The British Peerage - Historic UK
WEBAs well as hereditary titles, the British peerage also includes life peerages, part of the British honours system. Life peerages are granted by the Government to honour individuals and give the recipient the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords. Today, most of those who sit in the House of Lords are life peers: only 90 of the 790 or so ...
Michaelmas, 29th September, and the customs and traditions …
WEBMichaelmas, or the Feast of Michael and All Angels, is celebrated on the 29th of September every year. As it falls near the equinox, the day is associated with the beginning of autumn and the shortening of days; in England, it is one of the “quarter days”. There are traditionally four “quarter days” in a year (Lady Day (25th March ...
Who was King Arthur and where was Camelot? - Historic UK
WEBCaerleon, South Wales. Both Geoffrey of Monmouth and Chrétien de Troyes place Camelot, Arthur’s chief court and fortress, in Caerleon, South Wales, one of three Roman legionary forts in Britain. Although the name ‘Caerleon’ sounds typically Celtic, it is actually a corruption of the Latin words castrum (fortress) and legio (legion).
The History of Fish and Chips - National Dish of Britain
WEBThe populace soon decided that putting fried fish and chips together was a very tasty combination and so was born our national dish of fish and chips! The first fish and chip shop in the North of England is thought to have opened in Mossely, near Oldham, Lancashire, around 1863. Mr Lees sold fish and chips from a wooden hut in the market and ...
Alfred the Great - Historic UK
WEBApr 1, 2019 · Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, a defender against Viking invasion and a social reformer; just few of the reasons why he is the only English monarch to be known as “the Great”. Alfred was born in 849 and served as King of Wessex, a Saxon kingdom based in the southwest of modern day England, from 871 to his death on 26th October 899 AD.
The Origins of Fairies - Historic UK
WEBMay 20, 2015 · Most of the nature fairies are perhaps descendents of pre-Christian gods and goddesses or are the spirits of trees and streams. Black Annis, a blue-faced hag, haunts the Dane Hills in Leicestershire and Gentle Annie who governs storms in the Scottish lowlands, are perhaps descended from the Celtic goddess Danu, mother of Ireland’s cave fairies.
The history of witches in Britain
WEBEllen Castelow. 5 min read. Witchcraft was not made a capital offence in Britain until 1563 although it was deemed heresy and was denounced as such by Pope Innocent VIII in 1484. From 1484 until around 1750 some 200,000 witches were tortured, burnt or hanged in Western Europe. Most supposed witches were usually old women, and invariably poor.
St George – Patron Saint of England - Historic UK
WEBKing Edward III made him the Patron Saint of England when he formed the Order of the Garter in St. George’s name in 1350, and the cult of the Saint was further advanced by King Henry V, at the battle of Agincourt in northern France. Shakespeare made sure that nobody would forget St. George, and has King Henry V finishing his pre-battle speech ...
The Holy Island of Lindisfarne - Historic UK
WEBHoly Island (Lindisfarne) is situated off the Northumberland coast in the north east of England, just a few miles south of the border with Scotland. The island is linked to the mainland by a causeway which twice a day is covered by the tide. Possibly the holiest site of Anglo-Saxon England, Lindisfarne was founded by St. Aidan, an Irish monk, who came from Iona, the centre of Christianity in ...
Timeline of events in 1942 during the Second World War - Historic …
WEBImportant events of 1942, including the battle of El Alamein in North Africa (pictured to the left). 9 Jan. Japanese forces start to attack the Philippines. 10 Jan. The Allies in the south-west Pacific set up a combined force ABDA (American, British, Dutch and Australia) under the command of General Sir Archibald Wavell. 14 Jan.