England

==Culture==
{{Main|Culture of England}}
{{further|English Renaissance}}

===Architecture===
Many ancient [[standing stone]] monuments were erected during the prehistoric period; among the best known are [[Stonehenge]], [[Devil's Arrows]], [[Rudston Monolith]] and [[Castlerigg stone circle|Castlerigg]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stone-circles.org.uk/stone/index.htm |publisher=Stone-Circles.org.uk |title=The Prehistoric Sites of Great Britain |access-date=5 September 2009}}</ref> With the introduction of [[Ancient Roman architecture]] there was a development of [[basilicas]], [[Roman baths|baths]], [[amphitheaters]], [[triumphal arch]]es, [[villa]]s, [[Roman temple]]s, [[Roman road]]s, [[Roman fort]]s, [[stockade]]s and [[aqueduct (bridge)|aqueducts]].<ref name="roman">{{cite web |url=http://www.castles.me.uk/ancient-roman-architecture-england-wales.htm |publisher=Castles.me.uk |title=Ancient Roman architecture in England and Wales |access-date=5 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091212033420/http://www.castles.me.uk/ancient-roman-architecture-england-wales.htm |archive-date=12 December 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was the Romans who founded the first cities and towns such as London, Bath, York, Chester and St Albans. Perhaps the best-known example is [[Hadrian's Wall]] stretching right across northern England.<ref name="roman" /> Another well-preserved example is the [[Roman Baths (Bath)|Roman Baths]] at [[Bath, Somerset]].<ref name="roman" />

[[File:Bodiam-castle-10My8-1197.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A castle of square plan surrounded by a water-filled moat. It has round corner towers and a forbidding appearance.|[[Bodiam Castle]] is a 14th-century [[moat]]ed [[castle]] near [[Robertsbridge]] in East Sussex.]]
[[Anglo-Saxon architecture|Early medieval architecture]]'s secular buildings were simple constructions mainly using timber with [[thatch]] for roofing. Ecclesiastical architecture ranged from a synthesis of [[Early Christian Ireland|Hiberno]]–[[Germanic Christianity|Saxon]] [[monasticism]],<ref>{{harvnb|Colgrave|1985|p=326}}.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Pevsner|1942|p=14}}.</ref> to [[Early Christian art and architecture|Early Christian]] [[basilica]] and architecture characterised by pilaster-strips, blank arcading, baluster shafts and triangular headed openings. After the Norman conquest in 1066 various [[castles in England|castles]] were created; the best known include the [[Tower of London]], [[Warwick Castle]], [[Durham Castle]] and [[Windsor Castle]].<ref name="buildings" />

Throughout the Plantagenet era, an [[English Gothic architecture]] flourished, with prime examples including the [[Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of England|medieval cathedrals]] such as [[Canterbury Cathedral]], [[Westminster Abbey]] and [[York Minster]].<ref name="buildings">{{harvnb|Atkinson|2008|p=189}}.</ref> Expanding on the [[Norman architecture|Norman base]] there was also [[castle]]s, [[palace]]s, [[List of historic houses in England|great houses]], universities and [[parish church]]es. Medieval architecture was completed with the 16th-century [[Tudor architecture|Tudor style]]; the four-centred arch, now known as the [[Tudor arch]], was a defining feature as were [[wattle and daub]] houses domestically. In the aftermath of the [[Renaissance]] a form of architecture echoing classical antiquity synthesised with Christianity appeared, the [[English Baroque]] style of architect [[Christopher Wren]] being particularly championed.<ref>{{harvnb|Downes|2007|p=17}}.</ref>

[[Georgian architecture]] followed in a more refined style, evoking a simple Palladian form; the [[Royal Crescent]] at Bath is one of the best examples of this. With the emergence of [[romanticism]] during Victorian period, a [[Gothic Revival]] was launched. In addition to this, around the same time the Industrial Revolution paved the way for buildings such as [[The Crystal Palace]]. Since the 1930s various [[modernist architecture|modernist]] forms have appeared whose reception is often controversial, though traditionalist resistance movements continue with support in influential places.{{Efn|While people such as [[Norman Foster (architect)|Norman Foster]] and [[Richard Rogers]] represent the modernist movement, [[Prince Charles]] since the 1980s has voiced strong views against it in favour of traditional architecture and put his ideas into practice at his [[Poundbury]] development in Dorset.<ref name=ArchCon4>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8045027.stm |work=BBC News |title=Architects to hear Prince appeal |date=12 May 2009 |access-date=20 June 2009}}</ref> Architects like [[Raymond Erith]], [[Francis Johnson (architect)|Francis Johnson]] and [[Quinlan Terry]] continued to practise in the classical style.}}
{{Clear}}

===Gardens===
{{Main|English garden}}
[[File:Stourhead lake in midsummer - panoramio.jpg|thumb|right|The landscape garden at Stourhead. Inspired by the great [[landscape artists]] of the seventeenth century, the landscape garden was described as a "living work of art" when first opened in the 1750s.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The history of the house at Stourhead|url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead/features/the-history-of-stourhead|access-date=10 April 2021|website=National Trust|language=en}}</ref>]]

Landscape gardening, as developed by [[Capability Brown]], set an international trend for the [[English garden|English landscape garden]]. Gardening, and visiting gardens, are regarded as typically English pursuits. The English garden presented an idealized view of nature. At large country houses, the English garden usually included lakes, sweeps of gently rolling lawns set against groves of trees, and recreations of classical temples, [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] ruins, bridges, and other picturesque architecture, designed to recreate an idyllic pastoral landscape.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|title=Gardens through time|url=https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/histories/gardens-through-time/|access-date=10 April 2021|website=English Heritage}}</ref>

By the end of the 18th century, the English garden was being imitated by the [[French landscape garden]], and as far away as [[Pavlovsk, Saint Petersburg]], the gardens of the future [[Emperor Paul]]. It also had a major influence on the [[public parks]] and gardens which appeared around the world in the 19th century.<ref>Lucia Impelluso, ''Jardins, potagers et labyrinthes'', Mondatori Electra, Milan</ref> The English landscape garden was centred on the [[English country house]] and manor houses.<ref name=":2" />

[[English Heritage]] and the [[National Trust]] preserve great gardens and landscape parks throughout the country.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Gardens & parks|url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/gardens-and-parks|access-date=10 April 2021|website=National Trust|language=en}}</ref> The [[RHS Chelsea Flower Show]] is held every year by the [[Royal Horticultural Society]] and is said to be the largest gardening show in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-chelsea-flower-show|title=RHS Chelsea Flower Show|website=www.rhs.org.uk}}</ref>

===Folklore===
{{Main|English folklore}}
[[File:The_King_joins_the_hands_of_Robin_Hood_and_Maid_Marian.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Robin Hood]] and [[Maid Marian]] with [[Richard I of England]]]]

English folklore developed over many centuries. Some of the characters and stories are present across England, but most belong to specific regions. Common folkloric beings include [[pixie]]s, [[giant (mythology)|giants]], [[elf|elves]], [[bogeymen]], [[troll]]s, [[goblin]]s and [[dwarf (mythology)|dwarves]]. While many legends and folk-customs are thought to be ancient, such as the tales featuring [[Offa of Angel]] and [[Wayland the Smith]],<ref name="keary">{{harvnb|Keary|1882|p=50}}.</ref> others date from after the Norman invasion. The legends featuring [[Robin Hood]] and his [[Merry Men]] of [[Sherwood Forest|Sherwood]], and their battles with the [[Sheriff of Nottingham]], are among the best-known of these.<ref>{{harvnb|Pollard|2004|p=272}}.</ref>

During the [[High Middle Ages]] tales originating from Brythonic traditions entered English folklore and developed into the [[Arthurian myth]].<ref name="woodbbc">{{cite news |last=Wood |first=Michael |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/anglo_saxons/arthur_03.shtml |title=King Arthur, "Once and Future King" |work=BBC News |access-date=16 September 2009}}</ref><ref name="higham1">{{harvnb|Higham|2002|p=25}}.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Koch|2006|p=732}}.</ref> These were derived from [[Anglo-Norman language|Anglo-Norman]], Welsh and French sources,<ref name="higham1" /> featuring [[King Arthur]], [[Camelot]], [[Excalibur]], [[Merlin]] and the [[Knights of the Round Table]] such as [[Lancelot]]. These stories are most centrally brought together within [[Geoffrey of Monmouth]]'s {{Lang|la|[[Historia Regum Britanniae]]}} (''History of the Kings of Britain'').{{Efn|These tales may have come to prominence, at least in part, as an attempt by the Norman ruling elite to legitimise their rule of the British Isles, finding [[Anglo-Saxon]] history ill-suited to the task during an era when members of the deposed [[House of Wessex]], especially [[Edgar the Ætheling]] and his nephews of the Scottish [[House of Dunkeld]], were still active in the isles.<ref name=higham1 /><ref>{{harvnb|Lacy|1986|p=649}}.</ref> Also [[Michael Wood (historian)|Michael Wood]] explains; "Over the centuries the figure of Arthur became a symbol of British history – a way of explaining the matter of Britain, the relationship between the Saxons and the Celts, and a way of exorcising ghosts and healing the wounds of the past."<ref name=woodbbc />}}

Some folk figures are based on semi or actual historical people whose story has been passed down centuries.<ref>{{harvnb|Briggs|2004|p=26}}.</ref> On 5 November people celebrate [[Bonfire Night]] to commemorate the foiling of the [[Gunpowder Plot]] centred on [[Guy Fawkes]]. There are various national and regional folk activities, participated in to this day, such as [[Morris dancing]], [[Maypole dance|Maypole dancing]], [[Rapper sword]] in the North East, [[Long Sword dance]] in Yorkshire, [[Mummers Play]]s, [[bottle-kicking]] in Leicestershire, and [[Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake|cheese-rolling]] at [[Brockworth, Gloucestershire|Cooper's Hill]].<ref>{{harvnb|Withington|2008|p=224}}.</ref> There is no official national costume, but a few are well established such as the [[Pearly Kings and Queens]] associated with cockneys, the [[Queen's Guard|Royal Guard]], the [[Morris dance|Morris costume]] and [[Beefeater]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/costume.html |publisher=Woodlands-Junior.kent.sch.uk |title=What is England's national costume? |access-date=24 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505015321/http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/CUSTOMS/questions/costume.html |archive-date=5 May 2009 }}</ref>

===Cuisine===
{{Main|English cuisine}}Since the [[early modern period]] the food of England has historically been characterised by its simplicity of approach and a reliance on the high quality of natural produce.<ref>{{harvnb|Else|2007|p=76}}.</ref> During the [[Middle Ages]] and the Renaissance, English cuisine enjoyed an excellent reputation, though a decline began during the [[Industrial Revolution]] with increasing urbanisation. The cuisine of England has, however, recently undergone a revival, which has been recognised by food critics with some good ratings in ''[[Restaurant (magazine)|Restaurant]]''{{'}}s [[best restaurant in the world]] charts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theworlds50best.com/module/acms_winners?group_id=1 |publisher=TheWorlds50Best.com |title=The S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants |access-date=5 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113043907/http://www.theworlds50best.com/module/acms_winners?group_id=1 |archive-date=13 January 2010}}</ref>[[File:English-cusine-exports.jpg|thumb|English foods: clockwise from top left{{emdash}}[[tea cakes]], [[English cheese|cheeses]], [[English wine|wines]] and [[cider]]]]

Traditional examples of English food include the [[Sunday roast]], featuring a [[roasting|roasted joint]] (usually beef, [[lamb and mutton|lamb]], chicken or pork) served with assorted vegetables, [[Yorkshire pudding]] and [[gravy]].<ref name="tradfood" /> Other prominent meals include [[fish and chips]] and the [[Full breakfast|full English breakfast]] (generally consisting of [[bacon]], [[sausages]], grilled tomatoes, fried bread, [[black pudding]], [[baked beans]], [[edible mushroom|mushrooms]] and eggs).<ref>{{cite news |title=How to make the perfect full English breakfast |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/11029015/How-to-make-the-perfect-full-English-breakfast.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/11029015/How-to-make-the-perfect-full-English-breakfast.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |date=25 June 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Various [[meat pie]]s are consumed, such as [[steak and kidney pie]], [[steak and ale pie]], [[cottage pie]], [[pork pie]] (usually eaten cold)<ref name="tradfood">{{cite web |url=http://www.travelsignposts.com/England/traditional-English-food-specialities.php |publisher=TravelSignPosts.com |title=Traditional English Food Specialities |access-date=5 September 2009}}</ref> and the [[Cornish pasty]].

Sausages are commonly eaten, either as [[bangers and mash]] or [[toad in the hole]]. [[Lancashire hotpot]] is a well-known stew originating in the northwest. Some of the more popular cheeses are [[Cheddar cheese|Cheddar]], [[Red Leicester]], [[Wensleydale (cheese)|Wensleydale]], [[Double Gloucester]] and [[Stilton cheese|Blue Stilton]]. Many [[Anglo-Indian]] hybrid dishes, [[curries]], have been created, such as [[chicken tikka masala]] and [[balti (food)|balti]]. Traditional English dessert dishes include [[apple pie]] or other fruit pies; [[spotted dick]] – all generally served with [[custard]]; and, more recently, [[sticky toffee pudding]]. Sweet pastries include [[scones]] served with jam or cream, dried fruit loaves, [[Eccles cake]]s and [[mince pie]]s as well as sweet or spiced biscuits.

Common non-alcoholic drinks include tea<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tea.co.uk/catherine-of-braganza |publisher=Tea.co.uk |title=Catherine of Braganza |access-date=5 September 2009}}</ref> and coffee; frequently consumed alcoholic drinks include wine, [[cider]]s and [[English beer]]s, such as [[bitter (beer)|bitter]], [[mild ale|mild]], [[stout]] and [[brown ale]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/collection/the-pint-of-real-ale/features/types-of-beer-finished |publisher=Icons of England |title=Types of Beer |access-date=5 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091030154340/http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/collection/the-pint-of-real-ale/features/types-of-beer-finished |archive-date=30 October 2009}}</ref>

===Visual arts===
{{Main|English art}}
{{See also|Arts Council England}}
{{stack begin|float=left}}
[[File:John Constable The Hay Wain.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A horse-drawn wagon crossing a river towards a cottage, with trees and fields beyond|''[[The Hay Wain]]'' by [[John Constable]], 1821, is an archetypal English painting.]]
[[File:John William Waterhouse - The Lady of Shalott - Google Art Project edit.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A painting of a red haired woman, sitting in a boat, surrounded by trees|''[[The Lady of Shalott (painting)|The Lady of Shalott]]'' by [[John William Waterhouse]], 1888, in the [[Pre-Raphaelite]] style]]
{{stack end}}

The earliest known examples are the prehistoric rock and [[cave art]] pieces, most prominent in [[North Yorkshire]], Northumberland and [[Cumbria]], but also feature further south, for example at [[Creswell Crags]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-836-1/dissemination/pdf/ERA_Brochure.pdf |publisher=ArchaeologyDataService.ac.uk |title=The Prehistoric Cave Art of England |access-date=5 September 2009}}</ref> With the arrival of [[Roman culture]] in the 1st century, various forms of art such as statues, busts, glasswork and mosaics were the norm. There are numerous surviving artefacts, such as those at [[Lullingstone Roman Villa|Lullingstone]] and [[Isurium Brigantum|Aldborough]].<ref>{{cite web |author=English Heritage |author-link=English Heritage |url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server.php?show=nav.17022 |publisher=english-heritage.org.uk |title=Aldborough Roman Site |access-date=5 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091022105915/http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server.php?show=nav.17022 |archive-date=22 October 2009}}</ref> During the Early Middle Ages the style favoured sculpted crosses and ivories, manuscript painting, gold and enamel jewellery, demonstrating a love of intricate, interwoven designs such as in the [[Staffordshire Hoard]] discovered in 2009. Some of these blended [[Insular art|Gaelic and Anglian]] styles, such as the [[Lindisfarne Gospels]] and [[Vespasian Psalter]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0023715.html |publisher=Tiscali.co.uk |title=Early Middle Ages Art |access-date=5 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227121544/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0023715.html |archive-date=27 February 2009 }}</ref> Later [[Gothic art]] was popular at Winchester and Canterbury, examples survive such as [[Benedictional of St. Æthelwold]] and [[Luttrell Psalter]].<ref name="engart" />

The Tudor era saw [[Artists of the Tudor court|prominent artists]] as part of their court; portrait painting, which would remain an enduring part of English art, was boosted by German [[Hans Holbein the Younger|Hans Holbein]], and natives such as [[Nicholas Hilliard]] built on this.<ref name="engart">{{cite web |url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0028010.html |publisher=Tiscali.co.uk |title=English art |access-date=5 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216224856/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0028010.html |archive-date=16 February 2009 }}</ref> Under the Stuarts, Continental artists were influential especially the Flemish, examples from the period include [[Anthony van Dyck]], [[Peter Lely]], [[Godfrey Kneller]] and [[William Dobson]].<ref name="engart" /> The 18th century saw the founding of the [[Royal Academy]]; a [[classicism]] based on the [[Renaissance art|High Renaissance]] prevailed, with [[Thomas Gainsborough]] and [[Joshua Reynolds]] becoming two of England's most treasured artists.<ref name="engart" />

In the 19th century, [[John Constable]] and [[J. M. W. Turner]] were major landscape artists. The [[Norwich School (art movement)|Norwich School]] continued the landscape tradition, while the [[Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood]], led by artists such as [[Holman Hunt]], [[Dante Gabriel Rossetti]] and [[John Everett Millais]], revived the [[Early Renaissance]] style with their vivid and detailed style.<ref name="engart" /> Prominent among 20th-century artists was [[Henry Moore]], regarded as the voice of British sculpture, and of British modernism in general.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Turner |first=Chris |title=The Bronze Age: Henry Moore and his successors |journal=Tate Magazine |issue=6 |url=http://www.tate.org.uk/magazine/issue6/moore.htm |access-date=9 September 2009 |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120105222753/http://www.tate.org.uk/magazine/issue6/moore.htm |archive-date=5 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Royal Society of Arts]] is an organisation committed to the arts.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About the RSA – RSA|url=https://www.thersa.org/about|access-date=2021-05-08|website=www.thersa.org}}</ref>

===Literature, poetry, and philosophy===
{{Main|English literature}}
[[File:Geoffrey Chaucer (17th century).jpg|thumb|upright|alt=A man dressed in grey with a beard, holding a rosary, depicted next to a coat of arms.|[[Geoffrey Chaucer]] was an English author, poet and philosopher, best remembered for his unfinished frame narrative ''[[The Canterbury Tales]]''.]]

Early authors such as [[Bede]] and [[Alcuin]] wrote in Latin.<ref name="warnancmod">{{harvnb|Warner|1902|p=35}}.</ref> The period of [[Old English literature]] provided the epic poem ''[[Beowulf]]'' and the secular prose of the ''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]'',<ref>{{harvnb|Rogers|2001|p=17}}.</ref> along with Christian writings such as ''[[Judith (poem)|Judith]]'', [[Cædmon]]'s ''[[Cædmon|Hymn]]'' and [[hagiography|hagiographies]].<ref name="warnancmod" /> Following the Norman conquest [[Latin literature|Latin]] continued among the educated classes, as well as an [[Anglo-Norman literature]].

[[Middle English literature]] emerged with [[Geoffrey Chaucer]], author of ''[[The Canterbury Tales]]'', along with [[John Gower|Gower]], the [[Pearl Poet]] and [[William Langland|Langland]]. [[William of Ockham]] and [[Roger Bacon]], who were [[Franciscans]], were major philosophers of the Middle Ages. [[Julian of Norwich]], who wrote ''[[Revelations of Divine Love]]'', was a prominent Christian mystic. With the [[English Renaissance]] literature in the [[Early Modern English]] style appeared. [[William Shakespeare]], whose works include ''[[Hamlet]]'', ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'', ''[[Macbeth]]'', and ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'', remains one of the most championed authors in English literature.<ref>{{harvnb|Rogers|2001|p=135}}.</ref>

[[Christopher Marlowe]], [[Edmund Spenser]], [[Philip Sydney]], [[Thomas Kyd]], [[John Donne]], and [[Ben Jonson]] are other established authors of the [[Elizabethan literature|Elizabethan age]].<ref name="elizren">{{harvnb|Rowse|1971|p=48}}.</ref> [[Francis Bacon]] and [[Thomas Hobbes]] wrote on [[empiricism]] and [[materialism]], including [[scientific method]] and [[social contract]].<ref name="elizren" /> [[Robert Filmer|Filmer]] wrote on the [[Divine Right of Kings]]. [[Andrew Marvell|Marvell]] was the best-known poet of the [[Commonwealth of England|Commonwealth]],<ref>{{harvnb|Norbrook|2000|p=6}}.</ref> while [[John Milton]] authored ''[[Paradise Lost]]'' during the [[Restoration literature|Restoration]].
{{Quote box
 | quote =This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle, this earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, this other Eden, demi-paradise; this fortress, built by nature for herself. This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.
 | source = [[William Shakespeare]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Richard II |url=http://www.users.waitrose.com/~uk1/shakespeare/sceptred.htm |publisher=[[William Shakespeare]] |access-date=5 September 2009 |archive-date=28 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628141802/http://www.users.waitrose.com/~uk1/shakespeare/sceptred.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 | width =28%
 | align =right
}}
Some of the most prominent philosophers of the [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment]] were [[John Locke]], [[Thomas Paine]], [[Samuel Johnson]] and [[Jeremy Bentham]]. More radical elements were later countered by [[Edmund Burke]] who is regarded as the founder of conservatism.<ref>{{harvnb|Heywood|2007|p=74}}.</ref> The poet [[Alexander Pope]] with his satirical verse became well regarded. The English played a significant role in [[romanticism]]: [[Samuel Taylor Coleridge]], [[Lord Byron]], [[John Keats]], [[Mary Shelley]], [[Percy Bysshe Shelley]], [[William Blake]] and [[William Wordsworth]] were major figures.<ref>{{harvnb|Watson|1985|p=360}}.</ref>

In response to the [[Industrial Revolution]], agrarian writers sought a way between [[liberty]] and tradition; [[William Cobbett]], [[G. K. Chesterton]] and [[Hilaire Belloc]] were main exponents, while the founder of [[guild socialism]], [[Arthur Penty]], and [[cooperative movement]] advocate [[G. D. H. Cole]] are somewhat related.<ref>{{harvnb|Cole|1947|p=268}}.</ref> Empiricism continued through [[John Stuart Mill]] and [[Bertrand Russell]], while [[Bernard Williams]] was involved in [[analytics]]. Authors from around the [[Victorian era]] include [[Charles Dickens]], the [[Brontë sisters]], [[Jane Austen]], [[George Eliot]], [[Rudyard Kipling]], [[Thomas Hardy]], [[H. G. Wells]] and [[Lewis Carroll]].<ref>{{harvnb|Hawkins-Dady|1996|p=970}}.</ref> Since then England has continued to produce novelists such as [[George Orwell]], [[D. H. Lawrence]], [[Virginia Woolf]], [[C. S. Lewis]], [[Enid Blyton]], [[Aldous Huxley]], [[Agatha Christie]], [[Terry Pratchett]], [[J. R. R. Tolkien]], and [[J. K. Rowling]].<ref>{{harvnb|Eccleshare|2002|p=5}}.</ref>

===Performing arts===
{{further|Folk music of England}}
{{See also|Music of the United Kingdom}}
{{Listen
|filename=Thomas Tallis Lamentations I (The Tudor Consort).ogg
|title=Thomas Tallis' "Lamentations I"
|filename2=Greensleeves-dorian.ogg
|title2="Greensleeves"
|filename3=09 The Queen's Dolour (A Farewell) Henry Purcell Transcribed Ronald Stevenson (1958) Mark Gasser Piano (Live Recording).ogg
|title3=Henry Purcell's "The Queen's Dolour (A Farewell)"
|filename4=EdwardElgarPompandCIrcumstanceMarchNo1.ogg
|title4=Elgar's "Pomp & Circumstance March No. 1"
|format=[[Ogg]]
}}

The traditional [[folk music of England]] is centuries old and has contributed to several genres prominently; mostly [[sea shanties]], [[jig]]s, [[hornpipe]]s and [[dance music]]. It has its own distinct variations and regional peculiarities. Ballads featuring Robin Hood, printed by [[Wynkyn de Worde]] in the 16th century, are an important artefact, as are [[John Playford]]'s ''[[The Dancing Master]]'' and [[Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer|Robert Harley's]] ''[[Roxburghe Ballads]]'' collections.<ref>{{harvnb|Chappell|1966|p=690}}.</ref> Some of the best-known songs are ''[[Greensleeves]]'', ''[[Pastime with Good Company]]'', ''[[Maggie May (folk song)|Maggie May]]'' and ''[[Spanish Ladies]]'' among others. Many [[nursery rhymes]] are of English origin such as ''[[Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary]]'', ''[[Roses Are Red]]'', ''[[Jack and Jill (nursery rhyme)|Jack and Jill]]'', ''[[London Bridge Is Falling Down]], [[The Grand Old Duke of York]], [[Hey Diddle Diddle]]'' and ''[[Humpty Dumpty]]''.<ref>{{harvnb|Lax|1989|p=7}}.</ref> Traditional English Christmas carols include "[[We Wish You a Merry Christmas]]", "[[The First Noel]]", "[[I Saw Three Ships]]" and "[[God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen]]".

Early English composers in classical music include Renaissance artists [[Thomas Tallis]] and [[William Byrd]], followed by [[Henry Purcell]] from the [[Baroque music|Baroque period]] and [[Thomas Arne]] who was well known for his patriotic song [[Rule, Britannia!]]. German-born [[George Frideric Handel]] spent most of his composing life in London and became a national icon in Britain, creating some of the most well-known works of classical music, especially his English oratorios, ''[[Messiah (Handel)|The Messiah]]'', ''[[Solomon (Handel)|Solomon]]'', ''[[Water Music (Handel)|Water Music]]'', and ''[[Music for the Royal Fireworks]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Birth of British Music: Handel – The Conquering Hero |publisher=BBC |date=15 July 2019 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kntl1|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514114225/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kntl1|archive-date=14 May 2017}}</ref>[[File:The Beatles in America.JPG|thumb|[[The Beatles]] are the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed band in popular music.<ref>{{cite news |url={{GBurl|id=rdU1xtIWJz0C|q=The Beatles have sold around 1&nbsp;billion records and cassettes}} |title=The Guinness Book of Records 1999 |isbn=9780851120706 |last1=Kynaston |first1=Nic |year=1998|publisher=Guinness }}</ref>]]

Classical music attracted much attention in the 18th century with the formation of the [[Birmingham Triennial Music Festival]], which was the longest running classical music festival of its kind until the final concerts in 1912. The [[English Musical Renaissance]] was a hypothetical development in the late 19th and early 20th century, when English composers, often those lecturing or trained at the [[Royal College of Music]], were said to have freed themselves from foreign musical influences. There was a revival in the profile of composers from England in the 20th century led by [[Edward Elgar]], [[Benjamin Britten]], [[Frederick Delius]], [[Gustav Holst]], [[Ralph Vaughan Williams]] and others.<ref>{{harvnb|Stradling|1993|p=166}}.</ref> Present-day composers from England include [[Michael Nyman]], best known for ''[[The Piano]]'', and [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]], whose musicals have achieved enormous success in the [[West End theatre|West End]] and worldwide.

In [[popular music]], many English bands and solo artists have been cited as the most influential and best-selling musicians of all time. Acts such as [[the Beatles]], [[Led Zeppelin]], [[Pink Floyd]], [[Elton John]], [[Queen (band)|Queen]], [[Rod Stewart]], [[David Bowie]], [[the Rolling Stones]] and [[Def Leppard]] are among the highest-selling recording artists in the world.<ref>{{cite web |author=Recording Industry Association of America |author-link=Recording Industry Association of America |title=Top Selling Artists |url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=tblTopArt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701163039/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=tblTopArt |archive-date=1 July 2007 |access-date=5 September 2009 |publisher=riaa.com}}</ref> Many musical genres have origins in (or strong associations with) England, such as [[British invasion]], [[progressive rock]], [[hard rock]], [[mod (subculture)|Mod]], [[glam rock]], [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]], [[Britpop]], [[indie rock]], [[gothic rock]], [[shoegazing]], [[acid house]], [[UK garage|garage]], [[trip hop]], [[drum and bass]] and [[dubstep]].<ref>{{harvnb|Else|2007|p=65}}.</ref>

[[File:Royal Albert Hall Rear, London, England - Diliff.jpg|thumb|The [[Royal Albert Hall]]. Since the hall's opening in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres have appeared on its stage. ]]
Large outdoor [[List of music festivals in the United Kingdom|music festivals]] in the summer and autumn are popular, such as [[Glastonbury Festival|Glastonbury]], [[V Festival]], and the [[Reading and Leeds Festivals]]. England was at the forefront of the illegal, free [[rave]] movement from the late 1980s, which inspired the pan-European culture of [[teknival]]s.<ref>Matthew Collin, John Godfrey (2010). "Altered State: The Story of Ecstasy Culture and Acid House" p.258.</ref> The [[Boishakhi Mela]] is a [[Bengali New Year]] festival celebrated by the [[British Bangladeshi]] community. It is the largest open-air Asian festival in Europe. After the [[Notting Hill Carnival]], it is the second-largest street festival in the UK, attracting over 80,000 visitors.

The most prominent [[opera house]] in England is the [[Royal Opera House]] at [[Covent Garden]].<ref name="foreman">{{harvnb|Foreman|2005|p=371}}.</ref> [[The Proms]] is a major annual cultural event in the English calendar.<ref name="foreman" /> [[The Royal Ballet]] is one of the world's foremost classical ballet companies. The [[Royal Academy of Music]] is the oldest [[Music school|conservatoire]] in the UK, founded in 1822, receiving its [[royal charter]] in 1830.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Royal Academy of Music {{!}} University of London |url=https://www.london.ac.uk/federation/royal-academy-music |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=www.london.ac.uk |language=en}}</ref> England is home to numerous major orchestras such as the [[BBC Symphony Orchestra]], the [[Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]], the [[Philharmonia Orchestra]], and the [[London Symphony Orchestra]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=- PPL|url=https://www.ppluk.com/london-symphony-orchestra-tops-ppl-chart-ranking-uk-classical-ensembles/|access-date=2021-05-01|website=www.ppluk.com}}</ref> Other forms of entertainment that originated in England include the [[circus]]<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/may/15/chipperfields-circus-family-dynasties Great dynasties of the world: The Chipperfields] ''[[The Guardian]]'' Retrieved 18 February 2011.</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/2929565.stm "The circus comes to the Circus"]. BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2014</ref><ref>Hamilton, John (2000) ''Entertainment: A Pictorial History of the Past One Thousand Years'' p.24. Retrieved 3 February 2011.</ref> and the [[pantomime]].<ref name="Panto">David Christopher (2002). "British Culture: An Introduction". p. 74. Routledge,</ref>

===Cinema===
{{See also|Cinema of the United Kingdom}}
[[File:Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia.png|left|thumb|[[Peter O'Toole]] as T. E. Lawrence in [[David Lean]]'s 1962 epic ''[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|Lawrence of Arabia]]'']]

England has had a considerable influence on the history of the cinema, producing some of the greatest actors, directors and motion pictures of all time, including [[Alfred Hitchcock]], [[Charlie Chaplin]], [[David Lean]], [[Laurence Olivier]], [[Vivien Leigh]], [[John Gielgud]], [[Peter Sellers]], [[Julie Andrews]], [[Michael Caine]], [[Gary Oldman]], [[Helen Mirren]], [[Kate Winslet]] and [[Daniel Day-Lewis]]. Hitchcock and Lean are among the most critically acclaimed filmmakers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/topten/poll/directors-directors.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120517155218/http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/topten/poll/directors-directors.html |archive-date=17 May 2012 |title=The Directors' Top Ten Directors |publisher=British Film Institute |url-status=dead }}</ref> Hitchcock's ''[[The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog]]'' (1926) helped shape the [[Thriller film|thriller]] genre in film, while his 1929 ''[[Blackmail (1929 film)|Blackmail]]'' is often regarded as the first British [[Sound film#Transition: Europe|sound]] feature film.<ref>{{cite book |url={{GBurl|id=AvxgFdRJ66kC|q=blackmail first british sound film|p=79}} |first=Paul Matthew |last=St. Pierre |title=Music Hall Mimesis in British Film, 1895–1960: On the Halls on the Screen |page=79 |publisher=[[Fairleigh Dickinson University Press]] |location=New Jersey |date=1 April 2009 |isbn=978-1-61147-399-5}}</ref>

Major film studios in England include [[Pinewood Studios|Pinewood]], [[Elstree Studios|Elstree]] and [[Shepperton Studios|Shepperton]]. Some of the most commercially successful films of all time have been produced in England, including two of the [[List of highest-grossing film series|highest-grossing film franchises]] (''[[Harry Potter (film series)|Harry Potter]]'' and ''[[James Bond (film series)|James Bond]]'').<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/sep/11/jkjoannekathleenrowling |title=Harry Potter becomes highest-grossing film franchise |access-date=2 November 2010 |work=The Guardian |date=11 September 2007 |location=London}}</ref> [[Ealing Studios]] in London has a claim to being the oldest continuously working film studio in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ealingstudios.com/EalingStudios/history_home.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726040738/http://www.ealingstudios.com/EalingStudios/history_home.html |archive-date=26 July 2013 |title=History of Ealing Studios |publisher=Ealing Studios |access-date=9 March 2015}}</ref> Famous for recording many motion picture [[film scores]], the [[London Symphony Orchestra]] first performed film music in 1935.<ref>[http://lso.co.uk/page/3151/LSO-and-Film-Music London Symphony Orchestra and Film Music] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930173905/http://lso.co.uk/page/3151/LSO-and-Film-Music |date=30 September 2011 }} LSO. Retrieved 30 June 2011</ref> The [[Hammer Film Productions|Hammer Horror]] films starring [[Christopher Lee]] saw the production of the first gory horror films showing blood and guts in colour.<ref>{{cite news|title=Frankenstein: Behind the monster smash|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-42411484|agency=BBC|date=1 January 2018}}</ref>

The [[BFI Top 100 British films]] includes ''[[Monty Python's Life of Brian]]'' (1979), a film regularly voted the funniest of all time by the UK public.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/948331.stm "Life of Brian tops comedy poll"]. BBC News (''[[Total Film]]'' magazine poll: 29 September 2000) Retrieved 27 June 2015</ref> English producers are also active in [[international co-productions]] and English actors, directors and crew feature regularly in American films. The UK film council ranked [[David Yates]], [[Christopher Nolan]], [[Mike Newell (director)|Mike Newell]], [[Ridley Scott]] and [[Paul Greengrass]] the five most commercially successful English directors since 2001.<ref>[http://statisticalyearbook11.ry.com/?id=82856 Statistical Yearbook 2011: 7.3 UK directors] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615221043/http://statisticalyearbook11.ry.com/?id=82856 |date=15 June 2012 }}. UK Film Council.</ref> Other contemporary English directors include [[Sam Mendes]], [[Guy Ritchie]] and [[Richard Curtis]]. Current actors include [[Tom Hardy]], [[Daniel Craig]], [[Benedict Cumberbatch]], [[Lena Headey]], [[Felicity Jones]], [[Emilia Clarke]], [[Lashana Lynch]], and [[Emma Watson]]. Acclaimed for his motion capture work, [[Andy Serkis]] opened [[The Imaginarium Studios]] in London in 2011.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/11217293/Does-Andy-Serkiss-motion-capture-acting-deserve-an-Oscar.html "Does Andy Serkis's motion capture acting deserve an Oscar?"]. The Telegraph. Retrieves 11 January 2015</ref> The visual effects company [[Framestore]] in London has produced some of the most critically acclaimed special effects in modern film.<ref>[https://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/film/tim-webber-the-man-who-put-sandra-bullock-in-space-8804917.html "Tim Webber: the man who put Sandra Bullock in space"]. Evening Standard. Retrieved 17 January 2014</ref> Many successful Hollywood films have been based on English people, [[British literature|stories]] or events. The 'English Cycle' of Disney animated films include ''[[Alice in Wonderland (1951 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'', ''[[The Jungle Book (1967 film)|The Jungle Book]]'' and ''[[The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh|Winnie the Pooh]]''.<ref>[http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article600292.ece/Barry-Ronges-Classic-DVD---Alice-in-Wonderland Barry Ronge's Classic DVD : Alice in Wonderland], ''[[The Times (South Africa)|The Times]]'', It was made under the personal supervision of Walt Disney, and he took special care when animating British fantasy. He called them his "English Cycle".</ref>

===Sites and institutions===
{{Further|List of museums in England}}
[[File:London Natural History Museum Panorama.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|left|alt=A museum building entrance.|The [[Natural History Museum, London|Natural History Museum]] in London]]

[[English Heritage]] is a governmental body with a broad remit of managing the historic sites, artefacts and environments of England. It is currently sponsored by the [[Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport|Department for Culture, Media and Sport]]. A non-governmental charity, the [[National Trust]] holds a complementary role, focussed on landscapes and [[English country house|country houses]]. 17 of the 25 United Kingdom UNESCO [[World Heritage Site]]s fall within England.<ref>{{cite web |author=UNESCO |author-link=UNESCO |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/gb |title=United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |website=World Heritage |publisher=whc.unesco.org |access-date=8 September 2009}}</ref> Some of the best-known of these are: [[Hadrian's Wall]], [[Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites]], the [[Tower of London]], the [[Jurassic Coast]], [[Saltaire]], [[Ironbridge Gorge]], [[Blenheim Palace]] and the [[Lake District]].<ref>{{cite web |title=English World Heritage Sites to get strongest ever protections |url=http://www.ihbc.org.uk/news/docs/English%20World%20Heritage%20Sites%20to%20get%20strongest%20ever%20protections%20CLG%20press%20notice%2027%20May%202008.pdf |publisher=Institute of Historic Building Conservation |access-date=5 September 2009}}</ref>

London's [[British Museum]] holds more than seven million objects,<ref>{{cite web |title=Museum in London |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/the_museum/museum_in_london.aspx |publisher=BritishMuseum.org |access-date=5 September 2009}}</ref> one of the largest and most comprehensive collections in the world,<ref>{{cite magazine |title=250 Years of the British Museum |url=http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1871956,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090117100413/http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1871956,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 January 2009 |magazine=Time |access-date=17 September 2009 |date=15 January 2009}}</ref> illustrating and documenting global human culture from its beginnings to the present. The [[British Library]] in London is the [[national library]] and is one of the world's largest [[research libraries]], holding over 150&nbsp;million items in almost all known languages and formats, including around 25&nbsp;million books.<ref>{{cite web |title=British Library |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/80260/British-Library |access-date=5 September 2009 |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bl.uk/about-us/our-story/facts-and-figures-of-the-british-library|title=Facts and figures of the British Library|website=The British Library|access-date=23 May 2020|archive-date=31 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731015517/https://www.bl.uk/about-us/our-story/facts-and-figures-of-the-british-library|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[National Gallery]] in [[Trafalgar Square]] houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900.<ref>{{cite web |title=The National Gallery |url=http://www.artinfo.com/galleryguide/22865/9383/the-national-gallery-london/about/ |publisher=ArtInfo.com |access-date=5 September 2009}}</ref> The [[Tate]] galleries house the national collections of British and international modern art; they also host the [[Turner Prize]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2382373.stm |title=The art of Turner protests |last=Youngs |first=Ian |date=31 October 2002 |work=BBC News |access-date=10 August 2009}}</ref>

The [[Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport|Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport]] has overall responsibility for cultural property and heritage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-digital-culture-media-and-sport|title=Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport - GOV.UK|website=www.gov.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Arts, Heritage and Tourism – GOV.UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/parliamentary-under-secretary-of-state--81 |access-date=29 January 2020 |website=www.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref> A [[blue plaque]], the oldest [[historical marker]] scheme in the world, is a permanent sign installed in a public place in England to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event. In 2011 there were around 1,600 museums in England.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 2011 |title=A review of research and literature on museums and libraries |url=http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/pdf/a_review_of_research.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904133747/http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/pdf/a_review_of_research.pdf |archive-date=4 September 2012 |access-date=24 February 2013 |publisher=Arts Council}}</ref> Entry to most museums and galleries is free.<ref>{{cite web |date=1 December 2011 |title=Ten years of free museums |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ten-years-of-free-museums |access-date=9 July 2020}}</ref> [[London]] is one of the world's most visited cities, regularly taking the top five most visited cities in [[Europe]]. It is considered a global centre of finance, art and culture.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 December 2019 |title=These Are the World's Most Popular City Destinations in 2019 |newspaper=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-03/these-are-the-world-s-most-popular-city-destinations-in-2019 |access-date=3 December 2019}}; {{Cite web |title=Top 100 City Destinations: 2019 Edition |url=http://go.euromonitor.com/white-paper-travel-2019-100-cities.html |access-date=3 December 2019 |website=Euromonitor International}}</ref>

=== Media ===
{{Main|Media in the United Kingdom}}
[[File:Footbridge_to_Media_City,_Salford_-_geograph.org.uk_-_6131368.jpg|thumb|[[MediaCityUK|MediaCity]] in Manchester is the largest media-production facility in Europe.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Europe's largest, digital, tech and creative hub: MediaCity |url=https://www.mediacityuk.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/MediaCity_Commercial-Brochure_Feb_V1_030223.pdf |journal=MediaCityUK}}</ref>]]
The [[BBC]], founded in 1922, is the UK's publicly funded radio, television and Internet broadcasting corporation, and is the oldest and largest broadcaster in the world.<ref name="MediaNewsline">{{cite web|title=BBC: World's largest broadcaster & Most trusted media brand|url=http://www.medianewsline.com/news/151/ARTICLE/4930/2009-08-13.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005004930/http://www.medianewsline.com/news/151/ARTICLE/4930/2009-08-13.html|archive-date=5 October 2010|access-date=23 September 2010|publisher=Media Newsline}}</ref><ref name="AboutBBC">{{cite news|title=About the BBC&nbsp;– What is the BBC|work=BBC Online|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/info/purpose/what.shtml|access-date=9 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116202334/http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/purpose/what.shtml|archive-date=16 January 2010}}</ref> It operates numerous television and radio stations in the UK and abroad and its domestic services are funded by the [[Television licensing in the United Kingdom|television licence]].<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite journal|last=Newswire7|date=13 August 2009|title=BBC: World's largest broadcaster & Most trusted media brand|url=http://www.medianewsline.com/news/151/ARTICLE/4930/2009-08-13.html|url-status=dead|journal=Media Newsline|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510090842/http://www.medianewsline.com/news/151/ARTICLE/4930/2009-08-13.html|archive-date=10 May 2011|access-date=19 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=April 2010|title=TV Licence Fee: facts & figures|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/keyfacts/stories/licencefee.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427080539/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/keyfacts/stories/licencefee.shtml|archive-date=27 April 2011|publisher=BBC Press Office}}</ref> The [[BBC World Service]] is an [[International broadcasting|international broadcaster]] owned and operated by the [[BBC]]. It is the world's largest of any kind.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Work of the BBC World Service |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmfaff/334/334.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021001645/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmfaff/334/334.pdf |archive-date=21 October 2020 |access-date=16 February 2011}}</ref> It broadcasts radio news, speech and discussions in more than 40 languages.<ref>{{Cite web |title=News in your language – BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/ws/languages |website=bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC World Service |url=https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/whatwedo/worldservice |website=bbc.com}}</ref>

London dominates the media sector in England: national newspapers and television and radio are largely based there, although [[Manchester]] is also a significant national media centre. The UK publishing sector, including books, directories and databases, journals, magazines and business media, newspapers and news agencies, has a combined turnover of around £20&nbsp;billion and employs around 167,000 people.<ref>{{cite web|title=Publishing|url=http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/creative_industries/3280.aspx|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110505104322/http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/creative_industries/3280.aspx|archive-date=5 May 2011|publisher=Department of Culture, Media and Sport}}</ref> National newspapers produced in England include ''[[The Times]]'', ''[[The Guardian]]'', ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', and the ''[[Financial Times]]''.<ref name="paper2">{{cite news|date=10 October 2008|title=ABCs: National daily newspaper circulation September 2008|work=The Guardian|location=UK|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/table/2008/oct/10/abcs-pressandpublishing|access-date=17 October 2008}}</ref>

Magazines and journals published in England that have achieved worldwide circulation include ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'', ''[[New Scientist]]'', ''[[The Spectator]]'', ''[[Prospect (magazine)|Prospect]]'', ''[[NME]]'' and ''[[The Economist]]''. The [[Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport|Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport]] has overall responsibility over media and broadcasting in England.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport – GOV.UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-digital-culture-media-and-sport |access-date=21 December 2020 |website=www.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref>