The stone circle at Avebury is the largest in the world. It was built between
5300 and 4600 years ago and covers 11 ha (28 acres). The outer circle is
surrounded by a bank and ditch long of 1.5 km (1 mile).
The so-called British Imperial system of measurement (English units in the
USA) has its roots in Roman units. The Romans also counted in feet, which
they divided in 12 inches (unciae in Latin, from which the English word is
derived). 5 feet made a pace, and 1000 paces (mille passus) became a mile in
English. The Roman gallon was the congius (worth 0.92 U.S. gallons). The
word pint comes from Latin picta ("painted"), via the Old French pinte, and
corresponded to a painted mark on a vessel indicating this measure. Other
units like the pound only evolved in the Middle Ages.
Colchester in Essex is the oldest recorded town in Britain, as well as the
first Roman town and Roman capital of Britain. Colchester Castle has the
largest keep ever built in Europe, having a land area 50% bigger than the
Tower of London.
The Fossdyke, connecting the River Trent at Torksey to Lincoln, is the
oldest canal in Britain. It was built by the Romans around 120 CE and is still
navigable today.
Middle Ages & Renaissance
York was the first English city to become settled permanently by the
Danish Vikings (in 867) and the last to remain under Viking rule (until 954). It
served as capital of the Danelaw under the name of Jorvik.
Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest royal residence in the world still in
use. It was originally constructed in 1070 and rebuilt in stone in 1170.
Berkeley Castle is the oldest English castle still inhabited by the family who
built it. The founder of the Berkeley family was Robert Fitzharding (c. 1095
1170). He started building the present castle from 1153.
Winchester was the first capital of England, from 827 to 1066. Winchester
Cathedral, completed in 1070, has the longest nave of any medieval cathedral
in Europe.
York Minster is Britain's largest medieval cathedral, has the largest Gothic
nave in the country, and the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the
world.
The first building in the world to overtake the Great Pyramid of Giza in
Egypt was Lincoln Cathedral, completed in 1280. Had its spired not been
destroyed by a storm in 1549, it would have remained the highest
construction ever built in the world until 1884, when the Washington
Monument was erected.