Culture UK
Who are the British? Do they really drink tea, eat roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and never leave home without an umbrella? Find out more about true Brits; past and present, myth and legend, fact and fiction.
The most bizarre laws in British history
Britain has a long and often eccentric legal history, filled with laws that range from the oddly specific to the downright peculiar. While many of these strange statutes were repealed years ago, a surprising number remain in force ‘technically’ today.
The English Renaissance
William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Inigo Jones, Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Tallis. The Elizabethan era is seen as the height of the English Renaissance, the dominant art forms of which were literature, theatre and music…
The Golden Age of Caricature in Georgian England
Brutal, outrageous and often hilariously exaggerated, these caricatures offer a fascinating window into the social, political and cultural life of England during the Georgian era.
How the BBC Caused a Snooker Boom — Twice
The advent of colour television and a program called ‘Pot Black’ introduced snooker to a whole new audience and led to a snooker boom in the UK. Then cable television made it possible for ‘Pot Black’ to bring snooker directly into many European living rooms as well…
Shrovetide and the Original Derby Game
Shrovetide football is an ancient, rough and chaotic ball game played on Shrove Tuesday, involving two rival teams of local people who try to manoeuvre a huge ball from one end of town to the other, with a minimal number of rules – and no limit as to the number of players…
Queen Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach
A powerhouse of intellectual enlightenment and a champion of modernity, Queen Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a trailblazer. Married to George II, this most influential queen consort’s political acumen helped secure the Hanoverian dynasty.
Royal Hunting – A Wilderness in Flux
Prior to the Norman Conquest, all classes engaged in hunting as an important source of food, and the land was left largely without human intervention. However with the arrival of the Normans, hunting grounds became the province of the nobility and the vast royal forests were strictly regulated.
St Amphibalus and St Guthlac – Forgotten Saints
Discover the story of St. Amphibalus, the saint named after a cloak, whose shrine lies in St. Albans Cathedral, and that of St. Guthlac, a hermit-saint tormented by demons. These are just two of England’s forgotten saints…
