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British History

A fetal skull that was dissected in the 1800s, originally held in the University of Cambridge Anatomy Museum.

New Research

How Fetus Dissections in the Victorian Era Helped Shape Today’s Abortion Wars

Besides teaching us about disease and human development, they molded modern attitudes of the fetus as distinct entity from the mother

Theresa May, the U.K.'s newest Prime Minister.

Trending Today

Why Britain’s New Prime Minister Wasn’t Elected

Theresa May will become the U.K.’s newest Prime Minister tomorrow

Cool Finds

Researcher Unearths a Trove of New Shakespeare Documents

Archival papers show the Bard was interested in improving his social status

Cool Finds

The Poster That Started the “Keep Calm” Craze is on Sale

Learn about the print that launched a thousand memes

Trending Today

What Brexit Would Mean for U.K.’s Arts, Sciences and Other Sectors

Exiting the European Union could have far ranging consequences for industries throughout the United Kingdom

The world's first ring designed for racing cars, built in 1907. It's one of 21 sites Historic England is asking more information on from the public

Cool Finds

Help England Crowdsource Its History

Historic England is asking the public for information and photos on 21 weird and wonderful sites on its list of historic places

The Next Pandemic

Research Reveals More Complete Picture of the Devastation Wrought by the Black Death

By examining pottery remains in over 50 rural settlements, archaeologists now better understand the extent that the population was wiped out by the plague

The Liberty Tree in colonial-era Boston

The Story Behind a Forgotten Symbol of the American Revolution: The Liberty Tree

While Boston landmarks like the Old North Church still stand, the Liberty Tree, gone for nearly 250 years, has been lost to history

A sketch by Bert Brocklesby of his fiancée, Annie Wainwright. Annie's brother was killed at the front and Bert traveled to Vienna to do aid work after the war. Annie objected, and broke off their engagement

Cool Finds

Curators Are Preserving Graffiti Scrawled By WWI Conscientious Objectors

The cell walls at Richmond Castle are still covered in drawings and notes

A lamprey in a tank at the Aquarium Restaurant Atalaya in Spain.

Cool Finds

It’s Lamprey Breeding Time in Britain

The bloodsucking fish are returning rivers that were once too polluted for them to live in

Trending Today

British Barber Proposes Beard Tax

Inspired by historical examples, Antony Kent wants men to pay a 100-pound fee to rock a bushy beard

Darjeeling white tea brews with a delicate aroma and a pale golden color.

Cool Finds

For the First Time in 150 Years, Anyone Can Buy One of the World’s Rarest Teas

Go straight to the source

The Royal Oak in Witney, England

Cool Finds

Why “The Royal Oak” Is a Popular Pub Name in the U.K.

The story goes back to the English Civil Wars and a prince on the run

Cool Finds

Help London’s Science Museum Bring Britain’s First Robot Back to Life

Eric impressed crowds in the 1920’s by standing up, bowing, and shooting sparks from his teeth

A statue of Julian of Norwich at Norwich Cathedra. She is one of the first-known women writers in the English language.

Cool Finds

For the First Time, See Two Early Medieval Books Written By Women On Display Together

The manuscripts detail the authors’ experiences

King Lear was deemed too dark for its 17th century audiences.

Is There Such a Thing as a “Bad” Shakespeare Play?

More than four hundred years after the Bard’s death, the quality of his works is still a fluid scale

Illustration from Merchant of Venice

Four Hundred Years Later, Scholars Still Debate Whether Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice” Is Anti-Semitic

Deconstructing what makes the Bard’s play so problematic

What the villa discovered in Wiltshire, England, would have looked like 1800 years ago

Cool Finds

Massive Roman Villa Found in British Backyard

One of the largest and best-preserved Roman homes ever found in Britain was discovered after a family decided they wanted to play ping-pong in their barn

The three volumes of the newly-discovered copy of Shakespeare's First Folio.

Cool Finds

A New Copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio Was Found in a Scottish Library

Only a few hundred copies still survive

Cool Finds

Bullet Helps Revive Lawrence of Arabia’s Reputation

A bullet from a Colt pistol found at the site of one of T.E. Lawrence’s most famous battles helps verify the authenticity of his stories

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