays that are still performed in theatres across the world to this day. They include tragedies, such as Hamlet (1603), Othello (1604), and King Lear (1605); comedies, such as A Midsummer Night's Dream (1594— 96) and Twelfth Night (1602); and history plays, such as Henry IV, part 1—2. The Elizabethan age is sometimes nicknamed "the age of Shakespeare" for the amount of influence he held over the era. Other important Elizabethan and 17th-century playwrights include Ben Jonson, Christopher Marlowe, and John Webster.

Restoration theatre During the Interregnum 1642—1660, English theatres were kept closed by the Puritans for religious and ideological reasons. When the London theatres opened again with the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, they flourished under the personal interest and support of Charles II (reigned 1660–1685). Wide and socially mixed audiences were attracted by topical writing and by the introduction of the first professional actresses (in Shakespeare's time, all female roles had been played by boys). New genres of the Restoration were heroic drama, pathetic drama, and Restoration comedy.

The Restoration plays that have best retained the interest of producers and audiences today are the comedies, such as William Wycherley's The Country Wife (1676), The Rover (1677) by the first professional woman playwright, Aphra Behn, and John Vanbrugh's The Relapse (1696).

Theatre in the United Kingdom In the 18th century, the highbrow and provocative Restoration comedy lost favour, to be replaced by sentimental comedy, domestic tragedy such as George Lillo's The London Merchant (1731), and by an overwhelming interest in Italian opera. Popular entertainment became more important in this period than ever before, with fair-booth burlesque and mixed forms that are the ancestors of the English music hall. These forms flourished at the expense of legitimate English drama, which went into a long period of decline. By the early 19th century it was no longer represented by stage plays at all, but by the closet drama, plays written to be privately read in a "closet" (a small domestic room). London's best arts venues

Barbic

49

Royal Albert Hall

Old Vic

an Centre

Sadler's Wells

Young Vic

Royal Court Theatre

Peacock The

Top English theatres

Shakespeare's Globe, London London is often considered the heart of British theatre, with much of the city's theatre legacy being down to one man; William Shakespeare. It's no surprise then that on a list of top 10 British theatres, Shakespeare's Globe gets a mention. This reconstruction of the iconic Globe Theatre commemorates all of Shakespeare's works and is a must see for any Shakespeare fanatics. A replica of the original theatre built in 1599, Shakespeare's Globe has become an iconic London landmark, as it embodies London's theatrical past and Shakespeare's earliest works.

Liverpool Empire Theatre

A focal point in this culture-rich city is the Liverpool Empire Theatre. Opened in 1925, the theatre has the largest two-tier auditorium in Britain, but what really sets this theatre apart is its impressive repertoire of past performers; The Beatles, Frank

50

Sinatra and Laurel and Hardy have all performed in this iconic theatre. Today the theatre stages all manner of productions from plays to operas, but if you do pay a visit, be sure to watch out for the resident ghosts who are frequently spotted backstage.

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon This Grade II listed building in the town where Shakespeare was born and buried is a dedication to the celebrated British playwright and poet. Situated near the site of the original Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, this theatre opened in 1926 and is owned and managed by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). Watch a play or venture up the tower for a spectacular view of Shakespeare's hometown. Or perhaps visit the Swan Theatre; a nearby theatre also belonging to the RSC, which hosts many of Shakespeare's plays.

Theatre Royal, Newcastle The world of theatre is a superstitious one, with many strange events happening in playhouses around Britain over the years.

Theatre Royal, the Grade I listed building in Newcastle upon Tyne, is certainly no exception, as in 1899 it saw a huge fire destroy its interior after a performance of the notorious 'bad luck' play Macbeth. As with most of Britain's theatres, Theatre Royal is also home to a resident ghost; allegedly a nineteenth century female ghost known as 'the grey lady' haunts the theatre's stage.

London Palladium Located off London's famous Oxford Street, the London Palladium is perhaps the most famous theatre in the capital, if not the world. Recognised for being the venue for the famous Royal Variety Performances, the theatre opened its doors in 1910 and over the years has seen countless famous faces perform on its celebrated stage; names such as Harry Houdini in the 1920s, Frank Sinatra in the 1940s and Liza Minnelli in the 1980s. The Palladium is known for its longstanding performances of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Fiddler on the Roof and Oliver. With its grand exterior and many original features, the Grade II building serves as a traditional theatre experience for those visiting London.

Theatre Royal, London Not only is this theatre on Drury Lane the oldest theatre in London, it is also the oldest running theatre in the world. This West end theatre in Covent Garden dates back to 1663 and was erected after the English dramatist Thomas Killigrew received a patent to do so from King

51

Charles II. This famous theatre has had a varied and turbulent history; from being visited by Samuel Pepys to seeing a murder of an actor in the green room.

St Martin's Theatre, London This theatre is most famous for showcasing the world's longest running play since 1974; Agatha Christie's Mousetrap has clocked up more than 24,000 performances and is still enjoyed by people from around the world today since the production started in 1952.

Designed as a companion theatre to the New Ambassadors, St Martin's was completed in 1916. Since then it has seen many a famous face perform on its stage and holds a world record for holding the aforementioned longest running play.

The Theatre Royal Haymarket, London Known originally as The Little Theatre in the Hay, The Theatre Royal Haymarket was designed and constructed in 1720 and is now considered one of the most cherished theatres in London's West End. It is the third-oldest London playhouse still in use but the theatre had a rocky beginning, with its creator John Potter striving to keep his little theatre going. All of this changed when a French Duke visited with a group of French actors and provided the theatre with its first production. The theatre has come a long way since then, and it is now a thriving home for the arts loved by all in the theatre world.

The Minack Theatre, Cornwall Perhaps not the most conventional theatre, but equally famous, is the Minack open-air theatre near Land's End. The theatre presents dramas, musicals and operas between May and September, with acting groups coming from around the world to perform in this Roman amphitheatre-like auditorium. With views across Cornwall's beautiful Porthcurno Bay, this rustic outdoor theatre is a must see for anyone seeking a theatre experience like no other — just bring a picnic and a blanket!

52

9. MUSIC England has produced some of the world’s best music throughout history. In fact, as a country, England has spearheaded some of the world’s most significant musical movements and trends.

Since its earliest days, English music has been particularly diverse and culturally relevant. It was made up of religious music, folk music, classical music and many other styles. There were styles designed for the wealthy and elite and others for the working class and the poor. English music was particularly influenced by European movements. However, there are also many trends and styles that originated from within the country itself. Notable examples are the Celtic chants and the medieval carols.

During the 16th Century, the Protestant Reformation hit England, introducing an increased tendency towards religious music. This restricted certain events that had been associated with music in the past and forced local musicians and composers to create distinct styles for worship, nationalism, and so on.

The court music maintained its integration with Europe, while opera dominated other areas.

The Baroque era of the 17th and 18th centuries was characterised by formalised orchestral classical music that was ornamental, dramatic and complex. The Baroque style was especially popular amongst the royals and the elite, but was certainly not limited to these ones.

Folk music was the music of the people and was, therefore, distinctive to England (i.e. different to the folk music of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales). This dynamic style evolved over the years and reflected the personal experiences of the immigrants, working classes and more esteemed classes. Folk music existed in various forms from the medieval times right through until the industrialisation of the society during the 19th and 20th centuries. The folk style usually involved a combination of song and dance. This musical form has experienced several revivals over the years. Today, there continue to be folk artists, who combine a traditional style of storytelling with more modern media (such as electronic equipment, for example).

In the 1800’s, brass bands were introduced and used to convey the typical classical styles of music in a more fun and modern way. This was largely brought about by the social and economic changes experienced by England In England, most youths listen to punk, garage, house, rock, pop and R&B. (such as McFly, JLo, Xtina, Beyonce, Pink, Britney, Justin Timberlake, Mis-teeq).

53

Origins The origins of music in England lie in the songs sung and dance music played by ordinary people.

Passed from village to village and handed down in the unwritten form from generation to generation.

Different trends Over the last thirty or so years English pop music has led the world in its range and quality, starting several new trends. Britain, along with the US, was the main contributor in the development of rock and roll, and Britain has provided some of the most famous bands, including The Beatles and many others.

England was at the forefront of punk music (see below) in the 1970s with bands such as the Sex Pistols and The Clash, and the subsequent rebirth of heavy metal with bands such as Motorhead and Iron Maiden.

Music in Britain from 1920s to the Present Day 1920s - Young people listened to ragtime and jazz.

1930s - Swing became popular. Benny Goodman and his Orchestra were the 'King of the Swing', as were Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw. The music was fast and frantically paced and led to dances being banned from dance halls, as the young women being flung into the air by their partners showed their stocking tops and underwear. Jazz continued to be popular.

1940s - The Second World War brought fast, frantic (and often American) dance music - boogie-woogie or jitterbug. Dances were held in church halls, village halls, clubs, Air Force bases - everywhere! But slower, romantic songs were also popular as loved ones went away to fight, such as Vera Lynn's 'We'll Meet Again' and the song about coming home again, 'The 'White Cliffs of Dover'.

After the war 'skiffle' bands became popular. These bands used household items, such as washboards and tea chests, as part of their set of instruments! Tommy Steele, who later became very famous, first played in a skiffle band.

1950s - Rock and Roll became very popular. In the 1950’s people were still reeling from the devastation of the war. Music around this time generally consisted of a solo artist supported by an orchestra or big band 1960's - The Beatles began their career. They leapt to fame in 1963 with 'Please, Please Me'.

With their catchy melodies and strong personalities, they captured the hearts of Britain. Along with media hype, Beatle mania swept into other countries and soon Britain was considered to be the centre of the

54

music world. The Americans have even termed this as the “British Invasion”. They continued to dominate the decade, becoming the most influential band of all time.

Many young people enjoyed 'hippie' music. Other teenagers preferred the music of the 'Mods' - ska music and The Who. The legendary rock group, The Rolling Stones was also a leading member of the British Invasion. They were a heavier alternative to The Beatles, and by 1966 had become one of the most experimental and trendy rock groups around. As with The Beatles, they had a huge following and many many hits.

1970s - The first big new sound of the 1970s was “Glam Rock”, the main figures of this were David Bowie, Elton John and of course Gary Glitter Punk The punk movement of the late 1970s began in England. Great British bands of this scene were The Sex Pistols and The Clash. The Punk style was Mohicans, bondage clothes, safety pins, piercings and bovver boots.1980s - The 1980s saw the rise of hip hop and rap music, with American influences powerful once again in the form of such groups as Run DMC and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. It also saw the rise and fall of the 'New Romantics', typified by groups like Adam and the Ants, who dressed as pirates and highway men and wore huge amounts of makeup.

1990s - Britpop This was the general name given in the 1990s to a new wave of successful British bands who made a big impact in the United States and Europe, as well as in England. The most successful have been Radiohead, Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Massive Attack and The Spice Girl Musical Song Writers Noel Coward (1899 - 1973)

Lionel Bart (1930 - 1999)

Andrew Lloyd-Webber (b. 1

Pop and Rock Cliff Richard

Elton John

Rod Stewart

The Rolling Stones

David Bowie

The Beatles

Freddie Mercury

Sting

George Michael

55

10. THE MEDIA Newspapers in England

56

Radio stations in England

BBC Radio 1

Nati onal

128 Kbps 128 Kbps

Top 40/Dance

BBC Radio 2

Nati onal

128 Kbps 128 Kbps

Adult Contemporary

BBC Radio 3

Nati onal

192 Kbps 320 Kbps

Classical

BBC Radio 4

Nati onal

128 Kbps 128 Kbps

News/Feature programming

BBC Radio 4 LW

Nati onal

128 Kbps 128 Kbps

News/Feature programming

BBC Radio 4 Extra

Nati onal

128 Kbps 128 Kbps

Comedy/Drama/Features

BBC 5 Live

Nati onal

48 Kbps 128 Kbps

News/Talk/Sport

57

11. ENGLISH TRADITIONS AND CELEBRATIONS 10 Very Strange British Traditions England has a long and varied past – it has been conquered repeatedly, it has conquered others, and it has colonized half the planet. Through its history, many strange traditions and festivals have arisen. This list looks at ten of the most unusual.

10 Gurning

The Egremont Crab Fair – one of England’s weirder events – gets its name from crab apples rather than the marine variety. It started back in the 13th century when the Lord of the Manor gave away crab apples to the populace. In fact, to this day, the Parade of the Apple Cart, where apples are thrown into the crowds on the Main Street, is part of the fair. There are a host of other non-mechanized, traditional events – greasy pole climbing, a pipe smoking contests, a talent show, Cumberland wrestling, a hounds trail. But lets face it, the reason Egremont makes the news every year is the gurning competition. Home of the Gurning World Championships.

Gurning, involves a rubber-faced skill that is totally bizarre and unique to this part of England.

Contestants put their heads through horse collar or braffin while they create the ugliest, most grotesque faces they can manage. A certain amount of skill is involved but a lot of beer and a certain amount of toothlessness probably has an impact as well. Celebrities occasionally have a go and the national news usually features the winning gurners. If you are in Cumbria visiting the Lake District, nearby, in September, stop in at the Egremont Crab Fair. You won’t see anything like this anywhere else and you won’t soon forget it.

58

9Cheese Rolling at Cooper’s Hill

The Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event held on the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper’s Hill near Gloucester in the Cotswolds region of England It is traditionally by and for the people of Brockworth – the local village, but now people from all over the world take part. The event takes its name from the hill on which it occurs. The 2010 event has been cancelled due to safety concerns over the number of people visiting the event but it is hoped that it will be held on the late May Bank Holiday in 2011. Due to the steepness and uneven surface of the hill there are usually a number of injuries, ranging from sprained ankles to broken bones and concussion. Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling has been summarized as “twenty young men chase a cheese off a cliff and tumble 200 yards to the bottom, where they are scraped up by paramedics and packed off to hospital”.

8Maypole Dancing

Maypole dancing is a form of folk dance from western Europe, especially England, Sweden, Galicia, Portugal and Germany, with two distinctive traditions. In the most widespread, dancers perform circle dances around a tall pole which is decorated with garlands, painted stripes, flowers, flags and other emblems. In the second most common form, dancers dance in a circle each holding a colored ribbon

59

attached to a much smaller pole; the ribbons are intertwined and plaited either on to the pole itself or into a web around the pole. The dancers may then retrace their steps exactly in order to unravel the ribbons.

7Pearly King and Queen

Pearly Kings and Queens, known as pearlies, are an organized charitable tradition of working class culture in London, England. The practice of wearing clothes decorated with pearl buttons originated in the 19th century. It is first associated with Henry Croft, an orphan street sweeper who collected money for charity. In 1911 an organized pearly society was formed in Finchley, north London.

6Guy Fawkes Night

Guy Fawkes Night (or “bonfire night”), held on 5 November in the United Kingdom and some parts of the Commonwealth, is a commemoration of the plot, during which an effigy of Fawkes is burned, often accompanied by a fireworks display. The word “guy”, meaning “man” or “person”, is derived from his name. Guy Fawkes (13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606), also known as Guido Fawkes, the name he adopted while fighting for the Spanish in the Low Countries, belonged to a group of Catholic Restorationists from England who planned the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Their aim was to displace Protestant rule by blowing up the Houses of Parliament while King James I and the entire Protestant,

60

and even most of the Catholic, aristocracy and nobility were inside. The conspirators saw this as a necessary reaction to the systematic discrimination against English Catholics.

The Gunpowder Plot was led by Robert Catesby, but Fawkes was put in charge of its execution. He was arrested a few hours before the planned explosion, during a search of the cellars underneath Parliament in the early hours of 5 November prompted by the receipt of an anonymous warning letter. Basically it’s a celebration of the failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.

5 Ascot Ladies Day

Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK’s 32 annual Group 1 races, the same number as Newmarket. The course is closely associated with the British Royal Family, being approximately six miles from Windsor Castle, and owned by the Crown Estate. Ascot today stages twenty-five days of racing over the course of the year, comprising sixteen Flat meetings held in the months of May and October. The Royal Meeting, held in June, remains a major draw, the highlight being the Ascot Gold Cup. The most prestigious race is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes run over the course in July. What makes this so special is that every year the fashion, specifically the hats get bigger, bolder and damn right weirder as the photo illustrates.

4

61

Bog Snorkeling

Yes indeed, you read correctly, bog snorkeling. If any of you ever doubted that us Brits are mad, this should make up your minds for you. Basically participants dive into a bog, wearing goggles, a pair of flippers and a snorkel, they then proceed to race each other along a 120ft trench filled with mud. Held every year the participants come from all over the world and raise lots of money for charity.

3 Straw Bear

Straw Bear (Strawboer) Day is an old English tradition held on the 7th of January. It is known in a small area of Fenland on the borders of Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire, including Ramsey Mereside.

This day is believed to be traditional start of agricultural year in England. A man or a boy wears a straw costume covering him from his head to toes. He goes from house to house where he dances. As prize for his dancing people give him money, food or beer.

2

62

Worm Charming

Worm charming is a way to of attracting earthworms from the ground. Many do it to collect bait for fishing. But there are also those who do it as sort of sport. The village of Willaston, near Nantwich, Cheshire is the place where since 1980 the annual World Championships have been organized. The competition was actually initiated by local man Tom Shufflebotham who on the 5th of July, 1980 charmed 511 worms from the ground in only half an hour. The competition has 18 rules. Here are just few of them. Each competitor competes in the 3 x 3 meters area. Music of any kind can be used to charm worms out of the ground. No drugs can be used! Water is considered to be a drug (stimulant).

1Morris Dancing

A Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Implements such as sticks, swords, and handkerchiefs may also be wielded by the dancers. In a small number of dances for one or two men, steps are performed near and across a pair of clay tobacco pipes laid across each other on the floor.

63

List of British Holidays and Celebrations

There are many kinds of celebrations in Britain - from royal to religious and from traditional to more modern. This great country has been around for almost 1,000 years and has had influences before that, all helping to make rich and vibrant celebrations that many enjoy every year.

New Year's Day - January 1 Celebrates the new year by having a first footer step over the threshold.

Twelfth Night - January 5 Celebrated the night before Epiphany, it is tradition to take down your Christmas tree to avoid having bad luck.

Candlemas Day - February 2 This day marks the middle of the winter season - from the shortest day of the year to the Spring Equinox.

This day also celebrates the cleansing of Mary.

Valentine's Day - February 14 This day is celebrated with the giving of gifts, as well as writing verses of love in newspapers and magazines for your special someone.

St. David's Day (Wales) - March 1 St. David's day is to celebrate the man, Dewi Sant, who spread Christianity throughout Wales.

St. Patrick's Day - March 17 Though this is an Irish holiday, the English will also celebrate with parades and parties.

64

Pancake Day Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) - Day Before Lent - March/April Many celebrate this day by eating pancakes, as the contain many ingredients that are inappropriate for lent.

Lent - March/April The first day of lent is 40 days before Easter. Many people give up something they enjoy during lent.

Mothering Sunday - 4th Sunday of Lent - March/April Mothering Sunday is a day where children generally honor their mothers by giving them a gift and a card.

Maundy Thursday - Thursday Before Easter - March/April Remembered as the day Jesus had his last supper.

Easter - March/April Many people go to church on this sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. This day is also celebrated by the giving of eggs.

April Fool's Day - April 1 Much like other countries with this holiday, it is a day where people play practical jokes on each other.

St. George's Day (England's National Day) - April 23 Celebrating with parades, some people celebrate St. George who is said to have defeated a dragon.

May Day - May 1 This day is celebrated beautifully with may poles and flowers.

65

Trooping the Colour Trooping the Colours - Sometime in June Trooping the Colours is celebrated every year with the British Army and the regiments of the Commonwealth performing a ceremony.

Wimbledon Tennis Tournament - Sometime in June People attend the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament.

Swan Upping - Third Week of July Many celebrate this day by going to the River Thames and watching a procession of swans and traditional boats.

Notting Hill Carnival - Last Monday in August On this day, there is a street festival that millions go to see and participate in every year.

Harvest Festival - On or Near the Sunday of the Harvest Moon A day to celebrate the growth of crops on the land.

Halloween - October 31 A day where people dress up, bob for apples and have bonfires.

Remembrance Day - November 11 This day recognizes the end of WWI. Many people wear a poppy in their pocket in remembrance.

St. Andrew's Day - November 30 This is the celebrated national day of Scotland.

Advent - December 1-24 On the first 24 days of December, Advent celebrates the coming of Jesus.

Christmas - December 25 This day is celebrated by friends and family by giving gifts and going to a special Sunday service.

Boxing Day - December 26 Traditionally, this is the day that servants were able to celebrate Christmas, as they were serving their masters the day before.

66

12. SPORTS What sports do you play in Britain?

England's national sport is cricket although to many people football (soccer) is seen as the national sport. Football is the most popular sport. Some of England's football teams are world famous, the most famous being Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Cricket is played on village greens and in towns/cities on Sundays from April to August The rules of cricket became the responsibility, in the 18th century, of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), based at Lord’s cricket ground in north London.

How to play Cricket Teams are made up of 11 players each. They play with a ball slightly smaller than a baseball and a bat shaped like a paddle. Two batters stand in front of wickets, set about 20 metres apart. Each wicket consists of three wooden rods (stumps) pushed into the ground, with two small pieces of wood (bails) balanced on top. A member of the opposing team (the bowler) throws the ball towards one of the batters, who must hit the ball so that it does not knock a bail off the wicket. If the ball travels far enough, the two batters run back and forth between the wickets while the fielders on the opposing team try to catch the ball. The game is scored according to the number of runs, which is the number of times the batters exchange places

FOOTBALL (Soccer) Football is undoubtedly the most popular sport in England, and has been played for hundreds of years.

In the English Football League there are 92 professional clubs. These are semi-professional, so most players have other full-time jobs. Hundreds of thousands of people also play football in parks and playgrounds just for fun.

The highlight of the English football year is the FA (Football Association) Cup Final each May.

RUGBY Rugby originated from Rugby school in Warwickshire. It is similar to football, but played with an oval ball.

Players can carry the ball and tackle each other. The best rugby teams compete in the Super League final each September.

For many years Rugby was only played by the rich upper classes, but now it is popular all over the country. There are two different types of rugby - Rugby League, played mainly in the north of England, and Rugby Union, played in the rest of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, together with France and Italy, play in an annual tournament called the Six Nations.

American Football derived from our game of Rugby also Baseball derived from the old English game of Baseball also Baseball derived from the old English game of Rounders.

67

TENNIS The world's most famous tennis tournament is Wimbledon. It started at a small club in south London in the nineteenth century. It begins on the nearest Monday to June 22, at a time when English often have the finest weather. Millions of people watch the Championships on TV live.

It is traditional for visitors to eat strawberries and cream whilst they watch the tennis.

NETBALL Netball is the largest female team sport in England. The sport is played almost exclusively by women and girls, although male participation has increased in recent year.

HORSE RACING Horseracing, the sport of Kings is a very popular sport with meetings being held every day throughout the year. The Derby originated here, as did The Grand National which is the hardest horse race in the world.

Horse racing and greyhound racing are popular spectator sports. People can place bets on the races at legal off-track betting shops. Some of the best-known horse races are held at Ascot, Newmarket, Goodwood and Epsom.

Ascot, a small town in the south of England, becomes the centre of horse-racing world for one week in June. It's called Royal Ascot because the Queen always goes to Ascot. She has a lot of racehorses and likes to watch racing.

BADMINTON Badminton takes its name from the Duke of Beaufort’s country home, Badminton House, where the sport was first played in the 19th century.

UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE In the nineteenth century, students at Oxford and Cambridge, Britain's two oldest universities, were huge fans of rowing. In 1829, the two schools agreed to hold a race against each other for the first time on the Thames River. The Oxford boat won and a tradition was born. Today, the University Boat Race is held every spring in either late March or early April.

FISHING Angling is one of the most popular sports in the UK, with an estimated 3.3 million people participating in the sport on a regular basis. Fishermen can be see sitting beside rivers and lakes.

DARTS Darts is a very popular pub game. The game of darts, as it is today, was invented in the north of England in a town called Grimsby. However, the origins of the game date back to at least the Middle Ages.

68

The magic of the cups

The FA Cup The best places to watch the Cup Final day.

Test Match at Lord’s

Major Sporting Events Henley Royal Regatta

Discover the Home of Cricket on a day out at Lord's.

Quintessentially English sporting event on the River Thames

London Marathon

69

Famous athletes

David Beckham is a famous English former footballer.

Sir Chris Hoy is a British former track cyclist who represented Great Britain at the Olympics

70

Mo Farrah, British international track and field Olympic winning athlete in the long distance and middledistance.

Dame Kelly Holmes, British middle-distance Olympics gold winner 2004.

Andrew Barron "Andy" Murray, OBE is a Scottish professional tennis player, ranked World No. 3 and British No. 1

The most popular English football clubs

1

Arsenal

2

Chelsea

3

Man Utd

71

4

Liverpool

5

Man City

6

Tottenham

7

Everton

8

Southampton

72

13. HOUSES

Why do English give their houses names?

House naming started many years ago with rich people naming their homes. The rich named their Halls, Houses, Manors, Castles, and Lodges according to ancestry, location, and family titles: Norfolk House (Duke of), Belvoir Castle (overlooking the Belvoir Valley); Castle Droge (named after a 13th ancestor) etc. Gradually over the years other people began to give names to their homes too.

All houses in towns and cities have a number. Very few have just a name and majority do not have names.

Most people in England live in urban areas. Towns and cities are spreading into their surrounding environment to cope with the increase populations. In England, an average of 7,000 hectares of farmland, countryside and green space were converted to urban use every year between 1985 and 1998. This is almost the equivalent size of 9,600 international football pitches!

This house is over 600 years old

73

Who owns houses in England?

More people are buying their own homes than in the past. About two thirds of the people in England and the rest of Britain either own, or are in the process of buying, their own home. Most others live in houses or flats that they rent from a private landlord, the local council, or housing association.

People buying their property almost always pay for it with a special loan called a mortgage, which they must repay, with interest, over a long period of time, usually 25 years.

What are houses in England like?

Most houses in England are made of stone or brick from the local area where the houses are built. The colours of the stones and bricks vary across the country.

74

Types of houses in England England has many types of homes. In the large cities, people often live in apartments, which are called flats. In most towns, there are streets of houses joined together in long rows. They are called terraced houses.

75

The main types of houses in England are: Detached (a house not joined to another house) Semi-detached (two houses joined together) Terrace (several houses joined together) Flats (apartments)

Photos of the different types of houses

Census 2001: Housing The most popular type of home in England is semi-detached (more than 27% of all homes), closely followed by detached then terraced.

Almost half of London's households are flats, maisonettes or apartments.

76

Cost of Houses Information taken from Census 2001

A big problem in England is the rising cost of houses. In 1989 first-time buyers paid an average of around £40,000, in 2001 this had more than doubled to £85,000 and in 2006 to £151,565.

The cost of housing in England has increased much faster than people's wages making it impossible for first-time buyers to get on the housing ladder unless they are in especially well-paid jobs, are able to call upon rich relatives or are prepared to buy jointly with friends.

2003 Average wage per year: £20,000 Average house price: over £120,000.

2007 Average wage per year: £23,244 Average house price:£184,924

Cost of Houses in 2007 Average Cost: £182,920 Detached: £282,157 Semi-detached: £169,074 Terraced: £139,122 Flat::£168,571 Average Cost: £184,924 Detached: £285,697 Semi-detached: £170,650 Terraced: £143,512 Flat: £174,052

77

Chartwell House - Winston Churchill once lived here

Typical houses found in towns in England Detached Houses

The houses above are typical modern houses found in towns

The two houses above are over 600 hundred years old.

They were built during the Tudor times

Semi Detached Houses 78

Bungalows

A Bungalow in the Country

Terrace Houses

79

Appartments

80

14. FOOD The traditional food of England has long been recognised for its simplicity of ingredients and flavour. However, England has a complex history and has featured as a major global player. This has meant that people from all over the world have settled in this country, bringing with them flavours and techniques. Over time, these foreign influences have permeated the English cuisine, creating a more multifaceted food culture than ever before.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, English Protestants formed a group called the Puritans. These ones were averse to strong flavours and bold ingredients (such as garlic, for example) as these had Catholic Continental political references. This led to a distinct simplification of English cuisine. As the Puritans moved between England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, they took their conservative ideas with them.

Then, after World War II, England saw the influx of other cultures and nationalities. As North Americans, Indians and Chinese immigrants flooded across the border, they introduced the locals to garlic, chilli, exotic sauces, and much more. Today, Thai, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and French influences have also been incorporated into the English menus.

Traditionally, English food uses lamb, beef, pork, chicken and fish as its feature item. The meat is then accompanied by potatoes (in various forms) and one vegetable. Because all of these products are sourced within the country, they are of the best quality. Fruit and vegetables are amply available and of superior condition. .

Main meal dishes Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding This is England's traditional Sunday lunch, which is a family affair.

Yorkshire Pudding This dish is not usually eaten as a dessert like other puddings but instead as part of the main course or at a starter.

Yorkshire pudding, made from flour, eggs and milk, is a sort of batter baked in the oven and usually moistened with gravy.

The traditional way to eat a Yorkshire pudding is to have a large, flat one filled with gravy and vegetables as a starter of the meal. Then when the meal is over, any unused puddings should be served with jam or ice-cream as a dessert. text taken from and copyright of projcetbritain.com Ro a s t M e a t s ( cooked in the oven for about two hours)

81

Typical meats for roasting are joints of beef, pork, lamb or a whole chicken.

More rarely duck, goose, gammon, turkey or game are eaten.

Beef is eaten with hot white horseradish sauce, pork with sweet apple sauce and lamb with green mint sauce.

These three platefuls of food were served up in a pub.

They are enormous portions and not what a typical British person would eat in one sitting.

Steak and Kidney Pie with chips and salad

Cornish Pastie with chips, baked beans and salad

F i s h a n d c hi p s

82

Chicken Salad

Fish (cod, haddock, huss, plaice) deep fried in flour batter with chips (fried potatoes) dressed in malt vinegar. This is England's traditional take-away food or as US would say "to go". Fish and chips are not normally home cooked but bought at a fish and chip shop ("chippie" ) to eat on premises or as a "take away"

Ploughman's Lunch This dish is served in Pubs. It consists of a piece of cheese, a bit of pickle and pickled onion, and a chunk of bread.

Shepherds' Pie Made with minced lamb and vegetables topped with mashed potato) C o t t a g e P i e (pictured right) Made with minced beef and vegetables topped with mashed potato. (Pictured right)

G a m m o n S t e a k w i t h e g g (Gammon is ham) Lancashire Hotpot A casserole of meat and vegetables topped with sliced potatoes.

Pie and Mash with parsley liquor A very traditional East End London meal.

The original pies were made with eels because at the time eels were a cheaper product than beef. About fifty years ago, mince beef pies replaced the eels and have now become the traditional pie and mash that people know.

The traditional pie and mash doesn't come without its famous sauce known as liquor which is a curious shade of green and definitely non-alcoholic. The liquor tastes much nicer than it looks (it's bright green!).

83

Jellied eels are also an East End delicacy often sold with pie and mash Typically made from cold vegetables that have been left over from a previous meal, often the Sunday roast. The chief ingredients are potato and cabbage, but carrots, peas, brussels sprouts, and other vegetables can be added. The cold chopped vegetables (and cold chopped meat if used) are fried in a pan together with mashed potato until the mixture is well-cooked and brown on the sides. The name is a description of the action and sound made during the cooking process.

B a n g e r s a n d M a s h (mashed potatoes and sausages).

Bangers are sausages in England. (The reason sausages were nicknamed bangers is that during wartime rationing they were so filled with water they often exploded when they were fried.)

B l a c k P u d di n g (Blood Pudding) Looks like a black sausage. It is made from dried pigs blood and fat). Eaten at breakfast time Recipe Black pudding recipes vary from region to region, some are more peppery and some are more fatty than others. text taken from and copyright of projcetbritain.com

B a c o n R o l y - P o l y (made with a suet pastry) Cumberland sausage This famous pork sausage is usually presented coiled up like a long rope F a vo u r i t e C h i l d r e n M e a l s Three favourite meals with children are fish fingers and chips, pizza and baked beans on toast.

MEALS and MEAL TIMES

Some people have their biggest meal in the middle of the day and some have it in the evening, but most people today have a small mid-day meal - usually sandwiches, and perhaps some crisps and some fruit.

Th e y h a ve t h r e e m ai n m e a l s a d a y: • • •

Breakfast - between 7:00 and 9:00, Lunch - between 12:00 and 1:30 p.m.

Dinner (sometimes called Supper) - The main meal. Eaten anytime between 6:30 and 8:00 p.m.

(Evening meal)

Tr a d i t i o n a l l y, a n d f o r s o m e p e o p l e s t i l l , t h e m e a l s a r e c a l l e d : • • •

Breakfast - between 7:00 and 9:00, Dinner (The main meal) - between 12:00 and 1:30 p.m.

Tea - anywhere from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

84

On Sundays the main meal of the day is often eaten at midday instead of in the evening. This meal usually is a Roast Dinner consisting of a roast meat, Yorkshire pudding and two kinds of vegetables.

Th e Tr a d i t i o n a l E n g l i s h B r e a k f a s t

The traditional English breakfast consists of eggs, bacon, sausages, fried bread, baked beans and mushrooms. Even though not many people will eat this for breakfast today, it is always served in hotels and guest houses around Britain. A typical English breakfast is more likely to be a bowl of cereals, a slice of toast, orange juice and a cup of coffee Many people, especially children, in England will eat a bowl of cereal. They are made with different grains such as corn, wheat, oats etc In the winter many people will eat "porridge"

or

boiled oats.

The traditional English breakfast is called the 'Full English' and sometimes referred to as 'The Full English Fry-up'.

W h a t i s a t yp i c a l E n g l i s h l u n c h ?

Many children at school and adults at work will have a 'packed lunch'. This typically consists of a sandwich, a packet of crisps, a piece of fruit and a drink. The 'packed lunch' is kept in a plastic container.

Sandwiches are also known as a 'butty' or 'sarnie' in some parts of the UK What is a traditional English Dinner?

A typical British meal for dinner is meat and "two veg They put hot brown gravy, traditionally made from the juices of the roast meat (but more often today from a packet!) on the meat and usually the vegetables. One of the vegetables is almost always potatoes.

This traditional meal is rarely eaten nowadays, a recent survey found that most people in Britain eat curry! Rice or pasta are now favoured as the 'British Dinner'.

Vegetables grown in England, like potatoes, carrots, peas, cabbages and onions, are still very popular. They can also buy vegetables from many countries all through the year.

85

Th e S u n d a y R o a s t D i n n e r Sunday lunch time is a typical time to eat the traditional Sunday Roast. Traditionally it consists of roast meat, (cooked in the oven for about two hours), two different kinds of vegetables and potatoes with a Yorkshire pudding. The most common joints are beef, lamb or pork; chicken is also popular.

Beef is eaten with hot white horseradish sauce, pork with sweet apple sauce and lamb with green mint sauce. Gravy is poured over the meat.

Tr a d i t i o n a l D r i n k s i n E n g l a n d Te a England is a tea-drinking nation. Tea is traditionally brewed in a warmed china teapot, adding one spoonful of tea per person and one for the pot. Most English like their tea strong and dark, but with a lot of milk.

Interesting Fact Years ago, the milk was poured into the cup first, so as not to crack the porcelain.

Th e t r a d i t i o n a l w a y of m a k i n g t e a i s :       

Boil some fresh cold water. (They use an electric kettle to boil water) Put some hot water into the teapot to make it warm.

Pour the water away Put one teaspoon of tea-leaves per person, and one extra tea-spoon, into the pot.

Pour boiling water onto the tea.

Leave for a few minutes.

Serve

Did you know?

If someone asks you if you 'would like a cuppa', they are asking if you would like a cup of tea.

If someone says 'let me be mother' or 'shall I be mother', they are offering to pour out the tea from the teapot.

Te a W o r d s a n d p h r a s e s Tea break, High tea, tea time, tea party, tea towel and many more terms have derived from the tradition of drinking tea.

Tea breaks are when tea and biscuits are served. The traditional time for tea breaks are at 11:00 am (Elevensee) and 4 pm in the afternoon.

If something is not quite to your taste, it’s probably 'not your cup of tea'. e.g. Windsurfing is not my cup of tea.

86

Coffee Coffee is now as popular in England as tea is. People either drink it with milk or have it black and either have freshly- made coffee or instant coffee.

Bitter Britain is also well known for its ale which tends to be dark in appearance and heavier than lager. It is known as "bitter" Bitter is served in Pubs Wine England's wine industry is growing from strength to strength.. A growing number of English vineyards are now producing sparkling white wine as well as full bodied red wine. There are over 100 vineyard in Kent.

Cheeses

. C h e d d a r i s a c l e a r f a v o u r i t e, a c c o u n t i n g f o r o v e r 5 7 % o f t h e m ar k e t , a n d i s b o u g h t r e g u l a r l y b y 9 4 % of h o u s e h o l d s . I t i s a h a r d c h e e s e wi t h a s t r o n g , n u t t y t a st e .

C h e d d a r o r i g i n a t e s f r o m a v i l l a g e i n S o m e r s e t i n we s t e r n E n g l a n d , a l s o f a m o u s f o r i t s g o r g e . T h er e a r e s i x v a r i e t i e s o f c h e d d a r - m i l d , m e d i u m , m at u r e , v i n t a g e , F a r m h o u s e a n d W e st C o u n t r y.

C h e e s e va r i e t i e s E n g l i s h p e o p l e h a v e a gr e a t l o v e f o r c h e e s e a n d o v er 4 0 0 v a r i e t i e s o f c h e e s e a r e p r o d u c e d i n E n g l a n d . T h e y a l l h a v e h a v e u n i q u e f l a v o u r s a n d t e xt u r e s . T he m o st c o m m o n ar e t h e h a r d e r v a r i e t i e s s u c h a s C h e d d a r , S t i l t o n , R e d Leicester, Cheshire and Double Gloucester .

Named after places

87

M a n y c h e e s e s ar e n a m e d a f t er t h e p l a c e o r a r e a t h e y ar e m a d e . T h es e c h e e s e s include Caerphilly, Cheshire, Derby, Double Gloucester , Lancashire, Red L e i c e s t e r , S t i l t o n a n d W e n s l e yd a l e .

Speciallity cheeses Speciality cheeses include the Cornish Yarg, Shropshire Blue, Somerset Brie and Camembert.

Interesting Fact The Romans introduced cheeses to England.

TAK E AW AY F O O D ( E a t o u t f o o d )

Take-away meals are very popular and most towns have a selection of Indian, Italian, Chinese and Greek Restaurants. You will also find Macdonalds, Burger King and Subway.

Fish and Chips Fish and chips is the classic English take-away food and is the traditional national food of England. It became popular in the 1860's when railways began to bring fresh fish straight from the east coast to the our cities over night.

The fish (cod, haddock, huss, plaice) is deep fried in flour batter and is eaten with chips. Traditionally, the fish and chips are covered with salt and malt vinegar and, using your fingers, eaten straight out of the

88

newspaper which they were wrapped in. Now-a-days small wooden forks are provided and the fish and chips are wrapped in more hygienic paper.

In the north of England, fish and chips is often served with "mushy peas" (mashed processed peas).

Changes in diet over the Years Britain is an island between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. No one in England lives more than 120 km (75 miles) from the sea. For people living near the sea, fish and shellfish have always been popular foods.

Away from the sea, people first ate wild animals, but then hundreds of years ago they began keeping sheep, cows and chickens on farms. Farmers have grown fruit, vegetables and cereals (for bread making) for centuries too.

During the Middle Ages (11th to 15th Century), Ships brought sugar, nuts and spices from far away. The spices were often used to hide the taste of the food which was going bad! When sailors went to foreign places they bought back more kinds of food.

When fridges and freezes were invented, people could keep food much longer.

What food was "invented" or discovered in England?

1

762: The sandwich was invented in England.

There is a town named Sandwich in the south of England. John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich invented a small meal that could be eaten with one hand while he continued his nonstop gambling.

1 9 02 : Marmite was invented in England Marmite is dark brown-coloured savoury spread made from the

yeast

that is a by-product of the brewing industry. It has a very strong,

slightly

salty flavour. It is definitely a love-it-or-hate-it type of food.

89

HP Sauce was invented in England at the end of the 19th century by Mr FG Garton, a Nottingham grocer. He was down on his luck and couldn't pay his bills, so when Edwin Samson Moore, owner of the Midland Vinegar Company, offered to cancel his debt with the company and pay him ÂŁ150 for the recipe, plus the use of the name HP, Garton jumped at the chance.

Moore had been looking around for some time for a sauce to manufacture and market. He liked both the taste and the name of Garton's HP Sauce, which had an appropriately patriotic ring to it. The HP stood for Houses of Parliament, as it was rumoured that the sauce had been seen gracing the tables of one of the dining rooms there.

Worcestershire Sauce (Worcester Sauce) 1837 John Lea and William Perrins of Worcester, England started manufacturing Worcester Sauce (Worcestershire). Worcester sauce was originally an Indian recipe, brought back to Britain by Lord Marcus Sandys, ex-Governor of Bengal. He asked two chemists, John Lea and William Perrins, to make up a batch of sauce from his recipe.

PUBS The word pub is short for public house. There are over 60,000 pubs in the UK (53,000 in England and Wales, 5,200 in Scotland and 1,600 in Northern Ireland). One of the oldest pubs, Fighting Cocks in St. Albans, Herts, is located in a building that dates back to the eleventh century.

A Pub Pubs are popular social meeting places.

90

Pubs are an important part of meet their friends and relax there.

British life. People talk, eat, drink,

Inside a pub Pubs often have two bars, one usually quieter than the other, many have a garden where people can sit in the summer. Children can go in pub gardens with their parents.

Pub Bar Groups of friends normally buy 'rounds' of drinks, where the person whose turn it is will buy drinks for all the members of the group. It is sometimes difficult to get served when pubs are busy: people do not queue, but the bar staff will usually try and serve those who have been waiting the longest at the bar first. If you spill a stranger's drink by accident, it is good manners (and prudent) to offer to buy another drink.

Top 10 English Pubs

The Lord Nelson in Southwold, Suffolk, England, is a popular coastal pub.

91

1.

The Betjeman Arms, St. Pancras, London Whether you want a last pint before zooming beneath the Channel to France or Belgium, or a first taste of the best of British ale, hasten along to The Betjeman Arms, a comfortable pub in St. Pancras Station, home of Eurostar. Part “gastro” (good food) and part pub (good beer), this is a highly successful modern take on the railroad pubs of old.

Planning: Opening hours: 10 a.m.–11 p.m.

2.

The Royal Oak, Borough, London Situated close to the spot where the Tabard Inn in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales supposedly stood, this pub has its own pilgrims, who come to contemplate the magnificent beers of Sussex brewer, Harveys. Keeping alive the traditions of London pub life, it is a good place for that time-honored pub activity: conversation.

Planning: Opening hours: 11 a.m.–11 p.m., weekdays; 12 p.m.–11 p.m., Saturdays; 12–6 p.m., Sundays.

3.

The Bricklayer’s Arms, Putney, London This compact Victorian gem—with wooden floors, old photos on the walls, and a central bar—lies hidden away down a small cul-de-sac not far from the Thames. Run by former actress Becky Newman, it is a showcase for Timothy Taylor’s range of pristine Yorkshire ales. There are also guest ales, occasional beer festivals, and delicious food in the evenings.

Planning: Opening hours: 12–11 p.m.; 12–10:30 p.m., Sundays.

4.

The Thatchers Arms, Mount Bures, Essex Sitting atop a ridge, The Thatchers Arms overlooks the Stour and Colne valleys, beloved of the locally born landscape painter John Constable. This is also excellent walking country, and The Thatchers Arms is an ideal place to relax after a ramble. Order a plate of traditional pub food, such as bangers and mash, and wash it down with a pint of local Brewers Gold.

Planning: Opening hours: 12–3 p.m., 6–11 p.m., weekdays (closed Mondays); 12–11 p.m., weekends

5.

The Anchor, Walberswick, Suffolk Walberswick is everyone’s idea of an English country village, in which The Anchor presents its own distinctive style. A prime example of 1920s’ “Tudorbethan” architecture, it has a bright two-roomed bar, while a sea-facing terrace offers space for alfresco eating and drinking. Plump down for Adnams’ real ales, a tremendous wine list, and a superb menu featuring locally sourced ingredients.

Planning: Opening hours: 11 a.m.–4 p.m., 6–11 p.m., weekdays; 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Saturdays; 12–11 p.m., Sundays.

.

92

15. CASTLES A castle is a type of fortified structure, developed in Europe during the middle Ages. The first castles appeared in England during the 11th century. A few castles are known to have been built in England before the Normans invaded in 1066; a great many were built in the years following, the principal mechanism by means of which the Normans were able to consolidate their control over the country. Whilst a few important castles, such as the White Tower in the Tower of London, were built of stone, most early castles were mote and bailey castles of earthwork and timber, which could be constructed very quickly. Some were later rebuilt in stone, but there are a great many castle sites in England where all that is visible today are traces of earthworks.

Castles continued to be built in England for several hundred years, reaching their peak of military sophistication in the late 13th century. The two principal elements in their construction were the great tower or keep, such as the White Tower, and the fortified enclosure, such as is provided by the outer wall of the Tower of London. During the 14th century, largely as a result of the decline of feudalism, the construction of strong castles began to decline, in favor of more lightly fortified structures often described as fortified manor houses. In the far north of England, where conditions remained unsettled, fortified buildings continued to be built as late as the 16th century, not only by the rich and powerful but by any with adequate means, as defense not against great armies, but against the notorious Border Reivers.

Many took the form of the Pele tower, a smaller, more modest version of the castle keep, and many of these still survive, often incorporated in later buildings.

Castles differed from earlier fortifications in that they were generally private fortified residences. A castle was typically the residence of a feudal lord, providing the owner with a secure base from which to control his lands, as well as a symbol of wealth and power. Earlier fortified structures, such as the Saxon burh or the Iron Age hill fort, provided public or communal defenses, as did the town or city walls which were built in medieval times. The many Roman forts of which ruins survive in Britain differed in being wholly military in nature, camps or strongholds of the Roman army: the Romans also built town or city walls in England which can still be seen, for instance at Silchester.

By the 16th century the role of fortifications had changed once more with the development of artillery capable of breaching even thick stone walls. In the reign of Henry VIII, fears of invasion led to the building of a series of new fortresses along the south coast of England, known as the Device Forts or Henrician Castles. These were designed to use and to defend against artillery, and since they were not private residences, but national fortifications, they do not possess what architectural historians have come to see as the defining characteristics of a castle. Nonetheless they are visibly castle-like, being compact, with battlemented walls, squat turrets and sometimes a keep; and they were the last generation of fortresses in England to be known as castles, long before architectural historians began to argue that they should not be. One of them, Pendennis Castle, was one of the last Royalist strongholds

93

to fall to the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War starvation forcing surrender after a siege of five months.

As the role of the castle as fortress declined in the later medieval period, its role as a residence increasingly became the more important. Castles such as Herstmonceux were built with fortifications seemingly designed more for show than for strength, implying a further evolution in the role and concept of the castle, becoming less a means of enforcing power but instead a symbol of its possession, a castle becoming a grand residence proclaiming the status of its owner. Once fortifications had become altogether redundant, it became increasingly rare in England for new buildings to be described as castles, in contrast to France, where country houses continued to be known as ch창teaux.

Once no longer needed as fortresses, castles if they were not abandoned were, over the centuries, adapted and modernised to make them more suitable for continued use as residences: large windows were inserted in defensive walls, as at Lumley; outer walls were demolished or lowered to open up views from within, as at Raby; new residential ranges were built to improve and extend accommodation, as at Windsor. Some castles were restored after falling into ruin, like Bamburgh; others, like Belvoir, were demolished and rebuilt, retaining little or none of the original structure. In the 18th and 19th centuries especially, many castles underwent "improvements" by architects such as Anthony Salvin, and in this period a fashion developed for entirely new houses to be built in the style of castles, and to be known as castles. Amongst these was Peckforton Castle, built by Salvin: a building so authentic in its recreation of a medieval castle that it has been described as possibly the last serious fortified home built in Britain.

94

The Top 16 Best Castles in England Warwick Castle

: Warwick Castle is a medieval castle in Warwick, the county town of Warwickshire, England. It sits on a cliff overlooking a bend in the River Avon. Warwick Castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068 within or adjacent to Anglo-Saxon burh of Warwick. It was used as a fortification until the early 17th century, when Sir Fulke Greville converted it to a country house. It was owned by the Greville family, who became earls of Warwick in 1759, until 1978.

From 1088, the castle traditionally belonged to the Earl of Warwick, and it served as a symbol of his power. The castle was taken in 1153 by Henry of Anjou, later Henry II. It has been used to hold prisoners, including some from the Battle of Poitiers in the 14th century. Under the ownership of Richard Neville – also known as “Warwick the Kingmaker” – Warwick Castle was used in the 15th century to imprison the English king, Edward IV. Warwick Castle has been compared with Windsor Castle in terms of scale, cost, and status.

Since its construction in the 11th century, the castle has undergone structural changes with additions of towers and redesigned residential buildings. Originally a wooden motte-and-bailey, it was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. During the Hundred Years War, the facade opposite the town was refortified, resulting in one of the most recognisable examples of 14th century military architecture.

In the 17th century the grounds were turned into a garden. Warwick Castle was purchased by The Tussauds Group in 1978 and opened as a tourist attraction. It is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building.

95

Tower of London

Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically as The Tower), is a historic monument in central London, England, on the north bank of the River Thames. It is located within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and is separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill.

The Tower of London is often identified with the White Tower, the original stark square fortress built by William the Conqueror in 1078. However, the tower as a whole is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat.

The tower’s primary function was a fortress, a royal palace, and a prison (particularly for high status and royal prisoners, such as the Princes in the Tower and the future Queen Elizabeth I). This last use has led to the phrase “sent to the Tower” (meaning “imprisoned”). It has also served as a place of execution and torture, an armoury, a treasury, a zoo, the Royal Mint, a public records office, an observatory, and since 1303, the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.

96

Bodiam Castle

Bodiam Castle is a quadrangular castle located near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It is said to be a perfect example of a late medieval moated castle. While not large enough to garrison many soldiers, the castle was ideally suited for defence against a militant rural populace after the English Peasants’ Revolt and for the entertainment of foreign merchants or dignitaries.

It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, supposedly at the request of Richard II in order to defend the surrounding area from French invasion. By 1434 Sir Edward Dalyngrigge’s nephew Richard was living in the castle.[1] Recent research suggests that the castle was built more for show than as an effective defence. There is evidence supporting that research, as the walls of Bodiam Castle are only a couple of feet thick.

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle, in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, is the largest inhabited castle in the world

97

and, dating back to the time of William the Conqueror, is the oldest in continuous occupation. The castle’s floor area is approximately 484,000 square feet (44,965 square metres).

Together with Buckingham Palace in London and Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, it is one of the principal official residences of the British monarch. Queen Elizabeth II spends many weekends of the year at the castle, using it for both state and private entertaining. Her other two residences, Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle, are the Royal Family’s private homes.

Most of the Kings and Queens of England, later Kings and Queens of Great Britain, and later still kings and queens of the Commonwealth realms, have had a direct influence on the construction and evolution of the castle, which has been their garrison fortress, home, official palace, and sometimes their prison.

The castle’s history and that of the British monarchy are inextricably linked. Chronologically the history of the castle can be traced through the reigns of the monarchs who have occupied it. When the country has been at peace, the castle has been expanded by the additions of large and grand apartments; when the country has been at war, the castle has been more heavily fortified. This pattern has continued to the present day.

St. Michael’s Mount

: St Michael’s Mount is a tidal island located 366 m (400 yd) off the Mount’s Bay coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is united with Marazion by a man-made causeway, passable only at mid to low tide, made of granite setts. The island exhibits a combination of slate and granite.

Historically, St Michael’s Mount was a Cornish counterpart of Mont Saint Michel in Normandy, France.

St Michael’s Mount is known colloquially by locals as simply the Mount.

98

The chapel is extra-diocesan, and the castle is the official residence of Lord St Levan. Many relics, chiefly armour and antique furniture, are preserved in the castle. The chapel of St Michael, a fifteenth century building, has an embattled tower, in one angle of which is a small turret, which served for the guidance of ships. Chapel Rock, on the beach, marks the site of a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary, where pilgrims paused to worship before ascending the Mount. A few houses are built on the hillside facing Marazion, and a spring supplies them with water.

Stokesay Castle

Stokesay Castle, located at Stokesay, a mile south of the town of Craven Arms, in South Shropshire, is the oldest fortified manor house in England, dating to the 12th century. It is currently in the hands of English Heritage. It is a Grade I listed building.

The origins of this Stoke, or “dairy farm�, go back to the Conquest, when the manor was part of the vast holdings in the West of England granted to the family of Lacy. By 1115, it had been regranted to Theodoric de Say, of Sai in Normandy, and Stoke Lacy became Stokesay, but the main construction was undertaken by Laurence of Ludlow, based in Shrewsbury, the richest local wool merchant of his generation, who acquired Stokesay in 1281.

99

Skipton Castle

Skipton Castle is situated within the town of Skipton, North Yorkshire, England. The castle has been preserved for over 900 years, built in 1090 by Robert de Romille, a Norman baron.

The castle has stood for 900 years, first built as a Motte and Bailey castle in 1090 by Robert de Romille, a Norman baron. The castle was soon replaced with a stone keep as the old Motte and Bailey constructed

was

not

enough

to

withstand

the

attacks

from

the

Scots

to

the

north.

In 1310, Edward II granted the property of the castle to Robert Clifford who was appointed Lord Clifford of Skipton and Guardian of Craven. Robert Clifford ordered many improvements to the fortifications of the castle but died in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 when the improvements were barely complete.

During the English Civil War it was the only remaining Royalist stronghold in the north of England until December 1645. After a 3 year siege, a surrender was negotiated in 1645 between Oliver Cromwell and the

Royalists.

Oliver

Cromwell

ordered

the

removal

of

the

castle

roofs.

Skipton remained the Cliffords’ principal seat until 1676. Lady Anne Clifford (1590-1676) was the last Clifford to own Skipton castle. After the 3 year siege, she ordered repairs and as a commemoration she planted a yew tree in the central courtyard to mark the Castle’s repair from the English Civil War. Today it stands as one of the most preserved medieval castles in England and is both a tourist attraction and a private residence.

100

Carlisle Castle

:Carlisle Castle is situated in Carlisle, Cumbria, England. The castle is over 900 years old and has been the scene of many historical episodes in British history. Given the proximity of Carlisle to the border between England and Scotland, it has been the centre of many wars and invasions. Today the castle is managed by English Heritage and is open to the public. The castle until recently was the administrative headquarters of the former King’s Own Royal Border Regiment now county headquarters to the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment and a museum to the regiment is within the castle walls.

Lincoln Castle

Lincoln Castle is a major castle constructed in Lincoln, England during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress. It remained in use as a prison and law court

101

into modern times, and is one of the better preserved castles in England; the Crown Courts continue to this day. It is open to the public as a museum.

Lincoln Castle remains one of the most impressive Norman castles in the United Kingdom. It is still possible to walk around the immense 12th century walls with its ramparts providing a magnificent view of the Castle complex, together with panoramic views of the Cathedral, the City of Lincoln and the surrounding countryside.

Another attraction is the opportunity to see one of the four surviving originals of the Magna Carta, sealed

by King John after his meeting with the Barons at Runnymede in 1215, a document which is now housed within Lincoln Castle. There is also an accompanying exhibition, explaining the origin of the Magna Carta and its far reaching effects. Parts of the prison are also open as a museum, including the 19th century chapel, which is the only original chapel designed for the ‘Separate System’ (every seat is enclosed) left in the world today. The women’s wing of the prison opened to visitors in 2005.

Leeds Castle

Leeds Castle, four miles south east of Maidstone, Kent, England, dates back to 1119, though a manor house stood on the same site from the ninth century. The castle and grounds lie to the east of the village of Leeds, Kent, which should not be confused with the city of Leeds in West Yorkshire.

102

Arundel Castle

Arundel Castle in West Sussex, England is a restored medieval castle. The castle dates from the reign of Edward the Confessor (r. 1042-1066) and was completed by Roger de Montgomery, who became the first to hold the earldom of Arundel by the graces of William the Conqueror. The castle was damaged in the English Civil War and then restored in the 18th and 19th centuries.

From the 11th century onward, the castle has served as a hereditary stately home to several families (with a few and brief reversions to the Crown) and is currently the principal seat of the Duke of Norfolk and his family. It is a Grade I listed building.

Alnwick Castle

103

Alnwick Castle is a castle and stately home in Alnwick, Northumberland, England and the residence of the Duke of Northumberland, built immediately following the Norman conquest, and renovated and remodelled a number of times. It is a Grade I listed building.

Since the Second World War, parts of the castle have been used by various educational establishments: Firstly, by the Newcastle Church High School for Girls then, from 1945 to 1975, as a teacher training college and, since 1981, by St. Cloud State University as a branch campus forming part of their International Study Programme.

The castle is used as a stand in for the exterior and interior of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter (film)|Harry Potter films (though the wide angle images are computer generated). It has previously been a location used in Becket, Blackadder; Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and many others listed in the Location section of the Alnwick Castle website.

Dover Castle

Dover Castle is situated at Dover, Kent and has been described as the “Key to England� due to its defensive significance throughout history.

104

The castle, secret tunnels and surrounding land are now owned by English Heritage and the site is a major tourist attraction. The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is officially head of the castle, in his conjoint position of Constable of Dover Castle, and the Deputy Constable has his residence in Constable’s Gate.

Hever Castle

Hever Castle, in Kent, England (in the village of Hever), was the seat of the Boleyn, originally ‘Bullen’ family. It began as a country house, built in the 13th century and converted into a manor in 1462 by Geoffrey Boleyn, who served as Lord Mayor of the City of London. The remains of the timber dwelling can still be seen within the stone walls of the fortification. Some time after 1505, the Boleyn family moved in, and Anne Boleyn (and her siblings, Mary Boleyn and George Boleyn), although probably not born here, did grow up here for a time, before she was sent to the Netherlands and then to the French court for her education from 1513 to 1521. After Anne married King Henry VIII of England secretly in 1533; she and her brother George were executed in 1536 and her father Thomas Boleyn died in 1539, the property came into the possession of Henry VIII. He bestowed it on Anne of Cleves upon the annulment of their marriage (1540), but she probably spent little time there. Hever Castle still has one of Henry’s private locks, taken with him on his various visits to noblemen’s houses and fitted to every door for his security.

The building subsequently passed through various owners, including the Waldegrave family in 1557, and the Meade Waldo family from 1749-1903. During this latter period of ownership, the castle fell into a poor state of repair, during which time it was leased to various private tenants, until it was acquired, in 1906 and completely restored by the American millionaire William Waldorf Astor, who used it as a family residence. The estate is now run as a conference centre, but the castle is open to the public and is particularly well known for its mazes. The only original part of Hever Castle is the gatehouse. In the castle there are exhibits from differing historical eras, including instruments of torture and a museum of the Kent Yeomanry.

There is a yew maze, planted in 1904, as well as a more recent addition, a water maze, which opened in 1987.

The garden is large has a wide range of features including an Italianate garden, rose gardens and a lake

105

Rochester Castle

Rochester Castle stands on the east bank of the River Medway, in Rochester, Kent. It is one of the bestpreserved castles of its kind in the UK. There has been a fortification on this site since Roman times (c AD43), though it is the keep of 1127 and the Norman castle which can be seen today. With the invention of gunpowder other types of defence became more appropriate, and the military centre of the Medway Towns moved to Chatham.

The castle is now maintained by English Heritage and is open to the public. The wooden flooring in the centre of the keep is gone, but many of the passageways and spiral staircases within the thickness of the walls are still usable. Decorative chevrons ornament the archways and the water well in the crosswall is clearly visible. Visitors with a head for heights can climb 111 ft (34 m) to the battlements and enjoy a commanding view of the river and surrounding area.

Since Victorian times, Rochester Castle Gardens have been an important leisure area for Rochester.

They were a popular promenade, they have hosted a bandstand, and have become a centre point for festivals and summer concerts.

106

16. LANDMARKS Famous Landmarks found in England England is a land of ancient cities, royal palaces, massive cathedrals, and legendary sites. Mighty castles, stately homes, glorious gardens, and tiny picturesque villages enhance the natural beauty of the countryside.

Stonehenge Stonehenge is the most famous prehistoric monument in Britain. It is a circle of stones.

This stone circle is called Stonehenge People began building Stonehenge about 5,000 years ago, dragging each stone into place.

Stonehenge is situated on Salisbury Plain in the county of Wiltshire.

107

Age estimated at 3100 BC Location Wiltshire, UK Type of stone Bluestone, Sarson, Welsh Sandstone Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle has been a royal residence for over 900 years and today is one of the homes of Queen Elizabeth ll. The royal standard flies from the round tower of the Castle when the Queen is in residence.

Windsor Castle has dominated the river Thames for over 900 years. It was built by the Normans from timber and later rebuilt in stone.

108

Hadrians Wall

Hadrian's Wall, a stone wall barrier built to separate the Romans and the Picts tribes in Scotland 2000 years ago. It allowed Roman soldiers to control the movements of people coming into or leaving Roman Britain. It was so well built that you can still see parts of it today.

Kings College, Cambridge

King’s College, founded in 1441 by Henry VI, is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The chapel, is home to the world-famous Choir.

109

Th e W h i t e C l i f f s o f D o ve r

The White Cliffs of Dover are truly one of the most famous English landmarks. These distinctive cliffs have been a welcoming site for returning sailors through the many centuries. (Famous song) B l a c k p o o l Tow e r

Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire in England which was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. It is said to be the most famous seaside landmark in England.

110

London Landmarks

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is one of the most popular landmarks in London. It is the London home of the

British Royal family. The 600 room palace is surrounded by a 40 acre garden.

\

111

Th e P a l a c e o f W e s t m i n s t e r

The Palace of Westminster, known also as the Houses of Parliament, is where the two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (the House of Lords and the House of Commons) conduct their sittings. The Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the London borough of the City of Westminster.

Tow e r o f L o n d o n

This royal fortress, on the north banks of the River Thames, was built by William the Conqueror, following his successful invasion in 1066. It has been added to over the years by the various monarchs.

112

The Tower, or Bloody Tower as it is known, has been host to many famous executions and imprisonments, including those of Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey and Sir Walter Raleigh. The Jewel House, which houses the Crown Jewels, lies within the confines of the Tower of London.Th e Lo n d on Eye

The London Eye, next to County Hall, is another of London’s most modern landmarks. It is the world’s biggest ferris wheel, and will carry 800 passengers at a time on a thirty-minute ride. From its highest point of 450 feet, it promises views of up to 25 miles.

St Paul's Cathedral

The dome of St Paul's Cathedral is the second biggest dome in the world, after St Peter's in Rome.

113

The first St Paul's Cathedral was built in 604 AD but burnt down in 675. The rebuilt cathedral was again burnt down in the Great Fire of London in 1666.

On 2nd September, 1666, the Great Fire of London destroyed a large area of the city including St. Paul's Cathedral. Sir Christopher Wren was given the task of designing and rebuilding St. Paul's - a task that was to take him thirty-five years to complete. The most dramatic aspect of St. Paul's was its great dome.

It was the second largest dome ever built (the largest was St. Peter's Basilica in Rome).

114

17. MUSEUMS Find a wealth of fantastic art and fascinating artefacts in London's top museums.

London is a real treat for museum lovers. There are hundreds to choose from, including the British Museum, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. Below is a list of London's major museums – the big venues with incredible collections that any visitor to the city would be sorry to miss.

Many are free, so it won't cost you a penny to see all that they have to offer.

Within London's high quality, varied museums, you can see an incredible range of amazing objects: one of the finest collections of Ancient Egyptian artefacts in the world; a 26-metre-long dinosaur; theatre costumes – both new and antique; old London buses; and even a human torpedo.

British Museum

The world-famous British Museum exhibits the works of man from prehistoric to modern times, from around the world. Highlights include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and the mummies in the Ancient Egypt collection. Entry is free but special exhibitions require tickets.

Design Museum

115

The Design Museum is the world's leading museum devoted to contemporary design in every form: from furniture to graphics, and architecture to industrial design. Check out the regular exhibitions dedicated to the rich creativity found in all forms of design, and its importance to our world.

Imperial War Museum Discover the story of those who lived, fought and died in conflict from the First World War to the present at the Imperial War Museum. Learn about WW1 in The Trench Experience, explore espionage in The Secret War, and visit the acclaimed Holocaust Exhibition. Entry is free but some special exhibitions require tickets.

London Transport Museum

The London Transport Museum hosts exhibitions connecting transport with the social and cultural history of London. Inside you'll find more than 80 vehicles spanning 200 years of London's history, including a red Routemaster bus and the world's first Underground steam train. There are some great posters and artwork too!

Museum of London

116

The Museum of London is the world's largest urban museum, packed with historic objects and exhibitions telling the story of London's past. Discover prehistoric London, the city under Roman rule, and the grandeur of medieval London. Don't miss the new Galleries of Modern London, from 1666 to the present. Free entry

Natural History Museum As well as the permanent (and permanently fascinating!) dinosaur exhibition, the Natural History Museum boasts a collection of the biggest, tallest and rarest animals in the world. See a life-sized blue whale, a 40-million-year-old spider, and the beautiful Central Hall. Entry is free but special exhibitions require tickets.

Royal Museums Greenwich Visit the National Maritime Museum - the world's largest maritime museum, see the historic Queen's House, stand astride the Prime Meridian at Royal Observatory Greenwich and explore the famous Cutty Sark: all part of the Royal Museums Greenwich. Some are free to enter; some charges apply.

Science Museum From the future of space travel to asking that difficult question: "who am I?", the Science Museum makes your brain perform Olympic-standard mental gymnastics. See, touch and experience

117

the major scientific advances of the last 300 years; and don't forget the awesome Imax cinema. Entry is free but some exhibitions require tickets.

Victoria and Albert Museum The V&A celebrates art and design with 3,000 years' worth of amazing artefacts from around the world.

A real treasure trove of goodies, you never know what you'll discover next: furniture, paintings, sculpture, metalwork and textiles; the list goes on and on‌ Entry is free but special exhibitions require you to purchase tickets.

Get hands on at the National Football Museum The history and culture of the national game is revealed as you explore the world's largest football collection.

Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester

The Lowry Check out the sunlight glinting off the aluminium of The Lowry theatre and gallery complex.

Location: Salford, Greater Manchester .

118

The Beamish Museum The multi award-winning Living Museum of the North.

Location: Durham, County Durham

Contemporary art at Eastbourne’s Towner Museum Great for international touring art exhibitions and South Downs National Park inspired imagery, Towner is a must do visit for anyone discovering the artistic Sussex coast.

Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex

Dress like a Roman at the City Museum Can you hear the medieval moot horn? Travel through 2,000 years of history with the sights and sounds of Winchester from the Iron Age to the present.

Location: Winchester, Hampshire

119

Explore old boats at Hull and East Riding Museum Don’t miss the Hull and East Riding Museum where you will find a woolly mammoth and one of the world’s oldest boats.

Location: Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire

Fly high at RAF Museum Cosford Here you can experience aviation life in wartime including the chance to see the world's oldest Spitfire.

Location: Cosford, Shropshire

Madame Tussaud’s Museum

Tussaud and her successors have fashioned literally thousands of replicas of famous people. Visitors can view world leaders, actors/actresses, sports legends, famous writers and artists, religious figures, musicians, and a host of other characters. Besides those displays there are also several themed sections in the museum including the Chamber of Horrors and an taxi ride for a journey through history.

120

18. REASONS TO VISIT LONDON London is the political, economic and cultural capital of Britain.

There are many reasons to visit London,

You can visit the Queen's official residence at Buckingham Palace and tour the Houses of

Parliament, historic home of the UK government.

Connectivity London is incredibly well-connected, with five international airports and the high-speed Eurostar rail link. More than 50 countries are within a three-hour flight time and 310 international destinations have direct links to London.

Diversity London is a city at the centre of the world – and a world in one city. Around 230 languages are spoken here and you'll find a wealth of different cultures and communities throughout the capital.

History London's history stretches back over thousands of years, and the city boasts four World Heritage

Sites: the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. .

Restaurants There are more than 6,000 restaurants in London so you'll never be short of new places to eat. London boasts 55 Michelin Star restaurants and many celebrity chefs are based here, and there are plenty of good, cheaper options too.

121

, Westfield Stratford City or a quirky London market, there's a huge range of places to buy gifts, fashion and food.

Family Holidays Want to bring your kids to London? They'll have a great time. London is full of child-friendly attractions, and many – including the Science Museum and Natural History Museum – are free to visit. See our Family Activities section for more ideas. .

Transport London's fantastic transport system, with its Tube, red buses and black taxis, will enable you to get around the city quickly and easily.

Accessibility London's facilities for disabled visitors are constantly improving, with more accessible attractions, restaurants, tours and transport.

•

Top Attractions

You can't fail to be excited by London's amazing attractions. See London from above on the London

Eye; meet a celebrity at Madame Tussauds; examine some of the world's most precious treasures at the British Museum or come face-to-face with the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum.

West End Theatre

122

London has the best theatre scene in the world. It attracts the very best in acting talent so don't be surprised to see a few famous faces on the London stage. Take your pick from long-running musicals, classic plays, or brand new works making their West End debut.

Iconic Skyline

London's famous skyline continues to evolve, the most recent addition being the striking Shard building.

There are plenty of places to view the iconic skyline along the river, but make sure you take in a panoramic view of London from up high at some point during your stay.

Premiere Shopping Destination

You're spoilt for choice when shopping in London; from the flagship stores on Oxford Street, to gifts and bric-a-brac at London's markets. Shop in Europe's largest urban shopping centre at Westfield Stratford, or visit an iconic department store such as Harrods or Selfridges.

Beautiful Green Spaces

123

You don't need to travel far to find green space in London. The capital is home to eight beautiful Royal Parks, including Hyde Park, St James's Park and Richmond Park. There's also Hampstead Heath in North London, with amazing views over the city. Alternatively, visit one of London's peaceful gardens such as Kew or Chelsea Physic Garden.

River and Waterways The Thames flows through Central London and provides a stunning backdrop to many of the city's top tourist attractions. River bus services and river tours are great ways to beat the traffic and enjoy wonderful views. Don't forget London's canals either, including Regent's Canal and Little Venice.

Top Sport

London attracts the biggest sporting events in the world, not least the Olympic and Paralympic

Games. See a match in London or take a tour of the capital's spectacular sporting venues from Chelsea FC's home at Stamford Bridge, to Lord's Cricket Ground or Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum.

Free Attractions

124

London is home to some of the best museums and galleries in the world – many of which are free.

Spend a few hours in the British Museum, Tate Modern, Natural History Museum or the Science

Museum, where you can browse the permanent collections at no cost.

Accommodation

There's accommodation to suit all budgets and tastes in London. London has many famous luxury

hotels, but there are plenty of cheaper options too. Meet other travellers at hostels;, or you can even camp in London!

There's Always Something New

It doesn't matter how many times you visit, you've never seen it all in London. There's always something new, from a pop-up burger joint in East London to a blockbuster exhibition at one of London's galleries.

There's something different to experience every day in London.

125

19.

Social Customs

Meeting and greeting It is proper to shake hands with everyone to whom you are introduced,both men and women. An appropriate response to an introduction is ‘’Pleased to meet you’’. If you want to introduce yourself to someone, extend your hand for a handshake and say ‘’Hello I’m..’’ Hugging is only for friends. English people are quite reserved when greeting each other.

Gift giving etiquette The British exchange gifts between family members and close friends for birthdays and Christmas or if they are invites to someone’s home. The gift need not be expensive. A bottle of wine, bunch of flowers or chocolates are all acceptable.

Dining etiquette The evening meal is the main meal of the day in most parts of Britain. Guests usually wait until everyone at their table have been served before they begin to eat.  is eaten with a knife in the right and fork in the left and dessert with a spoon and fork. Never talk with food in mouth.

Dress Everyday dress is appropriate for most visits to peoples’ home. You may want to dress more formally when attending a holiday dinner or cultural event.

Time You should arrive at the exact time specified- for dinner, lunch, or appointments with professors, doctors and other professionals. Any time during the hours specified for teas, receptions and cocktail parties. A few minutes early: for public meetings, plays, concerts, movies, sporting events, classes, church services and weddings.

HAVE A NICE TRIP!!!

126

127

128

129

SOURCES

www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/europe/england www.england.org.za www.visitngland.com www.projectbritain.com www.anglotopia.net www.biographyonline.net/writers www.english-music.co.uk www.tvguide.co.uk www.listenlive.eu/uk.html www.in-news.yahoo.com/blogs/visit-britain-in/top-10 www.historvius.com www.visitbritain.com www.visitLondon.com www.kwintessential.co.uk www.ukstudentlife.com www.telegraph.co.uk en.wikipedia.org/wiki/history of England www.englandandenglishhistory.com www.biographyonline.net/writers www.literature.blogspot.gr www.kwintessential.co.uk www.popular English literature books

130

CONTENTS ΓΥΜΝΑΣΙΟ – ΛΥΚΕΙΑΚΕΣ ΤΑΞΕΙΣ ΚΟΙΛΑΔΑΣ........................................................................................1 ΣΧ. ΕΤΟΣ 2013-14.................................................................................................................................... 1 Υπεύθυνη καθηγήτρια: Κομιώτου Ανθή.....................................................................................................1 Πλαίσιο- Στόχοι - Μεθοδολογία προγράμματος.........................................................................................3 Το πρόγραμμα με τίτλο «Ταξίδι στην Αγγλία» εντάσσεται στην θεματολογία «Πολιτιστικά Θέματα» και υλοποιήθηκε από ομάδα μαθητών του Γυμνασίου – Λυκειακών Τάξεων Κοιλάδας. Συγκεκριμένα συμμετείχαν δεκατρείς μαθητές από τη Β γυμνασίου, την Α και Β λυκείου................................................3 Οι μαθητές χωρίστηκαν σε ομάδες και επιμελήθηκαν τις ενότητες του προγράμματος. Χρησιμοποιήθηκε υλικό από τα μαθήματα της Ιστορίας της Γεωγραφίας των Αγγλικών της Μουσικής, κ.α. Οι μαθητές αναζήτησαν πληροφορίες από το διαδίκτυο και τις επεξεργάστηκαν. Χρησιμοποίησαν νέες τεχνολογίες για να συντάξουν την εργασία τους (Microsoft word) και να την παρουσιάσουν (Microsoft PowerPoint). Η συγγραφή της έγινε στην αγγλική γλώσσα. Δημιούργησαν αφίσα του προγράμματος και αναρτήθηκε στον χώρο του σχολείου. .......................................................................................................................... 3 Στα πλαίσια του προγράμματος πραγματοποιήθηκε εκπαιδευτική επίσκεψη στο τμήμα Αγγλικής φιλολογίας του Καποδιστριακού Παν/μιου Αθηνών και στο Βρεττανικό Συμβούλιο. Οι μαθητές ενημερώθηκαν για τα προγράμματα σπουδών, ξεναγήθηκαν στους χώρους της σχολής και παρακολούθησαν μάθημα στην Αγγλική γλώσσα......................................................................................3 1. ENGLAND GEOGRAPHY..................................................................................................................... 4 England's Climate.................................................................................................................................. 5 2. HISTORY.............................................................................................................................................. 8 What is the British National Anthem?........................................................................................8 What Do the Colours of the English Flag Mean?.......................................................................................8 4. ROYAL FAMILY.................................................................................................................................. 14 5. THE HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.................................................................................21 A short history of the origins and development of English................................................................21 Old English (450-1100 AD).................................................................................................................21

131

Middle English (1100-1500).................................................................................................................22 Modern English.................................................................................................................................... 22 Early Modern English (1500-1800)...................................................................................................22 Late Modern English (1800-Present)................................................................................................22 Varieties of English.............................................................................................................................. 23 FAMOUS WRITERS & THEIR WORK..............................................................................................25 Popular Classic English Literature Books................................................................................................40 7. EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM................................................................................................................... 42 8. ENGLISH THEATRES ....................................................................................................................... 48 Top English theatres............................................................................................................................... 50 9. MUSIC................................................................................................................................................. 53 10. THE MEDIA...................................................................................................................................... 56 11. ENGLISH TRADITIONS AND CELEBRATIONS ..............................................................................58 List of British Holidays and Celebrations.................................................................................................64 New Year's Day - January 1.................................................................................................................64 Twelfth Night - January 5..................................................................................................................... 64 Candlemas Day - February 2............................................................................................................... 64 Valentine's Day - February 14.............................................................................................................. 64 St. David's Day (Wales) - March 1.......................................................................................................64 St. Patrick's Day - March 17.................................................................................................................64 Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) - Day Before Lent - March/April........................................................65 Lent - March/April................................................................................................................................. 65 Mothering Sunday - 4th Sunday of Lent - March/April..........................................................................65 Maundy Thursday - Thursday Before Easter - March/April..................................................................65 Easter - March/April............................................................................................................................. 65 April Fool's Day - April 1....................................................................................................................... 65 St. George's Day (England's National Day) - April 23..........................................................................65

132

May Day - May 1.................................................................................................................................. 65 Trooping the Colours - Sometime in June............................................................................................66 Wimbledon Tennis Tournament - Sometime in June............................................................................66 Swan Upping - Third Week of July.......................................................................................................66 Notting Hill Carnival - Last Monday in August......................................................................................66 Harvest Festival - On or Near the Sunday of the Harvest Moon...........................................................66 Halloween - October 31....................................................................................................................... 66 Remembrance Day - November 11......................................................................................................66 St. Andrew's Day - November 30......................................................................................................... 66 Advent - December 1-24...................................................................................................................... 66 Christmas - December 25.................................................................................................................... 66 Boxing Day - December 26.................................................................................................................. 66 12. SPORTS............................................................................................................................................ 67 What sports do you play in Britain? ....................................................................................................67 How to play Cricket.............................................................................................................................. 67 FOOTBALL (Soccer)............................................................................................................................ 67 RUGBY................................................................................................................................................ 67 TENNIS................................................................................................................................................ 68 NETBALL............................................................................................................................................. 68 HORSE RACING................................................................................................................................. 68 BADMINTON....................................................................................................................................... 68 UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE..................................................................................................................68 FISHING.............................................................................................................................................. 68 DARTS................................................................................................................................................. 68 Famous athletes...................................................................................................................................... 70 The most popular English football clubs...............................................................................................71 13. HOUSES........................................................................................................................................... 73

133

14. FOOD ............................................................................................................................................... 81 1.The Betjeman Arms, St. Pancras, London.......................................................92 2.The Royal Oak, Borough, London....................................................................92 3.The Bricklayer’s Arms, Putney, London...........................................................92 4.The Thatchers Arms, Mount Bures, Essex.......................................................92 5.The Anchor, Walberswick, Suffolk....................................................................92 15. CASTLES.......................................................................................................................................... 93 The Top 16 Best Castles in England................................................................................................95 Warwick Castle................................................................................................................................. 95 Tower of London.............................................................................................................................. 96 Bodiam Castle.................................................................................................................................. 97 Windsor Castle................................................................................................................................. 97 St. Michael’s Mount.......................................................................................................................... 98 Stokesay Castle............................................................................................................................... 99 Skipton Castle................................................................................................................................ 100 Carlisle Castle................................................................................................................................ 101 Lincoln Castle................................................................................................................................. 101 Leeds Castle.................................................................................................................................. 102 Arundel Castle................................................................................................................................ 103 Alnwick Castle................................................................................................................................ 103 Dover Castle................................................................................................................................... 104 Hever Castle................................................................................................................................... 105 Rochester Castle............................................................................................................................ 106 16. LANDMARKS.................................................................................................................................. 107 17. MUSEUMS...................................................................................................................................... 115 Design Museum............................................................................................................................. 115 Imperial War Museum.................................................................................................................... 116

134

London Transport Museum............................................................................................................116 Museum of London......................................................................................................................... 116 Natural History Museum.................................................................................................................117 Royal Museums Greenwich............................................................................................................117 Science Museum............................................................................................................................ 117 Victoria and Albert Museum........................................................................................................... 118 Get hands on at the National Football Museum..............................................................................118 The Lowry....................................................................................................................................... 118 The Beamish Museum.................................................................................................................... 119 Contemporary art at Eastbourne’s Towner Museum......................................................................119 Dress like a Roman at the City Museum.........................................................................................119 Explore old boats at Hull and East Riding Museum........................................................................120 Fly high at RAF Museum Cosford...................................................................................................120 18. REASONS TO VISIT LONDON.......................................................................................................121 Connectivity....................................................................................................................................... 121 Diversity............................................................................................................................................. 121 History................................................................................................................................................ 121 Restaurants....................................................................................................................................... 121 Family Holidays.................................................................................................................................. 122 Transport........................................................................................................................................... 122 Accessibility....................................................................................................................................... 122 Top Attractions............................................................................................................................... 122 West End Theatre.......................................................................................................................... 122 Iconic Skyline................................................................................................................................. 123 Premiere Shopping Destination......................................................................................................123 Beautiful Green Spaces..................................................................................................................123 River and Waterways..................................................................................................................... 124

135

Top Sport....................................................................................................................................... 124 Free Attractions.............................................................................................................................. 124 Accommodation.............................................................................................................................. 125 There's Always Something New.....................................................................................................125

136

137