Map of England’s Cities and Counties North-East
Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear and the Tees Valley.
North-West
Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cumbria and the Isle of Man.
East Midlands
Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.
Yorkshire and Humber South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
West Midlands
Staffordshire, Shropshire, West Midlands, Herefordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire
South-West
Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire.
East of England England
Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.
Greater London
City of London, City of Westminster and the other London Boroughs
South-East
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex.
English Landmarks Angel of the North
Hadrian’s Wall
England
The Iron Bridge Sherwood Forest
Lake Windermere
Clifton Suspension Bridge
The Roman Baths Stonehenge Buckingham Palace
Eden Project White Cliffs of Dover
next
back
Angel of the North
Where? Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, North-East What? The Angel of the North is Britain’s largest sculpture and the largest angel sculpture in the world! When? It was revealed in February 1998. Did You Know…? The angel is 20 metres tall – as high as a five storey building!
back
Buckingham Palace
Where? City of Westminster, London What? Buckingham Palace is the most well known of the Queen’s residences. It is a grand palace with 775 rooms, including 52 Royal and guest bedrooms and 78 bathrooms! When? It was first build in 1703 as a townhouse for the Duke of Buckingham. In 1761, it was bought by King George III. Queen Victoria was the first British ruler to live in Buckingham Palace from July 1837. Did You Know…? When the Queen is at home, the royal flag can be seen flying on the flag pole on top of Buckingham Palace.
back
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Where? Over the River Avon, Bristol, South-West What? The Clifton Suspension Bridge is a grand bridge crossing the Avon Gorge, near the city of Bristol. It was designed by the great Victorian engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel (who also designed steamships, the Great Western Railway and other bridges and tunnels). Did You Know…? When? It took 33 years to be built and sadly, It was completed in 1864. Brunel died five years before it was finished and opened to the public.
back
The Eden Project
Where? St Austell, Cornwall, South-West What? The Eden Project is a unique visitor attraction, made up of two huge ‘eco domes’ that contain thousands of plant species. One of the biomes is the largest indoor rainforest in the world and the other one has a Mediterranean environment. When? It was fully opened to the public in March 2001. Did You Know…? The domes are made up of special plastic hexagonal panels which have to be cleaned by abseilers!
back
Hadrian's Wall
Where? Near the border between modern-day Scotland and England. It runs from Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast.
What? Hadrian's Wall is the remains of a magnificent, 73-mile-long stone wall, running from coast to coast across the country. It includes many forts and a ditch to protect the wall from invading armies. It was the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who came to power in AD 117, who wanted to protect the Roman Empire from attack. Thus, the wall was built in his name. When? It was built by the Romans in AD 122. Did You Know…? Hadrian’s Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, just like the Pyramids of Egypt, Stonehenge and the Roman Baths.
back
The Iron Bridge
Where? Telford, Shropshire, West Midlands What? The Iron Bridge in Telford was the world’s first iron bridge. After it was built, cast iron started to be used everywhere in the construction of bridges and buildings. It became a symbol of the Industrial Revolution. When? Construction ended in 1779 but it was opened in 1781. Did You Know…? The iron bridge was built across a deep gorge that had been made by glaciers in the last ice age.
back
Lake Windermere
Where? Cumbria, North-West What? Lake Windermere is the largest natural lake in England. It is 10.5 miles long and one mile wide and is known as a ‘ribbon lake’. Technically, ‘mere’ means ‘lake’ so it can just be called ‘Windermere’. When? It was formed about 13,000 years ago, during the last major ice age. Did You Know…? There are 19 islands in the lake. They are called ‘holmes’. The word ‘holme’ comes from the Old Norse ‘holmr’, which means a small island.
back
Sherwood Forest
Where? Nottinghamshire, East Midlands What? Sherwood Forest is known as the home of the legendary Robin Hood. This ancient forest contains many very old oak trees and hundreds of species of birds, insects, mammals, fungi, trees and plants. When? It has been a wooded area for at least 10,000 years. Did You Know…? Sherwood Forest is home to the famous Major Oak, an oak tree that is about 1000 years old. According to legend, it was Robin Hood’s main hideout!
back
Roman Baths
Where? Bath, Somerset, South-West What? The Romans baths were built on the site of a hot spring. The water gushes up from the ground at a temperature of 46°C (114.8F) – hotter than usual bath water! Roman baths were like our leisure centres and were big buildings with swimming pools, toilets and changing rooms. When? The baths were built by the Romans in around AD 70. Did You Know…? The water in the main Great Bath now looks green and dirty because algae grows in it. In Roman times, there would have been a roof to stop the sunlight getting in and algae from growing.
back
Stonehenge
Where? Wiltshire, South-West What? Stonehenge is a prehistoric ring of huge standing stones. When? It was made between 3000 and 2000 BC. Did You Know…? Some of the stones in the inner circle are made from bluestone, which came from a part of Wales that is about 200 miles away. How they were transported to Stonehenge is a mystery!
back
White Cliffs of Dover
Where? Dover, Kent, South-East What? The White Cliffs of Dover are a spectacular natural landmark. Many tourists visit them each year to walk along the footpaths and see the wildlife and views across the English Channel to France. When? The cliffs are made from soft, white chalk that took millions of years to form from the remains of tiny sea creatures. Did You Know…? Each year, about 30cm of the cliffs erodes and falls into the sea. This erosion keeps the cliffs looking white but makes it dangerous to walk too near to the edge!
English Food Map Yorkshire
rhubarb, heather honey, Yorkshire pudding
Lancashire
Lincolnshire
Eccles cakes
Sausages, peas, pork
Derbyshire
Leicestershire
Bakewell tart
Melton Mowbray pork pies
Cornwall
Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds
cream tea, Cornish pasties
East Sussex Dover sole
Hampshire
Rapeseed, salmon
Truffles
Devon
Clotted cream
Isle of Wight Tomatoes
English Celebrations and Festivals Like people all over the world, English people like to celebrate their culture and have fun! In England, throughout the year, festivals and celebrations are held for people to enjoy. Here are some of the most well known. St. George’s Day 23rd April St. George is the patron saint of England. St. George was a brave soldier who protested against the Romans’ torture of Christians, and was killed for his beliefs. One of the best-known stories about Saint George is his fight with a dragon. On the Sunday nearest to 23rd April, scouts and guides across England parade through streets and go to special St. George's day services at their local churches.
English Celebrations and Festivals Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), February-March each year Lent is the traditional Christian period which lasts for 40 days (6 weeks). Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent. In the past, people were not allowed to eat luxury foods during Lent (such as eggs) so had to use them before Lent began. People would mix them with other rich foods, such as milk, flour and butter, to make pancakes. Today, many English people (whether Christian or not) like to make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.
English Celebrations and Festivals Remembrance Day 11th November Each year, this day remembers the armed forces and those who lost their lives in battle. The poppy is a symbol of Remembrance Day. The Royal British Legion charity sells paper poppy flowers to raise funds for veterans and their families. A two-minute silence is held at 11 o’clock. This time is for thinking about all of those people whose lives have been affected by wars. This is because the First World War ended at 11 o’clock on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.
English Celebrations and Festivals Bonfire Night, 5th November This marks the anniversary of a plot by Guy Fawkes and his friends to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. Their plan was to kill King James I. The ‘Gunpowder Plot’ failed and today, it is remembered with spectacular firework displays and bonfires. Many people make a ‘guy’ out of old clothes and straw to place on top of the bonfire.
Children sing a song to remember the date:
Remember, remember the 5th of November, Gunpowder, treason and plot, I see no reason, Why gunpowder treason, Should ever be forgot!
English Celebrations and Festivals England is a diverse country of about 56 million people. There are many other religious and cultural events that are celebrated, such as Diwali and Eid.
Can you find out about other English festivals and celebrations? What happens and why?