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England

To save it from collapse, crews will conduct extensive renovations at William Blake's cottage in West Sussex.

William Blake’s Cottage Will Be Saved—and Transformed Into a New Museum

The 18th-century poet wrote some of his most renowned works in the house in southern England, which has since fallen into disrepair

Along with stretches of cobblestone path, researchers found pottery and Roman coins.

Cool Finds

A Roman Road Was Hiding Beneath a Primary School Playing Field in England

The 2,000-year-old cobbled pathway was likely built after the Romans invaded Britain in the first century C.E.

The medieval archway was buried beneath layers of plaster and brick.

Cool Finds

Historic Theater Discovers 15th-Century Doorway That May Have Led to a Dressing Room

Some experts speculate that Shakespeare could have used the room to change costume during performances in the late 16th century

Carpentry waste inside one of the Roman-era wells discovered in England.

Two Ancient Wells Discovered in England Suggest Even the Romans Used Trial and Error

After the first well collapsed, the local builders incorporated wooden planks to hold up the walls of the second

Another rare example of Alan Turing's handwritten notes, which went to auction in 2015

British Government Places Export Ban on Alan Turing’s World War II-Era Notebooks

The mathematician took careful notes while working on a portable voice encryption system in the mid-1940s

Commuters pass by Yayoi Kusama's new public sculpture, Infinite Accumulation, at Liverpool Street station in London.

Yayoi Kusama’s Largest Permanent Public Sculpture Arrives in London

Stainless steel archways and reflective spheres stretch for more than 300 feet at Liverpool Street station

The London Fire Brigade responded to a blaze that began on Somerset House's roof.

Firefighters Extinguish Blaze at London’s Somerset House

The palatial complex’s historic artworks sustained no damage from the fire that broke out on August 17

The colorful mosaic depicts brightly colored dolphins and fish.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Stumble Upon a 2,000-Year-Old Dolphin Mosaic in England

The Roman-era artwork was likely preserved thanks to a remodeling project in the third or fourth century C.E.

Andreane Rellou is an actor and filmmaker who saw the photos at the museum and took it upon herself to identify the two women.

Cool Finds

Amateur Sleuth Identifies the Mystery Women in a Museum’s Fabergé Frames

The portraits were on display at a museum in England, where staffers had been wondering about the two subjects for years

The Altar Stone lies at the center of the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England.

New Research

Stonehenge’s Massive Central Stone May Have Been Shipped From Hundreds of Miles Away

Researchers think they’ve solved the mystery of the monument’s Altar Stone, which could have traveled all the way from Scotland

The Tower of London has loomed over the city since the 11th century.

Will the Tower of London Lose Its UNESCO World Heritage Status?

The United Nations agency is worried about high-rise developments near the famed 11th-century fortress

Banksy's latest mural, which depicts two pelicans eating fish, on August 9.

New Banksy Murals Appeared in London Every Day This Week. What Do They Mean?

The street artist has unveiled five animal-themed artworks, sparking debate about their intended message

This portrait of Henry VIII was one of 22 in a set commissioned by Ralph Sheldon in the late 16th century.

Cool Finds

Art Historian Discovers Long-Lost Portrait of Henry VIII in Background of Social Media Post

Commissioned by a wealthy tapestry maker in the 1590s, the Tudor king’s likeness features a distinctive frame with a rounded top

The Dolphin Hotel is a historic structure dating in Southampton, England.

Inside the Controversial Plan to Turn a Hotel Where Jane Austen Attended Balls Into Student Dorms

Devoted readers are worried about the fate of the historic Dolphin Hotel in southern England

The pups helped spread the seeds of foxgloves, bluebells, common spotted orchids and other plants.

These Backpack-Wearing Dogs Have an Important Job to Do

The pups are dispersing seeds at an urban nature reserve—just like their wild wolf ancestors used to do before being hunted to extinction

The artifact had been on view at a table inside the British Museum in London.

This Art Student Stole a Coin From the British Museum—and Dropped It in the Donation Box

Ilê Sartuzi briefly pocketed a 17th-century coin to make a statement about looted artifacts held by the museum

The newly discovered self-portrait by Norman Cornish

Cool Finds

Hidden Self-Portrait by Norman Cornish Discovered Behind Another Painting

A conservator in northern England stumbled upon the work on the reverse side of a piece called “Bar Scene”

The Wentworth brothers campaigned ceaselessly for the liberty of free speech in the House of Commons. They were driven by the ongoing succession crisis, which they felt Elizabeth was ignoring, placing England in danger of civil war or foreign invasion.

The Brothers Who Asserted Their Right to Free Speech in Tudor England

Peter and Paul Wentworth called on Elizabeth I to name an heir to the throne, wielding Parliament’s free speech privileges to urge the queen to take action

Pumpkin, which stands at 19.5 feet tall, is Kusama's tallest bronze gourd sculpture to date.

A Giant Polka-Dotted Pumpkin Takes Root in London’s Kensington Gardens

The bronze sculpture was created by famed Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who often uses pumpkins in her work

Victoria created this 1833 ink sketch when she was 14 years old. It's inscribed, "original sketch by the Royal Highness the Princess Victoria.

You Can Buy Four Drawings by a Young Queen Victoria

The sketches, which are heading to auction this week, showcase the teenage royal’s devotion to the arts

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