Last Updated on 7th July 2020I have recently wondered if there is a particular lesson for us in the old place names of North West England. Now, the interpretation of place names can be a complicated, uncertain, business and it…
Roman place names and sites
Last Updated on 14th July 2020It began with a simple notion, to create a list of Roman place names in Britain, with their modern equivalents. Of course, we do not know what Romans called most of the places they built…
Ten of the best places to visit in North East England
Last Updated on 22nd June 2020Frankly, you’ll be spoiled for choice if you’re looking for things to see and do in North East England. From dramatic, wild coast and countryside, to wildlife, castles, Roman remains, the simple grandeur of Durham…
Britain’s biggest, smallest, tallest, oldest …
What is Britain’s longest river, highest mountain, smallest city, oldest pub, longest road, best-selling album, longest-reigning monarch? If you don’t already have this essential knowledge at your finger-tips, look no further. Why? – because the answer to these, and other…
Dunkirk – the miracle in context
Last Updated on 2nd June 2020Say “Dunkirk”* to anyone with a modest knowledge of Britain’s recent history and probably the least they will do is to nod sagely; Dunkirk, ‘the miracle of Dunkirk’ or the ‘Dunkirk spirit’, is part of…
The Mousetrap
Among the many temporarily closures due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) was The Mousetrap. All of you luvvies out there, plus one or two others, will know that ‘The Mousetrap’ is a play. But it isn’t just any old performance; it…
Britain’s changing calendar
Last Updated on 11th June 2020News for my loyal reader – the ‘Britain’s calendar’ page on A Bit About Britain, which previously listed holidays and annual events, has been massively overhauled and updated. That page now focuses on public holidays,…
What is VE Day and is it relevant?
VE Day, Victory in Europe Day, is celebrated on 8 May as the day the Second World War came to an end in Europe in 1945. Writing now, 75 years on in 2020, most people have no memory of the…
Somewhere in England – Part 3
This is the third, and fortunately final, part of our gripping video series exhibiting an unassuming English garden during the lockdown in April 2020. As with Parts 1 and 2, the narrator helpfully points out features not immediately obvious to…
Somewhere in England – Part 2
This is the second in our short three-part video series showing a humble English garden during the lockdown of 2020. Not to be taken very seriously – obviously – these videos perfectly illustrate why preparing a script is such good…
Somewhere in England – Part 1
Last Updated on 1st May 2020 Most people have been unable to go far during the Coronavirus lockdown in the UK; some have been unable to get out at all. Many of us are lucky to have gardens so, even…
KBO
The world feels a very curious and scary place at the moment. There’s an almost apocalyptic atmosphere, like being in the middle of a sci-fi movie. The future is even more uncertain than it was. As an older neighbour said…