Historic England is looking to identify 100 most significant spots
Historic England has launched a campaign, ‘Irreplaceable: A History of England in 100 Places’, sponsored by specialist insurer, Ecclesiastical, to identify the places where vital discoveries and inventions were made.
This is, in part, in response to a YouGov poll that revealed a widespread lack of knowledge about where ground-breaking moments in England’s history happened.
For example, nearly a third of respondents said that the atom was first split in Geneva, Switzerland (32%) and only 12% said Manchester, where it actually happened. And, more people believed bungee jumping was invented in New Zealand (41%) than in Bristol (10%), where it actually began.
Historic England and Ecclesiastical are calling on the public, history groups and experts to help them create a list of the 100 buildings and places which best tell England’s remarkable story and its impact on the world.
The year-long campaign is divided into ten categories, from Science & Discovery and Homes & Gardens, to Music & Literature and Industry, Trade & Commerce. Each category will focus on ten places which will be chosen from a long list of public nominations by expert judges.
The panel of judges includes Mary Beard, George Clarke, Tristram Hunt, Professor Robert Winston, Bettany Hughes and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
The places that make the list will feature in a podcast series and a handbook, which will be produced as part of the campaign over the following year.
