Quick Fun Facts About England

Photo: Explore the UK

Calling all history buffs! My American Dad was of Norman English ancestry, plus we Americans tend to be Anglophiles, which is reason enough to post some quick and dirty fun facts (as opposed to scholarly facts) about England that perhaps you didn't know. Be careful when reading them, you'll catch the travel bug! ✈

Shared on FB by Terry Oylins Asimakia combined with Explore The UK:

Photo: AHC of James I

1. England is part of the United Kingdom, which was formed on May 1, 1707. When Mary Queen of Scot's son, James VI of Scotland ascended the English throne as James I of Great Britain.

2.  The Royal Family still leads the nation, with King Charles III currently reigning.

3. England is home to the world's oldest artifacts.

4. The English are proud of their iconic cuisine, like full English breakfasts, fish and chips, and traditional Sunday roasts. I love these dishes too!

5. England’s landscapes are beautifully diverse, with locations like the White Cliffs of Dover and the Lake District National Park.

6. The country’s Industrial Revolution changed the world and spread to mainland Europe.

7. Many popular sports were invented in England, like football, tennis, cricket, rugby, badminton, golf, baseball and hockey.

8. The nation has been home to many famous and influential people and holds some of the best-known historical structures.

9. England is in the top 20 of the largest countries in Europe.

10. England is home to over 1,500 castles, ranging from ruins to fully livable castles.

11. Anglo Saxons were the first English settlers.

12. The English flag is called the Saint Georges Cross.

13. The World Wide Web was created in England.

14. Stonehenge is older than Machu Picchu and the Great Pyramids of Giza.

The British Library

15. The largest library in the world is in England.

16. There is a garden of only poisonous plants in the north of England.

17. England is close neighbors with France, with only 21 miles of ocean between them. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, French was England's official language for a time. In 1362 English became England's official language. In 1399 Henry IV was the 1st English monarch to deliver a coronation speech in English.

18. Scafell Pike is the highest point in England, at 3208 feet (or 978miles).

Photo: BSI

19. You are never (more than 84 miles) from the sea in England.

20. There are witches in England!

21. England has 55 cities. Winchester was its first capital. London became the capital city in 1066.

Cheerio!💂

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