British Stuff: 101 Objects That Make Britain Great

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It is one of a number of revelations that Mr McFall has helped ESA uncover as part of the feasibility project to find out whether it is possible to send disabled astronauts into space. David Bowie: A singer-songwriter and actor who has sold over 140 million records worldwide. Known for having sex with underage girls and groupies. I’m not being funny but I haven’t got all day – this is a popular saying in Wales and simply means hurry up! Radcliffe Camera, Oxford: Also known as “Rad Cam” or “The Camera”. The house of the Radcliffe Science Library.

Much of the folklore of the United Kingdom pre-dates the 18th century. Though some of the characters and stories are present throughout all of the UK, most belong to specific countries or regions. Common folkloric beings include pixies, giants, elves, bogeymen, trolls, goblins and dwarves. While many legends and folk-customs are thought to be ancient, such as the tales of Offa of Angeln and Weyland Smith, others date from after the Norman invasion of England, such as Robin Hood and his Merry Men of Sherwood and their battles with the Sheriff of Nottingham. [115] Richard the Lionheart, Christian leader of the Third Crusade, came to be seen as a contemporary and supporter of Robin Hood. A plaque features Richard marrying Robin and Maid Marian outside Nottingham Castle. [116] Glastonbury Festival: Previously known as the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. A five-day festival of performing arts in Somerset.Robinson Crusoe: A novel by Daniel Defoe. About the adventures of a castaway named Robinson Crusoe.

In contrast to the comparatively homogeneous classical and pop genres, each nation of the UK has retained a distinct tradition of folk music. The traditional folk music of England has contributed to several genres, such as sea shanties, jigs, hornpipes and dance music. It has its own distinct variations and regional peculiarities, while musical Morris dancing is an English folk dance known to have existed at least as early as the mid-15th century. [38] Jane Austen: A novelist known for the books Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park.American investment again increased in the 1990s, and the success of Four Weddings and a Funeral saw romantic comedies rise in popularity. Merchant Ivory Productions, boosted by the Oscars success of the previous decade's period pieces, continued to produce films in the same vein. American studios also began to base the production of Hollywood films in the UK, encouraged by tax incentives. 1996's Trainspotting led to increased interest in regional, particularly Scottish, cinema. While American-funded films continued their influence in the 2010s, domestic European co-productions also received acclaim. The Queen was British-French production for which Helen Mirren won Best Actress, while the UK Film Council funded The King's Speech, which won Best Picture in 2011. Asian British cinema has risen in prominence since 1999, when East is East was a mainstream success on a low budget.

One of the UK's many stately homes, Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, surrounded by an English garden. The house is one of the settings of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice. Slumdog Millionaire: A drama film based on the novel Q&A by Vikas Swarup about 18 year old Jamal from the Juhu slums. Cheers for a lovely run of scholar blogs from Chevening’s class of 2017. The scholar blogs will return in late October with fresh content from the incoming class of 2018. Further information: Museums in England, Museums in Scotland, Museums in WaLord of the Rings: A series of movies based on the fantasy novels (of the same name) by J. R. R. Tolkein. James Corden: An actor, television host and comedian. Known as the host of The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Main article: British comics Statue of Minnie the Minx, a character from The Beano, in Dundee, Scotland. Launched in 1938, The Beano is known for its anarchic humour, with Dennis the Menace appearing on the cover. First floor is not the first floor but the second’ (Santiago Borda Esquivel), ‘my university give numbers for the floor based on its height above the sea level – the underground could be level 11’ (Mariam Zaquout).

13. The Mackintosh Coat - 1823

The post-war period was a particular high point for British filmmaking, producing The Third Man and Brief Encounter, which the British Film Institute consider the best and second-best British films respectively. Laurence Olivier's 1948 Hamlet was the first British film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. The 1950s saw a focus on popular domestic topics such as comedies, including the enduring Carry On series, and World War II epics such as The Dam Busters. At the end of the decade Hammer Films took advantage of relaxed censorship laws to begin their series of successful horror films. The beginning of the 1960s saw the British New Wave style develop, influenced by its French counterpart, that sought to depict a wider strata of society in a realistic manner. The 1960s also saw renewed American financial interest in British film, which particularly manifested itself in the development of historical epics, such as Best Picture winners Lawrence of Arabia and A Man for All Seasons; spy thrillers, including the first films in the James Bond franchise; and films based on ' swinging London' scene. Donkey’s years – Apparently donkey’s live for a long time so when someone say’s “I haven’t seen you for donkey’s” they are saying they haven’t seen you in a long time. Bob’s your uncle – the origins of this saying and how it is used today differ. The saying originally meant you could get anything or do anything if you had the right connections because it came about after the 20th British Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury, famously appointed a nephew into an important political post for which he didn’t have the relevant experience. Today it is more commonly used to say everything is OK.