Castle Combe, the prettiest village in England?
England
- 1 Welcome to England
- 2 The sound of English
- 3 Flying the flag
- 4 The Eden Project
- 5 Metric or imperial?
- 6 Shop till you drop
- 7 The must-see list
- 8 Famous for ever?
- 9 Quiz
Welcome to England
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Typical English pub
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Burghley House – medieval castle in Stamford
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Cotton mill in Lancashire ca. 1835
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Steam engine
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Multicultural England
Welcome to England
Many people around the world think of London when they hear the word England. The fantasy image of England for many English people, however, is a beautiful, little village in the countryside. It has an ancient stone church and picturesque houses in gardens full of flowers. Opposite the village green, where the locals play cricket on a summer afternoon, there is an old pub. In the distance there is an ancient castle or a grand historic house. A place where time stands still.
England’s heritage is not just to be found in the countryside, however. It was also the first industrialized country in the world and it led the way in developing steam engines, railways, modern ships and factories. English inventions changed not only England, but the whole world, and they still do. Where would we be today without the computer scientist Sir Tim Berners-Lee? He invented the worldwide web.
Despite its small size, England has produced an astonishing number of scientists and thinkers, from Sir Isaac Newton to Stephen Hawking. England has also made numerous contributions to world literature, philosophy, music, art, theatre, film and sport. William Shakespeare, Virginia Woolf, Paul McCartney, Barbara Hepworth, Banksy, Helen Mirren, David Beckham, Jessica Ennis … the list could go on and on.
Like the USA, England is also a country that attracts immigrants. There are people all over England with roots in what used to be the British Empire – India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Australia, the Caribbean and other places. You will also meet people from places as far apart as the Baltics, Turkey, China, Russia or the Gulf States.
So what does it mean to be English in the 21st century? England is now a multicultural and multiracial country, and most people live in towns and cities, not villages. Like all countries, England has its problems. Many blame them on the EU or on globalization. Great Britain once ruled a quarter of the world. So perhaps it is not surprising that people look back to a time when Britain – and England – had more influence and independence. Recently, Scottish nationalism has also made many English people ask: “Who are we? Who do we want to be in the modern world?”