Editor’s Note: This is the beginning of an ongoing series about the history of motoring in Britain. We’re starting with an overview of its history, and will get more granular in the coming weeks. The first time you see a Lotus Emira alongside a pristine Jaguar E-Type in a British car park, you’re witnessing a… Continue Reading Great British Motoring: A Brief History of the British Motor Car – From the First Horseless Carriages to Modern Supercars

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The last time we left The Kinks, they had been banned from performing in the United States. As a result, they started to focus their songwriting efforts to something more specifically British than anything their competition had been doing. And, despite this, they were still successful in America, but their foothold on the American market… Continue Reading Village Greens and Waterloo Sunsets: How the Kinks became the most British band of the British Invasion (Part 2)

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There’s a particular kind of British house that we’ve developed something of an obsession with over the years. You’ve seen it too, even if you didn’t know what you were looking at. It’s the one sitting just beside the village church, set back behind a stone wall and a riot of hollyhocks, with more chimneys… Continue Reading Built Britain: Rectories, Parsonages, and Vicarages: The Heart of British Village Life

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A quick but exciting announcement from Jonathan: the Anglotopia Podcast is approaching its 100th episode, and to celebrate, Jonathan and Jackie — Mrs. Anglotopia herself — are sitting down together for a special no-script, no-agenda Q&A episode, just like they did for Episode 50. Anything goes: the history of Anglotopia, upcoming trips, favorite corners of… Continue Reading We Want Your Questions about Britain for our 100th Episode Q&A

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To mark the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on 4 July 2026, the National Maritime Museum will unveil a remarkable manuscript that may be one of the earliest British reports of American independence. Opening on 15 June, the free temporary display will give visitors the opportunity to view the document… Continue Reading What May Be Britain’s First Report of American Independence Goes on Display at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

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In this episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, Jonathan Thomas is joined by Sarah Morris — creator of the Tudor Travel Guide, author of multiple Tudor books, including her novel about Anne Boleyn, and co-founder of Simply Tudor Tours — for a sweeping, entertaining, and deeply informative crash course in Tudor Britain. Calling it Tudor 101,… Continue Reading Anglotopia Podcast: Episode 92 – Tudor 101 – A Complete Crash Course in England’s Most Dramatic Dynasty With Sarah Morris

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Great Events in Colonial American History – Article 11 The British Context The Great Awakening—the wave of religious revivalism that swept the American colonies from the 1730s through the 1740s—had its roots in broader transatlantic religious movements. In England, the established Church was experiencing what many contemporaries considered a crisis of spiritual lethargy. The latitudinarian… Continue Reading America’s British History: The Great Awakening (1730s-1740s) – Religious Revival ...

Walk around London for ten minutes and you’ll pass at least one pub, probably a bar, and possibly a gastropub. To American eyes, they might all look like places where you can get a drink. And they are. But the differences matter — not just in what you’ll pay, but in the entire vibe of… Continue Reading What’s the Difference Between a Pub, a Bar, and a Gastropub in London?

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The traditional British B&B — bed and breakfast — is a type of accommodation that doesn’t have a perfect American equivalent. Understanding what a B&B is (and isn’t) will help you decide whether it’s right for your London trip. What a B&B Actually Is A B&B is a small, usually family-run establishment that offers overnight… Continue Reading What’s the Difference Between a B&B and a Hotel in London?

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London has several types of pedestrian crossings, each with its own rules and quirks. If you’re used to American crosswalks (press button, wait for walk signal, cross), the British system is broadly similar — but with some charming eccentricities and some names that sound made up. Zebra Crossings The zebra crossing is the most iconic… Continue Reading How Do London Pedestrian Crossings Work? A Guide to Pelican, Puffin, and Zebra Crossings

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If you’ve been to London recently, you might have noticed something remarkable: cash is nearly extinct. The city has undergone a payment revolution in the past five years, and it’s transformed the way visitors (and locals) spend money. But here’s the honest answer to your question: yes, cards work almost everywhere now, but there are… Continue Reading Do They Take Credit Cards Everywhere in London Now?

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A “bank holiday” is the British term for a public holiday — a day when most people have the day off work, banks are closed (hence the name), and the normal rhythm of London shifts noticeably. As an American visitor, you need to know when they fall and how they affect what’s open, because a… Continue Reading What Are “Bank Holidays” in London and How Do They Affect Your Trip?

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The V&A’s ambitious new museum in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park opens its doors this Saturday, marking the completion of one of the UK’s biggest cultural projects of the decade and the latest addition to East Bank, London’s new cultural quarter. V&A East Museum, a bright five-storey building designed by architects O’Donnell + Tuomey, has been… Continue Reading London Newest Museum Opens Tomorrow – V&A East Museum Opens This Weekend With Landmark Exhibition on Black British ...

Sherlock Holmes is arguably the world’s most famous fictional detective, and London is his city. Though Arthur Conan Doyle never intended to create a phenomenon, Holmes became so real in the public imagination that people have been visiting his London address for over a hundred years. The fact that the address (221B Baker Street) was… Continue Reading Sherlock Holmes’s London — A Complete Guide for Fans

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Ben Whishaw, Kathryn Hunter, a brand-new Thelma & Louise musical with songs by Neko Case, and a London-first residency from Edinburgh Fringe favourite Shedinburgh — the Young Vic has just unveiled a blockbuster 2026/7 season. Artistic Director and CEO Nadia Fall has announced her 2026/7 season at the Young Vic — a line-up that spans… Continue Reading Young Vic Unveils Blockbuster 2026/7 Season — Ben Whishaw, Kathryn Hunter, a Thelma & Louise Musical and More

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Yes. Absolutely, completely, without any doubt: you can drink the tap water in London. It’s safe, clean, and perfectly fine. You won’t get sick. You won’t have any issues. You can drink it straight from the tap in your hotel room, from a glass in a restaurant, or from a water fountain on the street.… Continue Reading Can You Drink the Tap Water in London?

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King Charles III has delivered a deeply personal video message remembering the life of public service of his "darling Mama," Queen Elizabeth II, on what would have been her 100th birthday.

In the message, recorded at Balmoral earlier this month, the King reflected on his mother's

A new charity honoring the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II has been established, as the Royal Family and nation mark what would have been her 100th birthday on 21 April 2026.

The Queen Elizabeth Trust, backed by a £40 million government endowment, will focus on restoring and