England

Elizabeth Sparrow unpicks the origins of the long-standing belief that Penzance, in Cornwall, was the first place on the mainland to receive news of the victory at Trafalgar and the death of Nelson.

John Matusiak examines whether a common interpretation can survive detailed scrutiny.

Pauline Croft explains the origins of Bonfire Night.

Bartholomew's Fair, which dates back to the 12th century, was held for the last time on September 3rd, 1855.

The Guinness Book of Records was first published on August 27th, 1955.

Stella Tillyard asks what fame meant to individuals and the wider public of  Georgian England, and considers how much this has in common with today’s celebrity culture.

Nigel Saul looks at a building which embodied much of England’s religious and political life in the later Middle Ages, and which staged the blessing of the Prince of Wales’s marriage on April 9th 2005.

Mark Rathbone assesses the effectiveness of measures taken in Tudor England to meet the problems of poverty and vagrancy.

Sean Cunningham highlights the importance of 'rule by recognisance' in the reign of the first Tudor monarch.

Retha Warnicke uncovers the real reason for Henry VIII's divorce from his fourth wife.