Despite its relatively small size, the cultural impact of England is far-reaching. Its colonial past is well-known and it’s one of the most-visited countries by tourists, but there are many facts about England you might not know.
Common England Facts You Should Know
Some of the things England is most famous for are the royal family, drinking tea, and the Beatles. English is spoken by more than 1 in 7 people on Earth, and its football teams are followed by fans worldwide. Yet, this quirky old country is also full of unusual traditions.
Here are 30 interesting facts about England to know that should make your trip more exciting.
Interesting Historical Facts About England
England became a country in the 10th Century.
One of the earliest facts about the English is a Neanderthal skull discovered in Kent, estimated to be around 400,000 years old.
Modern humans are documented as having permanently inhabited Great Britain since the Iron Age, starting with the Celtic Briton tribes, followed by invasions from the Romans and Anglo-Saxons.
In 927, the land was officially named the Kingdom of England.
England includes over 100 small islands.
England borders Wales and Scotland, plus the North Sea and the Irish Sea. As well as the main island, England includes over 100 smaller islands.
These include the Isle of White, the Isles of Scilly, the Farne Islands, and the Islands of Furness. However, most of the islands are very small and uninhabited by people.
The name England stems from the Angles tribe.
During the Anglo-Saxon period around 98AD, Germanic people known as the Angles tribe settled in England. They spoke Old English and the name England originates from the tribe, translating to “land of Engle”. East Anglia region is also named after them.
England is divided into 48 counties.
9 regions split into 48 ceremonial counties make up the country England. The original counties were created by the Normans but have changed over time as the population has evolved and towns and cities have become more interconnected.
The main use of counties is for geographical distinction but they also have political purposes. Their names derive from how they were formed, mostly consisting of their main town or city followed by the suffix “shire”. For example, Yorkshire, Leicestershire, and Derbyshire.
Queen Elizabeth is the longest reigning monarch.
The most commonly searched England history facts online are about the royal family. Queen Elizabeth reigned from 1952 to 2022, making her the longest-serving monarch in British history. She was just 25 when she succeeded the throne from her father, and reigned for just over 70 years until her death aged 96.
Coronation chicken was created to mark the Queen’s coronation in 1952. Served in a sandwich or as a salad, this chicken dish is made with a curried mayonnaise sauce and dried apricots.
The BBC is the oldest broadcaster in the world.
The British Broadcasting Corporation is the country’s national broadcaster and the oldest in the world – founded in 1922. It’s also the world’s largest broadcaster by employee number – over 22,000 people.
It’s one of the only TV channels which doesn’t broadcast adverts. Instead, anyone who watches BBC channels must legally pay a yearly TV license fee of £159 to fund it.
Cultural Facts About England
English people are obsessed with tea.
One of the best-known facts about the English is that they are obsessed with drinking tea. England is one of the largest consumers of tea in the world, averaging 1.9kg of tea per person every year! Tea has been a popular drink since the 18th Century and has become a central aspect of the country’s culture.
The most commonly enjoyed type is English breakfast tea, served with milk and sugar. Traditionally, it is served in a teapot and enjoyed with biscuits for dunking – delicious!
Lions are England’s national symbol.
The lion is a symbol of England and stems from King Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart. The lion is associated with bravery, strength, and courage.
England’s official royal coat of arms is a red background displaying three golden lions. You’ll also find three lions on the badge of the English national football team, and the women’s team is called the Lionesses.
Another related fun England fact is that in Harry Potter, the badge of Gryffindor house is also a lion with the same connotations of bravery.
England won the World Cup in 1966.
The only time England won the FIFA World Cup was in 1966. In the historical match, England won 4-2 against Germany at Wembley Stadium.
The song “Three Lions” was released before the match in support of the team and is now commonly played in celebration at England matches.
At the time of writing, the 1966 World Cup is the only major men’s tournament that England has won, but the national women’s team won the UEFA European Championship in 2022.
English people eat a roast dinner every Sunday.
Traditionally, English people enjoy a roast dinner on Sundays. This is one of the most exciting facts about England for foodies.
It consists of roasted meat such as chicken, lamb, or beef, served with roast potatoes, vegetables, Yorkshire puddings, stuffing, and gravy. Vegetarian versions are nut roast or vegetable wellington.
Head to any good pub in the country on a Sunday afternoon and you’ll find a hearty roast being served. The tradition stems from the late 18th Century when families left meat cooking in the oven while attending Sunday church service, ready to enjoy upon their return.
This is one of the iconic food in London that both locals and visitors can enjoy.
England has a free National Health System.
One of the proudest England culture facts is the creation of the National Health System (NHS) in 1948.
It’s funded by taxation and free to citizens at the point of delivery. Principally, it’s designed to be available based on medical need rather than an individual’s ability to pay for healthcare. Medicine is heavily subsidized and available on prescription from a doctor or pharmacist at a flat-rate fee.
The NHS has 1.7 million staff, making it the world’s fifth largest employer and the biggest non-military public service.
Facts About The English: People And Demographics
The population of England is over 56 million.
According to the most recent census carried out in 2021, the population of England currently stands at 56,489,800 people. This is the largest population ever recorded in the country. In the first census in 1801, there were only 10.5 million people in England.
Women make up 51% of the population and men form the other 49%.
English is the most spoken language in the world.
98% of the country’s residents speak English fluently.
Due to the influence of the British Empire and widely broadcasted American television shows, English is the most commonly spoken language in the world. An estimated 1.5 billion people out of the 7 billion world population speak English.
English remains the predominant language in many of Britain’s former territories, such as the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
French was once the official language of England.
One of the more unknown yet interesting facts about England is that from 1066 until 1362, the official language of England was French.
When the Normans invaded England and William the Conqueror was crowned King, he introduced Norman French as the language used by the government and upper classes.
Although English became the country’s official language after 300 years, it incorporated many French words and phrases. Some examples are cul-de-sac, archer, and surrender. French names such as William, Henry, and Richard have also remained common since Norman times.
English people all have different accents.
When you imagine a British accent, you’re probably thinking of the Queen’s English. In reality, there are many unique regional accents around the country.
This fun English fact stems from the past when transport across the country was expensive and hard to come by, so most people never left their own towns.
Although England is now well connected, strong regional accents and dialects have prevailed. Some are so strong, such as in Newcastle and Liverpool, that you may struggle to understand them if you’re not English.
English people like traditional names.
English people are very traditional when naming their children. Some bonus England history facts are that for 18 of the past 25 years, the top girl’s name has been either Emily or Emma. The Christian name Mary spent 34 of the past 100 years at the top.
For boys, Michael took the top spot for 38 consecutive years between 1961 and 1998.
England has produced many of the world’s most famous musicians.
Britain is known for its thriving music scene, and English artists have fans worldwide. Due to most of the world speaking the language, English songs dominate pop music, and artists from other countries often release songs in English.
The most influential band of all time, The Beatles, was from Liverpool and started a transatlantic cultural movement known as the “British Invasion” of rock and roll music. There are many attractions and landmarks in Liverpool catered to the band and overall English music scene; certainly one of the important facts about England to know when visiting.
Some of England’s other global artists are Ed Sheeran, Adele, Elton John, Queen, and David Bowie.
England Facts for Tourists
Stonehenge is one of the oldest manmade landmarks in the world.
Constructed around 3000-2000 BC, Stonehenge in Wiltshire is among the oldest manmade landmarks. The ruins consist of a circle of seven 4-meter-tall stones topped by horizontal stones aligning with the summer solstice sunrise. The legally protected monument is one of Britain’s most famous landmarks and UNESCO World Heritage sites.
You’re never more than 113 kilometers from the sea.
England is a small island, covering just 130,279 square kilometers. The furthest point from the sea is Coton in the Elms, a village in Derbyshire, 130 kilometers away. British seaside holidays are traditional in the summer – despite the sea being so chilly!
England still uses imperial measures and the pound.
Despite the rest of Europe using the Euro as its official currency, Britain still uses Pound Sterling. It’s the only country in the world to still use GBP – the oldest currency in use.
Stamps were invented in England.
England is the only country in the world that doesn’t display its name on its stamps. Due to an old law that has never been updated, it’s technically considered treason to stick a stamp upside down. Don’t worry, no one has ever been prosecuted for this offense.
The highest point in England is Scafell Pike.
Adventure lovers will be keen to know this fun fact about England’s highest mountain. Scafell Pike is located in the Lake District. It peaks at 978 meters above sea level.
Scafell Pike is maintained by the National Trust and attracts thousands of tourists a year. The steep climb can be dangerous in bad weather so it’s essential to properly equip yourself before visiting.
6 ravens must be kept in the Tower of London.
Lots of weird England facts come from old traditions. One superstition is that six raven birds must be kept captive in the Tower of London at all times, or the Tower and the Monarchy will fall!
This is taken so seriously that the birds have their wings clipped to stop them from flying away, and an extra raven is kept in the tower, just in case.
The current birds are Jubilee, Harris, Gripp, Rocky, Erin, Poppy, and Merlina.
England had the first underground passenger railway in the world.
The London Underground is one of the things that UK is known for. It began as the Metropolitan Railway in 1863. The first line ran between Farringdon and Paddington stations, operated by steam trains.
It’s one of the busiest metro systems in the world, with 296 million passenger journeys made in 2020.
The underground is also nicknamed “the tube” because of its circular tunnel system. The tube map was created by Harry Beck in 1931 and has become one of London’s most iconic images.
Fun Facts About England
There’s an annual cheese rolling competition.
There are plenty of weird facts about England, but this is one of the most bizarre.
A beloved tradition is the yearly Cooper’s Hill cheese rolling competition in Gloucestershire. At this event, a 3.5-kilogram wheel of local Double Gloucester cheese is set rolling down a big hill, reaching speeds of up to 110 kilometers per hour. After a one-second head start, competitors then race 180 meters down the hill in pursuit of the cheese.
Yes, seriously! The first person to reach the bottom is the winner and the prize is the cheese. What began as a village tradition hundreds of years ago has become a major event with competitors traveling from across the world.
The English national dish is Indian.
Surprisingly, one of England’s national dishes is chicken tikka masala curry. While chicken tikka was already popular in India, English people wanted a saucier dish to replicate their love of meat and gravy.
Alongside korma and balti, it was invented in Birmingham in the 1970s. Since World War II, Birmingham has had a large population of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian immigrants, which is reflected in its cuisine.
The Balti Triangle area of Birmingham is famous for having so many South Asian takeaways and restaurants.
An Englishman invented the World Wide Web.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, a computer scientist, invented the World Wide Web in 1989. He created the first ever web server and web browser and was instrumental in developing the internet for general public use. He published the first website, which was a simple description of how to use the World Wide Web, in 1990.
England has some strange slang.
Even if you speak fluent English, you’ll find some confusing slang used in different parts of the country.
Cockney rhyming slang was developed in East London in the 1800s. It uses phrases of two or more words, with the last word swapped for another that rhymes. For example, going up the “apples and pears” means going upstairs.
Other slang words you might hear are “mardy” which means moody, “lush” which means lovely, and “sick” which means cool!
You can drive from England to France through an underwater tunnel.
The Eurostar is a high-speed railway that connects England to France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The channel tunnel is an underwater tunnel from London St Pancras to Paris which opened in 1994. The 345-kilometer journey takes just 3 hours and is cheaper than taking a flight.
It rains a lot in England.
It’s not a stereotype that British people always complain about the weather, they genuinely do. One of the most-quoted England facts is that on average, it rains 133 days a year. The record was the year 2000, which saw 178.5 days of rain!
Discovering More Interesting and Fun Facts About England
These are just a few of the fun facts about England. It’s an old, traditional country steeped in history and culture, so there are many weird and wonderful interesting England facts to learn.
The country has a thriving tourism industry so it’s a great choice for your next vacation. Visit its ancient monuments, travel on the London Underground to Buckingham Palace, and enjoy a cup of tea or a chicken tikka masala. This exciting and vibrant country has so much to explore!
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