England Historical Facts

In 2014 the market town of Wantage won the award for 'Britain's Best Town Centre' after being nominated for the Government's Great British High Street Award.

Thomas Wolsey, Lord High Chancellor of England and Henry VIII's right-hand man (until he was arrested for treason) died on 29th November 1530 on his way to face charges. He was buried at Leicester Abbey, which was demolished around 1538, and although the Abbey foundations have been excavated in recent years, Wolsey's remains have never been found.

Leicestershire is the only historic county of England lacking a registered county flag. The coat of arms of Leicestershire County Council in flag form is often marketed as the county flag of Leicestershire, however it only represents the council, and their permission is required should you wish to fly it.

British thoroughbred racehorse 'Burrough Hill Lad' was named after the Leicestershire village Burrough on the Hill, by owner Stan Riley, who was born and raised in the village. After a run of victories in 1984 including the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Hennessy Gold Cup, and the King George VI Chase, Burrough Hill Lad was considered to be one of the greatest racehorses in the history of the horse racing.

St. Giles Church in the small picturesque village of Hampton Gay, Oxfordshire, houses one of the oldest bells in England, dating to the mid-13th-century.

Beverley Minster possessed two bells in 1050. Four bells were installed in 1366, three of which are still in use in the Minster after having been recast. In the south-west tower there is a bell weighing over 7 tonnes and which is over 7 feet in diameter. It is a non-swinging bourdon bell called Great John, which chimes the hour and dates from 1901.

Beverley Minster is one of the largest parish churches in the UK, larger than one-third of all English cathedrals.

King Henry III granted 40 oaks from Sherwood Forest in 1252 to help rebuild Beverley Minster after the fire of 1188 completely destroyed it along with much of the town.

Brothers water in the Lake District was once called 'Broad Water' but was renamed to 'Brothers Water' during the Victorian period after two brothers drowned there.