10 Fun and Strange Facts About England

England is, as you probably know, a part of the United Kingdom and also the most populous constituent country. The area now known as England was first inhabited during the Late Paleolithic, but it derives its name from the Angles – one of the Germanic tribes that settled there during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in the year 927, and since the Age of Discovery, which began in the 15th century, it has had a significant cultural and legal influence on the rest of the world. But you’ve likely already learned that in school, so instead, let’s jump straight into some fun facts and curiosities about this fascinating country!

1 The world’s largest diamond was sent to England… by simple mail parcel…

When the world’s largest diamond was transported from Africa to England, an elaborate and highly secure sea voyage was publicly announced. The announcement, however, was made on purpose as a decoy.
In reality, the actual diamond was casually shipped via regular mail — and it arrived safely in the island nation without anyone suspecting a thing. [source]

2 How England got its name…

The name “England” originates from the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms established on the British Isles during the Middle Ages. It comes from the Old English word “Englaland”, meaning “the land of the Angles”. The Angles were one of the Germanic tribes that invaded and settled in Britain during the 5th and 6th centuries AD.

Since then, the name has been used to describe the southern and central parts of the island of Great Britain, which later formed the core of what we now know as England. [source]

3 Edward I wasn’t in a hurry to become king of England…

When Edward I of England returned from the Ninth Crusade in 1272, he learned that his father had died and that he had now become the king of the nation.

Instead of rushing home for his coronation, Edward took his time, enjoying a leisurely journey through Italy and France for nearly two years, only returning to England in 1274. [source]

4 Rationing during World War II led to a decrease in infant mortality…

The strict rationing system introduced in England during World War II, especially from December 1939 onward, played a major role in ensuring that all citizens — including infants — received adequate nutrition.

Rationing aimed to distribute available food fairly and prevent any group from receiving too little. This actually helped reduce infant mortality during the war by making sure that essential nutrition was available to everyone, including children. [source]

5 This is how England’s system of government works…

England (being part of the United Kingdom) has a constitutional monarchy, where the monarch serves as head of state, but the executive power is exercised by the government, led by the Prime Minister.
The Parliament, consisting of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, holds the legislative power. The courts are independent and responsible for interpreting the law.

The country has no single written constitution; instead, it relies on customs, constitutional conventions, and legislation to regulate its political system. [source]

6 The Scots’ plans to invade England led to terrible consequences…

The Scottish army attempted to take advantage of the Black Death in England by launching an invasion — but they became infected themselves and brought the plague back to Scotland, where about half of the population died. [source]

7 Lincoln Cathedral in England was once the tallest building in the world…

The Great Pyramid of Giza held the title of the world’s tallest man-made structure for 3,871 years until Lincoln Cathedral was completed in 1311.

From its completion in 1311, the cathedral — standing at 83 meters — became the tallest building in the world and held the record until 1549, when it was surpassed by the larger and taller Cologne Cathedral in Germany. [source]

8 The annual lying competition…

There is an annual lying competition in the country, where contestants from all over the world have five minutes to tell the biggest and most convincing lie they can.
Politicians and lawyers are banned from participating because they are considered too skilled at lying. [source]

9 The remains of King Richard III were found beneath a parking lot…

The remains of King Richard III had been missing for over 500 years before they were discovered beneath a parking lot in Leicester, England, in 2012.

The identification of the body as belonging to Richard III was confirmed through DNA testing, compared with the DNA of living descendants of the king. [source]

10 They built an entire fake, empty city for police training…

In Gravesend, there is a fully constructed mock city used by the police to simulate dangerous scenarios.
Fake streets, houses, parks, nightclubs, warehouses, airplanes, trains, and underground stations are all used to stage riots, robberies, hostage situations, and terrorist attacks. [source]

Xtra The oldest unbroken alliance in the world is between England and Portugal…

The oldest unbroken alliance in the world is the one between England and Portugal, dating back to 1373.

The alliance was established through what is known as the Treaty of Windsor. [source]