British History

A detail of one of four known existing originals of the 1297 version of the Magna Carta.

An Early Copy of the Magna Carta Was Found Forgotten in an Old Scrapbook

An archivist in England stumbled upon a 715-year-old edition of the charter credited for initiating a new framework of governance

How One 138-Page Book Inspired the Creation of the Boy Scouts

How a little military textbook evolved into a movement that would captivate generations of young men

Turing's journal was kept while he helped build the Bombe Machine, a device used to encrypt Nazi codes.

Turing’s Secret Notebook Is Up for Auction

The notebooks offer a glimpse into the mind of a codebreaker

The ancient artifact was found in a field and used as a doorstop for years before being identified as a rare ceremonial dirk.

This 3,500-Year-Old Dagger Made a Really Great Doorstop

One man’s doorstop is another man’s rare, ancient artifact

Cholera Belt, Dodd & Monk, Albert Mill, Canal Street, Congleton, Cheshire, 1882. With little understood about the disease, there were many bogus treatments and preventative measures against cholera. "The cholera belt seems like the most unlikely protection," writes Halls. "However, it was believed that a chilled body could cause disease, and that keeping the stomach and abdomen warm could protect against bowel complaints."

10 Victorian Inventions That Never Quite Took Off

Flops from a "knife and fork cleaner" to a "cholera belt" provide a curious look at life in 19th century England

James Joyce in 1938.

Save the Voices of Tolkien, Joyce And Tennyson

The British Library is fighting time and budget constraints to save its vast collection of audio recordings

Highclere Castle, home of the Earl of Carnarvon but perhaps more famous for its role as the setting for "Downton Abbey," is opening part of its grounds to overnight guests for the first time this spring.

Soon, You'll Be Able to Spend the Night on the Grounds of Downton Abbey

Beginning February 13, interested parties can book a night (or two) in a lodge one mile from Highclere Castle, made famous by "Downton Abbey"

January 2015 marks 50 years since the death of Winston Churchill, shown here in 1943, known for his writing and speeches.

The Illustrious History of Misquoting Winston Churchill

Saying exactly what Churchill said isn’t easy—or cheap

London Mayor Boris Johnson released his book, The Churchill Factor, in November 2014.

London Mayor Boris Johnson on Winston Churchill's Cheekiest Quotes

London's mayor talks about his new Churchill biography, 50 years after the British Bulldog's death

An engraving of "Mr. Garrick" as Richard III in a production of Shakespeare’s play

Richard III’s DNA Analysis Reveals Cuckoldry in the Family

Researchers can trace the monarch’s maternal lineage to modern relatives, but not the male side

Scotland Is No Longer Home to the World’s Best Whiskys

When it comes to whisky, Japan, the US and even England now reign supreme

Great Britain Still Has Significant Debt From World War I

The U.K. is committing itself to paying off a small fraction of that debt next year by issuing new debt

In London, Sherlock Holmes is happy to stop for a quick chat.

You’ll Soon Be Able to Talk to London And Manchester’s Statues

Just scan a tag near the statues with your cell, and they'll call you with a quick first-person history lesson

Till death do us part: This couple has been holding hands for 700 years.

This Skeleton Couple Has Been Holding Hands for 700 Years

The couple's remains are just one of the discoveries recently made in the "lost chapel" of St. Morrell

The skeleton of Richard III

Richard III Suffered Severe Head Wounds in Battle

Analysis of the skeleton revels that he was likely not wearing a helmet when he died

Sir John Franklin’s Doomed Ship Just Turned Up in the Arctic After 170 Years

The two ships disappeared in 1846 during a British expedition trying to map the Northwest Passage

A model depicting a Viking ring fortress layout.

Newly Discovered Viking Fortress Could Have Been a Launch Point for Invading England

The ring-shaped complex could have been used as a military training ground

Case Solved on Jack the Ripper? Not So Fast

An author and a scientist claim to have proven the identity of the notorious 19th century killer, but others say the evidence is lacking

Standing Stones, also known as "the First Stonehenge," in the Ring O Brodgar in Orkney

What the Scottish Independence Referendum Could Mean for Orkney

Sovereignty over Orkney, home to the First Stonehenge, has been debated for more than 5,000 years

Dry Grass Hints That Stonehenge Was Once a Whole Circle

Researchers find new evidence about the shape of Stonehenge

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