England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It lies on the island of Great Britain, and covers about 62% of it, along with more than 100 smaller nearby islands. England shares a land border with Scotland to the north and another land border with Wales to the west. Water surrounds it on most sides: the North Sea to the east, the English Channel to the south, the Celtic Sea to the south-west, and the Irish Sea to the west. Continental Europe is to the south-east, and Ireland is to the west. The population was 56,490,048 in the 2021 census. About nine million people live in its largest city, London.

The area that is now England was first lived in by modern humans during the Upper Paleolithic. It takes its name from the Angles, a Germanic tribe who settled there during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became one unified state in the 10th century. Since the Age of Discovery, which began in the 15th century, England has had a large cultural and legal impact on the wider world. The Kingdom of England, which included Wales after 1535, stopped being a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707. On that day, the Acts of Union joined it with the Kingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.

England is where the English language, the English legal system, and association football began. The English legal system became the basis for the common law systems of many other countries. England is also the home of the Anglican branch of Christianity. Its parliamentary system of government has been widely copied by other nations. The Industrial Revolution began in England in the 1700s, and it turned England into the world's first industrial nation. England is home to the two oldest universities in the English-speaking world: the University of Oxford, founded in 1096, and the University of Cambridge, founded in 1209.

England's land is mostly low hills and plains, especially in the centre and south. Hilly and mountainous land is mostly found in the north and west, including Dartmoor, the Lake District, the Pennines, and the Shropshire Hills. The London metropolitan area has more than 15 million people as of 2025, making it the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom. England has 56.3 million people, which is 84% of the United Kingdom's population. Most people live around London, the South East, and busy towns and cities in the Midlands, the North West, the North East, and Yorkshire. Each of these areas grew into a major industrial region during the 19th century.

Toponymy

See also: Toponymy of England

The name "England" comes from the Old English name Englaland, which means "land of the Angles". The Angles were one of the Germanic tribes that settled in Great Britain during the Early Middle Ages. They came from the Angeln region of what is now the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. The oldest known use of the name, as "Engla londe", is in a translation into Old English of Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People. It was written in the late 800s. At that time, the name meant "the land of the English people." This included people in what is now south-east Scotland, which was then part of the English kingdom of Northumbria. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says that the Domesday Book of 1086 covered the whole of England, which meant the English kingdom. A few years later, the Chronicle said that King Malcolm III went "out of Scotlande into Lothian in Englaland," using the word in its older sense.

The earliest known mention of the Angles is in a work from the 1st century by Tacitus, called Germania, which uses the Latin word Anglii. Scholars do not agree on where the tribe's name comes from. One idea is that it comes from the angular shape of the Angeln peninsula. It is not known for certain why the name of this tribe, and not others such as the Saxons, came to be used for the whole country. It seems to be connected to the custom of calling the Germanic people in Britain Angli Saxones, or English Saxons, to tell them apart from the Saxons of Germany. In Scottish Gaelic, the Saxon tribe gave its name to the word for England (Sasunn). The Welsh name for the English language is Saesneg. A poetic name for England is Loegria. It is related to the Welsh word for England, Lloegr, and became well known through its use in Arthurian legend. Albion is also used for England in a poetic way, although its original meaning is the whole island of Britain.

Main article: History of England

For a timeline of events, see Timeline of English history.

Further information: Union of the Crowns and Treaty of Union

People have lived in what is now England for a very long time. The earliest known evidence is about 780,000 years old, from Homo antecessor. Farmers from the Iberian Peninsula arrived around 4100 BC. Later, the Beaker culture helped build monuments such as Stonehenge and Avebury. People also learned to make bronze and then iron. During the Iron Age, Celtic culture arrived. The Romans invaded in 43 AD, and the area became part of the Roman Empire as Britannia province. Roman rule brought Roman law, aqueducts, and sewers. After Roman rule ended, Anglo-Saxon groups settled in large numbers. By the 7th century, there were several kingdoms, including Northumbria, Mercia, and Wessex. In 927, Æthelstan joined the kingdoms into one England.

In 1066, the Normans conquered England after the Battle of Hastings. A new ruling class that spoke French changed the English language. Later, the House of Plantagenet ruled, and the Magna Carta was signed. The Black Death killed many people across England. The War of the Roses was fought between two branches of the royal family until the Tudors took the throne. Under Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, England became a strong country with a growing navy. In 1603, James VI of Scotland became James I of England. In 1707, the two countries joined to create the Kingdom of Great Britain. Over the following centuries, the Industrial Revolution changed how people worked and lived. England became part of the British Empire. In the 20th century, England took part in both World Wars. The National Health Service was created in 1948. Today, England is part of the United Kingdom, and it places a growing focus on its own identity.

Governance

England is part of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. There has not been a government of England since 1707. That year, the Acts of Union 1707 put the Treaty of Union into effect and joined England and Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. Before the union, England was ruled by its monarch and the Parliament of England. Today, England is governed directly by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Other countries of the United Kingdom have devolved governments, which means they make some of their own decisions.

People have talked about how to share power within England. Plans to give power to the regions of England were dropped after the North East said no in a 2004 referendum. In 2024, the Mayoral Council for England was set up. It brings together ministers from the UK Government, the Mayor of London and the leaders of combined authorities. In 2026, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 became law. It created a three-level system of government: National, Strategic Authorities and Principal Authorities.

Politics

Main article: Politics of England

In the House of Commons, which is the lower house of the British Parliament and meets at the Palace of Westminster, there are 543 members of parliament (MPs) for English areas. There are 650 MPs in total. England's MPs come from several parties. 347 are from the Labour Party, 116 are from the Conservative Party, 65 are from the Liberal Democrats, four are from Reform UK and four are from the Green Party of England and Wales.

Tiers of Governance

Main article: Governance of England

There are three main levels of government in England: National, Strategic Authority and Principal Authorities. England does not have its own Devolved Parliament. Scotland has the Scottish Parliament, Wales has the Welsh Senedd, and Northern Ireland has the Northern Ireland Assembly. Instead, the U.K Parliament makes laws for England. Strategic Authorities are regional bodies made up of Combined and County Combined Authorities and the Greater London Authority. In 2026, there were 18 Combined and County Combined Authorities in England. Sixteen of them have a directly elected mayor.

From 1994 until the early 2010s, England was split into regions for some purposes. A 1998 referendum in the London Region led to the creation of the London Assembly two years later. The failed 2004 North East England devolution referendum stopped further regional assembly plans. The regional structure outside London was then ended.

Main articles: Devolution in England and Strategic authority

Main articles: Local government in England and Principal council

Principal Authorities are made up of unitary councils, district councils and county councils. Outside London, the highest level is the 48 ceremonial counties. These are mainly used as a way to describe where places are. Most of them have been around since the Middle Ages. Each has a Lord Lieutenant and a High Sheriff, who represent the British monarch locally. Some counties, such as Herefordshire, are only divided into civil parishes. London has 32 London boroughs and the City of London. Much of England is also divided into civil parishes, which have their own councils.

Law

Main article: English law

English law developed over many centuries. It is the basis of common law systems used in most Commonwealth countries and in the United States, except Louisiana. The Courts of England and Wales work as a separate legal system from the one used in Scotland. The court system is led by the Senior Courts of England and Wales. These include the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice for civil cases and the Crown Court for criminal cases. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the highest court for both criminal and civil cases in England and Wales. The secretary of state for justice is responsible to Parliament for the judiciary, the courts, and prisons and probation in England. His Majesty's Prison Service, which reports to the Ministry of Justice, runs most prisons.

Geography

Main article: Geography of England

England covers the central and southern parts of the island of Great Britain. It also includes smaller islands, such as the Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly. England shares borders with two other countries in the United Kingdom. To the north is Scotland, and to the west is Wales. England is closer to mainland Europe than any other part of Britain. A narrow sea separates it from Hauts-de-France in France, about 21 miles (34 km) wide. The Channel Tunnel near Folkestone joins the two countries by land. England has coasts on the Irish Sea, the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The ports of London, Liverpool and Newcastle are on the rivers Thames, Mersey and Tyne. The Severn is the longest river that flows through England, at 220 miles (350 km). It flows into the Bristol Channel. It is known for the Severn Bore, a tidal bore that can reach 2 metres (6.6 ft) high. The Thames is the longest river that runs entirely within England. England has many lakes in England. The largest is Windermere in the Lake District. Most of England has low hills and flat plains. The north and west have higher, mountainous land. The northern hills include the Pennines, the mountains of the Lake District, and the Cheviot Hills on the border with Scotland. The highest point in England is Scafell Pike in the Lake District, at 978 metres (3,209 ft). The Shropshire Hills are near Wales. Dartmoor and Exmoor are upland areas in the south-west. The Tees–Exe line is often used to show the rough dividing line between these two kinds of land.

Main article: Climate of England

England has a mild, damp and changeable climate. This is called a temperate maritime climate. Winters are mild. Summers are not much hotter than 32 °C (90 °F). January and February are usually the coldest months, and July is usually the warmest. Rain falls fairly evenly through the year, but the west gets more. Parts of the Lake District get more rain than anywhere else in the country. The highest temperature recorded was 40.3 °C (104.5 °F) on 19 July 2022 at Coningsby, Lincolnshire. The lowest was −26.1 °C (−15.0 °F) on 10 January 1982 in Edgmond, Shropshire.

Main article: Fauna of England

England's wildlife is similar to that of other areas of the British Isles. Many kinds of animals and plants live in many different habitats. National nature reserves in England protect important places for wildlife and natural features. There are 221 of them, covering 110,000 hectares (1,100 square kilometres). The red fox is the most successful urban mammal after the brown rat. The Greater London Built-up Area is by far England's largest urban area, and it is considered a global city. Its population is larger than that of any other United Kingdom country except England itself. Other large urban areas are mostly in the north or the English Midlands. Cities such as Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle, Bradford and Nottingham are large. However, size is not needed for city status. In the past, towns with diocesan cathedrals were given city status, so some smaller cities include Wells, Ely, Ripon, Truro and Chichester.

See also: List of places in England

Economy

Main article: Economy of England

England has one of the largest and most active economies in the world. Its GDP per capita was £37,852 in 2022. HM Treasury, led by the chancellor of the exchequer, plans and carries out the government's public finance and economic policy. The economy is usually seen as a mixed market economy. It uses many free market ideas but still has an advanced social welfare system. England is the largest part of the UK's economy. It leads in chemicals and medicines, and in technical industries such as aerospace, the arms industry, and the software industry.

London is England's money centre. It is home to the London Stock Exchange, the UK's main stock exchange and the largest in Europe. As of 2025, London is the largest financial centre in Europe and the second largest in the world. The Bank of England was founded in 1694. It has been a state-owned institution since 1946 and is the UK's central bank. It is the only body that can issue banknotes in England and Wales. Its Monetary Policy Committee manages the country's money policy and sets interest rates.

England is highly industrialised. Since the 1970s, heavy and factory industries have shrunk, while the service industry has grown. Tourism is now a major industry. Exports include pharmaceuticals, cars, crude oil and petroleum from North Sea oil and Wytch Farm, aircraft engines, and alcoholic drinks. The creative industries made up 7 per cent of GVA in 2005.

Farming is efficient. It produces 60% of the country's food needs with only 2% of the workforce. The main crops are wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and sugar beets. England also has a large fishing industry, catching fish from sole to herring. The country has many natural resources, including coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, and silica.

Science and technology

Main articles: List of English inventions and discoveries and Royal Society

Famous English figures in science and mathematics include Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Robert Hooke, Alan Turing, Stephen Hawking, Edward Jenner, Francis Crick, Joseph Lister, Joseph Priestley, Thomas Young, Christopher Wren and Richard Dawkins.

England was a leading centre of the Scientific Revolution from the 1600s. It was also the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Engineers such as Isambard Kingdom Brunel changed travel and building. He is known for the Great Western Railway, a series of famous steamships, and many important bridges. Thomas Newcomen's steam engine helped start the Industrial Revolution. George Stephenson, called the Father of Railways, built the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. It opened in 1830 as the first public railway line between cities in the world. Matthew Boulton, a business partner of James Watt, is seen as one of the most influential business leaders in history. The doctor Edward Jenner created a smallpox vaccine. It is said to have saved a very large number of lives.

English inventions and discoveries include the jet engine, the first industrial spinning machine, the first computer, the first modern computer, the World Wide Web along with HTML, the first successful human blood transfusion, the vacuum cleaner, the lawn mower, the seat belt, the hovercraft, the electric motor, steam engines, and ideas such as the Darwinian theory of evolution and atomic theory. Newton developed universal gravitation, Newtonian mechanics, and calculus. Hooke gave his name to a law of elasticity.

English thinkers also helped computing grow. Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace came up with the idea of the first programmable computer. George Boole created the boolean logic behind all digital systems. Tommy Flowers built Colossus, which showed that electronic computing was possible. Sir Frederic Williams, Tom Kilburn and Geoff Tootill developed the Manchester Baby. Sir Maurice Wilkes developed EDSAC, and Geoffrey Dummer came up with the idea of the integrated circuit.

The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge is a learned society and the national academy of sciences of the United Kingdom. It was founded on 28 November 1660, and it is the oldest national scientific institution in the world. The Royal Institution of Great Britain was founded in 1799 by leading English scientists, including Henry Cavendish. Some experts believe the earliest idea of a metric system was created by John Wilkins in 1668. Research remains important at the universities of England, many of which run science parks. Cambridge is the most intensive research cluster for science and technology in the world. Scientific journals published in England include Nature, the British Medical Journal, and The Lancet. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the secretary of state for science, innovation and technology, and the minister of state for science, research and innovation are responsible for science in England.

Transport

Main article: Transport in England

The Department for Transport oversees transport in England. It is led by the secretary of state for transport. England has a dense and modern transport network with many motorways in England and other main roads. One example is the A1 Great North Road, which runs from London to Newcastle and on to the Scottish border. The longest motorway is the M6. It runs from Rugby through the North West to the Anglo-Scottish border, a distance of 232 miles (373 km). Other major routes include the M1 from London to Leeds, the M25 around London, the M60 around Manchester, the M4 from London to South Wales, the M62 from Liverpool through Manchester to East Yorkshire, and the M5 from Birmingham to Bristol and the South West.

Bus services are widespread. Major companies include Arriva, FirstGroup, Go-Ahead Group, Mobico Group, Rotala and Stagecoach Group. Bus rapid transit began in England with the Runcorn Busway, which opened in 1971. London's red double-decker buses have become a symbol of England. National Cycle Route offers cycling routes across the country.

Rail transport in England is the oldest in the world, as passenger railways began there in 1825. Much of Britain's rail network is in England. The Channel Tunnel, completed in 1994, links England by rail to France and Belgium through Eurostar or LeShuttle services. Great British Railways is a planned state-owned body. It will oversee rail transport in Great Britain from 2024. The Office of Rail and Road regulates the economy and safety of England's railways. Crossrail opened in 2022. It was Europe's largest construction project. High Speed 2, a high-speed railway line running north to south, has been under construction since 2019.

Rapid transit runs in two English cities: the London Underground and the Tyne and Wear Metro in Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead and Sunderland. Several tram networks operate, including the Manchester Metrolink, Sheffield Supertram, West Midlands Metro, Nottingham Express Transit, and Tramlink in South London.

England also has extensive air links. Its largest airport is Heathrow, the world's second busiest airport measured by number of international passengers. Ferries sail from Liverpool to Ireland and the Isle of Man, and from Hull to the Netherlands and Belgium. The Canal & River Trust owns about half of England's navigable waterways, but water transport is very limited. The River Thames is the main waterway. Imports and exports are focused at the Port of Tilbury in the Thames Estuary, one of the UK's three major ports.

Energy

Main article: Energy in the United Kingdom

Governments over the years have made many promises to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The UK is one of the best sites in Europe for wind energy. Wind power is its fastest growing source of energy. In 2022, it provided 26.8% of the UK's electricity. England is home to Hornsea 2, the largest offshore wind farm in the world. It is located about 89 kilometres off the coast of Yorkshire.

The Climate Change Act 2008 was passed with support from almost all political parties. It sets emission reduction targets that the UK must legally meet. It was the first legally binding climate change mitigation target set by a country. UK government energy policy aims to limit greenhouse gas emissions while meeting energy needs. Changing resources and technologies also shift the country's energy mix over time.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero are responsible for energy policy. The Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth oversees green finance, climate science, and low carbon power. In 2024, the United Kingdom was ranked 5th out of 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index. A law has been passed that requires UK greenhouse gas emissions to reach net zero by 2050.

Healthcare

Main article: Healthcare in England

The healthcare system in England is paid for by the government. It is called the National Health Service (NHS), and it provides most healthcare in England. The NHS started on 5 July 1948, under the National Health Service Act 1946. It was based on ideas from the Beveridge Report, which was written by the economist and social reformer William Beveridge. The NHS is paid for mainly through taxes and National Insurance payments. Most services are free to use. Some people do pay for eye tests, dental care, prescriptions and some personal care. The Department of Health, led by the secretary of state for health, is the government department that looks after the NHS.

People in England live a long time on average. Life expectancy is 77.5 years for men and 81.7 years for women. This is the highest of the countries of the United Kingdom. Life expectancy is higher in the south than in the north, but the difference is slowly getting smaller.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of England

Main article: English people

See also: English diaspora, Cornish people, and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom

England has over 56 million people. That is 84% of the United Kingdom's total. If England were a country on its own, it would be the 26th largest country by population in the world. The English people are British people. Many English people have moved to former parts of the British Empire, especially the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Since the late 1990s, many English people have migrated to Spain. Because South East England has grown strong economically, many people have moved there from other parts of the United Kingdom. There has also been significant Irish migration. Most residents are European, including White British, Germans and Poles. This share has become smaller over time. Since the 1950s, people have also come from the former British colonies. About 7% of people in England have family origins in the Indian subcontinent, mostly India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. About 0.7% are Chinese and 0.6% are Arabs. 4.0% of the population are black, with roots in Africa and the Caribbean. 2.9% describe themselves as multiracial or mixed. In 2007, 22% of primary school children in England came from ethnic minority families. By 2011, this had grown to 26.5%. England also has one original national minority, the Cornish people. In 2014, the UK government recognised them under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

Further information: Languages of the United Kingdom and English language in England

English is now spoken widely around the world. It began in what is now England, and it is still the main language there. A 2011 census found that 98% of the population speaks it well or very well. English language learning and teaching is an important economic activity. England has no legislation setting an official language, but English is the only language used for official business. Even though the country is small, there are many different regional accents. Cornish stopped being used as a everyday community language in the 18th century, but it is being brought back. It is now protected under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. About 0.1% of people in Cornwall speak it. State schools teach a second language or third language from age seven. The most common choices are French, Spanish or German. In 2007, around 800,000 school students spoke a foreign language at home. The most common were Punjabi and Urdu. Based on 2011 census data from the Office for National Statistics, Polish is now the main language spoken in England after English. In 2022, British Sign Language became an official language of England when the British Sign Language Act 2022 came into effect. In the 2021 census, 46.3% of people in England said they were Christian. 36.7% said they had no religion, and 6.7% said they were Muslim. Christianity is the most widely practised religion. The established church of England is the Church of England. It separated from Rome in the 1530s, when Henry VIII could not annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. The Church of England has both Catholic and Protestant features, and the monarch of the United Kingdom is its supreme governor. Many cathedrals and parish churches are historic buildings, such as Westminster Abbey, York Minster, Durham Cathedral, and Salisbury Cathedral. The Catholic Church is the second-largest Christian group. Methodism is the third. It grew out of Anglicanism through John Wesley. The patron saint of England is Saint George, whose cross appears on the English flag. Islam is the most common religion among people from the former British colonies, at around 5% of the population. A small number of people practise ancient Pagan religions. The share of people with no religion rose to 24.7%. In 2001, it was 14.6%.

Education

Main article: Education in England

The Department for Education is the government department that looks after people in England up to age 19, including education. About 93% of English schoolchildren go to state-funded schools. Education is the job of the secretary of state for education. Children aged 3 to 5 go to nursery or an Early Years Foundation Stage reception unit. Children aged 5 to 11 go to primary school, and those aged 11 to 16 go to secondary school. State-funded schools must teach the National Curriculum. It includes English literature, English language, mathematics, science, art & design, citizenship, history, geography, religious education, design & technology, computing, languages, music, and physical education.

The Programme for International Student Assessment, run by the OECD, ranks British 15-year-olds 13th in the world in reading, mathematics, and science. Most English secondary schools are comprehensive schools. But some grammar schools accept pupils who pass the eleven-plus exam. About 7.2 per cent of English schoolchildren go to private schools. The Office for Standards in Education checks state schools, and the Independent Schools Inspectorate checks private schools.

After compulsory education, students take GCSE exams. They may then continue into further education for two years at a further education college, often a sixth form college. A-level exams there often lead to university applications. Further education also includes apprenticeships, T-levels, BTEC, NVQ, and others. Tertiary colleges offer both academic and job-based courses.

Higher education students usually start degrees at university from age 18. There are over 90 universities in England, and all but one are public institutions. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is responsible for higher education. Students can usually get student loans to cover tuition fees and living costs. The first degree is the bachelor's degree, which usually takes three years. After that, a postgraduate degree takes about one year, and a doctorate takes three or more years.

England's universities include some of the best in the world. As of 2024, four England-based universities were among the top ten in the 2024 QS World University Rankings. They were the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, and University College London. The University of Cambridge was founded in 1209. The University of Oxford was founded in 1096. These two are the oldest universities in the English-speaking world.

The London School of Economics is known as a leading social science school for teaching and research. The London Business School is considered one of the world's leading business schools. In 2010, its MBA programme was ranked best in the world by the Financial Times. The King's School, Canterbury and King's School, Rochester are the oldest schools in the English-speaking world. Many well-known English schools charge fees. These include Winchester College, Eton, St Paul's School, Harrow School, and Rugby School.

Culture

Main article: Culture of England

Further information: English Renaissance

England has a long history of building and art. There are ancient standing stones, Roman roads and baths, medieval castles, and grand cathedrals such as Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London. Gardening is also seen as typically English. The National Trust helps look after many of the country's great gardens. English folklore includes stories such as Robin Hood, and people still celebrate Bonfire Night each year. Traditional foods include the Sunday roast and fish and chips.

England has produced many famous artists, writers, and musicians. William Shakespeare is one of the most celebrated writers in English literature. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales. English bands such as the Beatles are among the best-selling musicians of all time. England has also influenced film, with famous directors such as Alfred Hitchcock. Sports such as association football and cricket began in England. The Wimbledon Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world.

National symbols

Main article: National symbols of England

The St George's Cross has been the national flag of England since the 13th century. The flag was first used by the sea-going Republic of Genoa. From 1190 on, the English monarch paid a tribute to the Doge of Genoa. In return, English ships could fly the flag for protection when they sailed into the Mediterranean. A red cross was a symbol for many Crusaders in the 12th and 13th centuries, and it became linked with Saint George. Since 1606, the St George's Cross has been part of the design of the Union Flag. This flag stands for all of Britain and was designed by King James I. During the English Civil War and the Interregnum, the flag of Saint George appeared on the banners of the New Model Army and on the Commonwealth's Great Seal.

England has many other symbols. The Tudor rose is the nation's flower symbol. It became a national emblem around the time of the Wars of the Roses, and it stood for peace. It is a syncretic symbol because it joined the white rose of the Yorkists and the red rose of the Lancastrians. The oak tree is also a symbol of England. The Royal Oak symbol and Oak Apple Day remember how King Charles II hid in an oak tree to avoid being found by the parliamentarians after his father was killed. He then safely reached exile. The Royal Arms of England are a national coat of arms with three lions. They began with Richard the Lionheart in 1198. England does not have an official national anthem, because the United Kingdom as a whole uses God Save the King. However, Jerusalem, Land of Hope and Glory (used for England during the 2002 Commonwealth Games), and I Vow to Thee, My Country are often seen as unofficial English national anthems. England's National Day is 23 April, which is Saint George's Day, because Saint George is the patron saint of England.