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England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north, while Ireland is located across the Irish Sea to its west and northwest, and the Celtic Sea lies to its southwest. It is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south. The country covers roughly 62% of the island of Great Britain, which is in the North Atlantic, and includes over 100 smaller islands such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Paleolithic, but takes its name from the Angles, a Germanic tribe who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in the 10th century and has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world since the Age of Discovery, which began during the 15th century. The Kingdom of England, which included Wales after 1535, ceased being a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707 when the Acts of Union put the terms agreed in the Treaty of Union the previous year into effect; this resulted in a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland that created the Kingdom of Great Britain.

England is the origin of many well-known worldwide exports, including the English language, the English law system (which served as the basis for the common law systems of many other countries), association football (the world's most popular sport), and the Church of England; its parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations. The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England, transforming its society into the world's first industrialised nation. England is home to the two oldest universities in the English-speaking world: the University of Oxford, founded in 1096, and the University of Cambridge, founded in 1209. Both universities are ranked among the most prestigious in the world.

England's terrain chiefly consists of low hills and plains, especially in the centre and south. Upland and mountainous terrain is mostly found in the north and west, including Dartmoor, the Lake District, the Pennines, and the Shropshire Hills. The country's capital is London, the greater metropolitan of which has a population of 14.2 million as of 2021, representing the United Kingdom's largest metropolitan area. England's population of 56.3 million comprises 84% of the population of the United Kingdom, largely concentrated around London, the South East, and conurbations in the centre, the North West, the North East, and Yorkshire and the Humber, which each developed as major industrial regions during the 19th century. (Full article...)

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Altrincham Town Centre

Altrincham (/ˈɒltrɪŋəm/ ^ⓘ OL-tring-əm, locally /ˈɒltrɪŋɡəm/) is a market town in Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, south of the River Mersey. It is 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Manchester, 3 miles (5 km) southwest of Sale and 10 miles (16 km) east of Warrington. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 52,419.

Within the boundaries of the historic county of Cheshire, Altrincham was established as a market town in 1290, a time when the economy of most communities was based on agriculture rather than trade, and there is still a market in the town. Further socioeconomic development came with the extension of the Bridgewater Canal to Altrincham in 1765 and the arrival of the railway in 1849, stimulating industrial activity in the town. Outlying villages were absorbed by Altrincham's subsequent growth, along with the grounds of Dunham Massey Hall, formerly the home of the Earl of Stamford, and now a tourist attraction with three Grade I Listed Buildings and a deer park. (Full article...)

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Jonathan Wild, also spelled Wilde (1682 or 1683 – 24 May 1725), was a London underworld figure notable for operating on both sides of the law, posing as a public-spirited vigilante entitled the "Thief-Taker General". He simultaneously ran a significant criminal empire, and used his crimefighting role to remove rivals and launder the proceeds of his own crimes.

Wild exploited a strong public demand for action during a major 18th-century crime wave in the absence of any effective police force in London. As a powerful gang-leader himself, he became a master manipulator of legal systems, collecting the rewards offered for valuables which he had stolen himself, bribing prison guards to release his colleagues, and blackmailing any who crossed him. Wild was consulted on crime by the government due to his apparently remarkable prowess in locating stolen items and those who had stolen them. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from various England-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1One of only four surviving exemplifications of the 1215 text, Cotton MS. Augustus II. 106, property of the British Library (from History of England)
Image 2First English Civil War at the Battle of Marston Moor, 1644 (from History of England)
Image 3Depiction of the Battle of Hastings (1066) on the Bayeux Tapestry (from History of England)
Image 4The Great Fire London, 1666. (from History of England)
Image 5Bronze coins of Cunobelin, called "King of the Britons" by Suetonius. 1–42 AD. (from History of England)
Image 6The Lindisfarne Gospels (from Culture of England)
Image 7The Roman Baths in Bath; a temple was constructed on the site between 60–70CE in the first few decades of Roman Britain. (from Culture of England)
Image 8Artefacts from Bush Barrow at Stonehenge. Wessex culture, Early Bronze Age, c. 1900 BC (from History of England)
Image 9King's College in Cambridge is regarded as one of the greatest examples of late English Gothic architecture. It has the world's largest fan vault, while the chapel's stained-glass windows and wooden chancel screen are considered some of the finest from their era. (from Culture of England)
Image 10Canterbury Cathedral nave, 1377 (from History of England)
Image 11Folio 27r from the Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 720 AD (from History of England)
Image 12The White Tower of the Tower of London, built in 1078 (from History of England)
Image 13King Charles II (from History of England)
Image 14Kingdoms and tribes in Britain, c. AD 600 (from History of England)
Image 15Remains of Hadrian's Wall (from History of England)
Image 16Anglo-Saxon king with his Witan. Biblical scene in the Old English Hexateuch (11th century) (from History of England)
Image 17Stinking Bishop cheese (from Culture of England)
Image 18Jack In the Green, a traditional English folk custom being celebrated in Hastings Old Town, known for its many pre-Victorian buildings. (from Culture of England)
Image 19The Mob Quad of Merton College, University of Oxford, 13th–14th century (from History of England)
Image 20A traditional Punch and Judy booth, at Swanage, Dorset, England (from Culture of England)
Image 21The Lady Chapel of Wells Cathedral (from Culture of England)
Image 22Stonehenge, erected in several stages from c.3000–2500 BC (from History of England)
Image 23The Royal College of Music is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, established by royal charter in 1882. (from Culture of England)
Image 24Francis Bacon led the advancement of both natural philosophy and the scientific method and his works remained deeply influential in the Scientific Revolution. (from Culture of England)
Image 25The Alfred Jewel, late 9th century (from History of England)
Image 26National performing arts are held annually at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as The Proms during the summer. (from Culture of England)
Image 27Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol played a major role in reviving the "spirit" of Christmas and seasonal goodwill. (from Culture of England)
Image 28The Procession Picture, c. 1600, showing Elizabeth I borne along by her courtiers (from History of England)
Image 29England playing Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground in the 2009 Ashes series. After winning the 2019 Cricket World Cup, England became the first country to win the World Cups in football, rugby union and cricket. (from Culture of England)
Image 30The Ruthwell Cross, 8th century AD (from History of England)
Image 31England in 878 (from History of England)
Image 32The Spanish Armada and English ships in August 1588, (unknown, 16th-century, English School) (from History of England)
Image 33The Battersea Shield (detail), 350 BC. (from History of England)
Image 34King James I of England (from History of England)
Image 35King Henry VIII (from History of England)
Image 36Whitehall by Francis Dodd (1920) displaying the Palace of Westminster (from Culture of England)
Image 37Londinium (Roman London), c. 120 AD (from History of England)
Image 38Morris dancing (from Culture of England)
Image 39Gold torc from Snettisham, 70 BC (from History of England)
Image 40Sir Isaac Newton is regarded as one of the most influential scientists of all time and as a key figure in the Scientific Revolution. (from Culture of England)
Image 41Tomb of Richard I of England and Isabella of Angoulême (from History of England)
Image 42The first general laws against child labour, the Factory Acts, were passed in Britain in the first half of the 19th century. Children younger than nine were not allowed to work and the work day of youth under the age of 18 was limited to twelve hours. (from History of England)
Image 43Old Minster cathedral, Winchester, in the 10th century (from History of England)
Image 44A pint of real ale (from Culture of England)
Image 45Dover Castle, 12th–13th century (from History of England)
Image 46First played in 1877, the Wimbledon Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. (from Culture of England)
Image 47Interior of Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford (from Culture of England)
Image 48Canterbury Cathedral is the seat of the Primate of All England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior bishop of the Church of England. (It was the property of the Roman Catholic Church before the English Reformation.) (from Culture of England)
Image 49Silbury Hill, c. 2400 BC (from History of England)
Image 50Portrait of Edward VI, c. 1550 (from History of England)
Image 51William Hogarth's depiction of a scene from Shakespeare's The Tempest is an example of how English literature influenced English painting in the 18th century. (from Culture of England)
Image 52Elizabeth I (from History of England)
Image 53Edward Elgar is one of England's most celebrated classical composers. (from Culture of England)
Image 54Durham Cathedral. The Norman cathedral was built 1093–1133 (from History of England)
Image 55Geoffrey Chaucer, c. 1340s–1400, author of The Canterbury Tales (from History of England)
Image 56Countries where English is natively spoken or has official status (from Culture of England)
Image 57The epic poem Beowulf, set in 6th century Scandinavia, composed c. 700–1000 AD. (from History of England)
Image 58Flatford Mill ('Scene on a Navigable River') by John Constable, c. 1816 (from Culture of England)
Image 59The wizard Merlin features as a character in many works of fiction, including the BBC series Merlin. (from Culture of England)
Image 60The Billingsgate Fish Market in London in the early 19th century (from History of England)
Image 61Alfred Hitchcock is often regarded as the greatest British filmmaker, and was described as "a straightforward middle-class Englishman who just happened to be an artistic genius." (from Culture of England)
Image 62King Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649 (from History of England)
Image 63Frontispiece of Bede's Life of St Cuthbert, showing King Æthelstan presenting a copy of the book to the saint himself. c. 930 (from History of England)
Image 64Maps of territory held by Royalists (red) and Parliamentarians (green) during the English Civil War (1642–1645) (from History of England)
Image 65Victory in Europe Day celebrations in London, 8 May 1945 (from History of England)
Image 66King Charles II, a patron of the arts and sciences, supported the Royal Society, a scientific group whose early members included Robert Hooke, Robert Boyle and Sir Isaac Newton. (from Culture of England)
Image 67Remains of the Roman baths at Bath, England. (from History of England)
Image 68Christopher Lee (seen here as Dracula in 1958) starred in many of Hammer's British horror films. (from Culture of England)
Image 69View of the ramparts of the hillfort of Maiden Castle (450 BC), as they look today (from History of England)
Image 70Shoulder clasp from Sutton Hoo, 625 AD (from History of England)
Image 71Sir Francis Drake's voyage 1585–86 (from History of England)
Image 72The English landscape garden at Stourhead, described as a 'living work of art' when first opened in the 1750s (from Culture of England)
Image 73King Alfred the Great statue in Winchester, Hampshire. The 9th-century English king encouraged education in his kingdom. (from Culture of England)
Image 74Chester, c. 1880 (from History of England)
Image 75Procession of characters from Shakespeare's plays (from Culture of England)
Image 76Anglo-Saxon helmet from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, 625 AD (replica) (from History of England)
Image 77Durham Cathedral, dating from 1093 (from Culture of England)
Image 78The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork yet found^[update]. It consists of almost 4,600 items and metal fragments. (from Culture of England)

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Insanity in English law is a defence to criminal charges based on the idea that the defendant was unable to understand what he was doing, or, that he was unable to understand that what he was doing was wrong.

The defence comes in two forms; where the defendant claims he was insane at the time of the crime, and where the defendant asserts he is insane at the time of trial. In the first situation, the defendant must show that he was either suffering from a disease which damaged the functioning of the mind and led to a defect of reason that prevented him from understanding what he was doing, or that he could not tell that what he was doing was wrong. In the second situation, the test is whether or not the defendant can differentiate between "guilty" and "not guilty" verdicts, instruct counsel and recognise the charges he is facing. If successful, he is likely to be detained under the Criminal Procedure (Insanity) Act 1964, although judges have a wide discretion as to what to do. (Full article...)

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Did you know?

The Westminster Assembly

... that the 1643 Westminster Assembly, which was appointed by the Parliament of England to restructure the Church of England, produced the Westminster Confession, the foundation of the Presbyterian Church?
... that Declaration of Sports was a 1617 declaration of James I of England listing archery and dancing as permissible on Sundays and that Puritans in Parliament had it publicly burned in 1643?
... that Jemmy Button was a Yaghan from Tierra del Fuego who was bought for a mother-of-pearl button in 1830 and taken on HMS Beagle to meet the King and Queen of England?

In the news

13 November 2023 – November 2023 British cabinet reshuffle: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak dismisses Suella Braverman as Home Secretary after Braverman condemned a pro-Palestinian protest in central London, replacing her with Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and appointing former Prime Minister David Cameron as the new Foreign Secretary. (AFP via NDTV) (CNN)
12 November 2023 –: Six people are killed in a fire at a bungalow in Hounslow, West London, United Kingdom. The fire is believed to have started during Diwali celebrations which led to nearby trees catching on fire. (The Independent)
11 November 2023 – 2023 Israel–Hamas war protests: Hundreds of thousands of people gather in Central London to march in solidarity with Palestine. (Al Jazeera)

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“

I have seen much to hate here, much to forgive. But in a world where England is finished and dead, I do not wish to live.

”

— Alice Duer Miller

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Related WikiProjects

England • Bedfordshire • Brighton • Cheshire • Cornwall • Derbyshire • Dorset • Greater Manchester • Hampshire • Lincolnshire • London • Merseyside • Northamptonshire • North East England • Sheffield • Surrey. Warwickshire • West Midlands • Worcestershire • Yorkshire

Topics

Cities and major towns: Blackpool • Birmingham • Bristol • Chelmsford • Leeds • Liverpool • London • Manchester • Newcastle • Nottingham • Oxford • Portsmouth • Sheffield • Southampton • Stoke-on-Trent

Culture: The Football Association • Rugby Football Union • England and Wales Cricket Board • English inventions and discoveries

Geography: Geology • Climate • Mountains and hills • Islands • Rivers

Economy: Bank of England • London Stock Exchange • Chancellor of the Exchequer • Monetary Policy Committee • HM Treasury

History: Timeline of English history • Prehistoric Britain • Roman Britain • Anglo-Saxon England • Norman England • Plantagenet England • House of Lancaster • House of York • House of Tudor • House of Stuart

Governance: Kingdom of England • Prime Minister of the United Kingdom • Parliament of the United Kingdom • Home Secretary • Local Government Boundary Commission for England • Administrative divisions of England • English law

Symbols: Flags • Flag of England • St George's Cross • Tudor rose • Coat of arms of England

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Requested articles: Charterhouse Lane • Renewable energy in England • Ealing Village
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