114-598: The Atlantic Coast Express ( ACE ) is an express passenger train in England that has operated at various times between London and seaside resorts in the South West England . It is currently operated as a summer only service by Great Western Railway between London Paddington and Newquay . After completion of the lines to Bude in 1898 and Padstow in 1899, the London & South Western Railway (L&SWR) introduced
228-468: A Bronze Age bridge were found on the south River Thames foreshore, upstream from Vauxhall Bridge . Two of the timbers were radiocarbon dated to 1750–1285 BC. In 2010, foundations of a large timber structure, dated to 4800–4500 BC, were found on the Thames' south foreshore downstream from Vauxhall Bridge. Both structures are on the south bank of the Thames, where the now-underground River Effra flows into
342-712: A Fula maabo , was appointed as the court poet of the Songhai chief Mossi Gaidou in Dargol, Niger . Poets Laureate of Nigeria include Obo Aba Hisanjani and Niyi Osundare . Mamman Jiya Vatsa was the inaugural poet laureate of Abuja, Nigeria . Tanure Ojaide was the Poet Laureate of the Niger Delta . During the 18th century in Rwanda 's history, Semidogoro was the official court poet of Mibambwe III Mutabazi II Sentabyo . Sekarama
456-742: A dozen national governments continue the poet laureate tradition. In Algeria , during the 11th century, Ibn Sharaf al-Qayrawani was the court poet of the Zīrids . Al-Thaghri Al-Tilimsani was appointed as a court poet during the Zayyanid dynasty . Boûbacar Tinguidji, a Fula maabo , was appointed as the court poet of the Ruler of Dori . Poets Laureate of Cameroon include René Philombé . Poets Laureate of Cape Verde include Eugénio Tavares . Ahmed Shawqi became Egypt 's Poet Laureate in 1894. Poets Laureate of Eritrea include Reesom Haile. In Ethiopia ,
570-582: A final departure at 11.00 with portions for Padstow, Bude and Plymouth. Services continued in much the same pattern until the outbreak of World War II , which necessitated longer trains and substantial deceleration on all lines, rendering named trains no longer appropriate. With the end of hostilities the Southern Railway lost no time in reintroducing its most prestigious express. The company's locomotive design department, under its innovative Chief Mechanical Engineer, Oliver Bulleid , had been working during
684-648: A following stopping train along the main line, and two carriages were detached at Sidmouth Junction , one for Sidmouth and one for Exmouth via Budleigh Salterton . The restaurant and buffet cars were normally removed during the major division at Exeter Central . Saturdays were always the busiest and in August 1939 the ACE was shown in Bradshaw's Guide as five separate trains departing from Waterloo; serving Ilfracombe (10:36), Padstow (10:40), Ilfracombe again (10:47), Bude (10:54) and
798-439: A government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions. Albertino Mussato of Padua and Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) of Arezzo were the first to be crowned poets laureate after the classical age, respectively in 1315 and 1342. In Britain, the term dates from the appointment of Bernard André by Henry VII of England . The royal office of Poet Laureate in England dates from
912-529: A larger area, similar in size to Greater London, although some outer districts are excluded and some just outside included. The Greater London boundary has been aligned to the M25 motorway in places. Further urban expansion is now prevented by the Metropolitan Green Belt , although the built-up area extends beyond the boundary in places, producing a separately defined Greater London Urban Area . Beyond this
1026-403: A population density of 802 per acre (325 per hectare). In addition to the growing number of stores selling goods, such as Harding, Howell & Co. —one of the first department stores —located on Pall Mall , the streets had scores of street sellers . London's overcrowded conditions led to cholera epidemics, claiming 14,000 lives in 1848, and 6,000 in 1866. Rising traffic congestion led to
1140-549: A population of 7,172,036 in 2001 and a population density of 11,760 inhabitants per square mile (4,542/km ). The extended area known as the London Metropolitan Region or the London Metropolitan Agglomeration, comprises a total area of 3,236 square miles (8,382 km ) has a population of 13,709,000 and a population density of 3,900 inhabitants per square mile (1,510/km ). Modern London stands on
1254-564: A post- Brexit exodus of stock listings from the London Stock Exchange , London remains a European economic powerhouse, and one of the world's major financial centres . It hosts Europe's largest concentration of higher education institutions , some of which are the highest-ranked academic institutions in the world: Imperial College London in natural and applied sciences , the London School of Economics in social sciences , and
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#17328524263951368-515: A public relations assistant to the Southern Railway, proposed to the board in December 1924 that the next batch of express passenger locomotives be named after characters from Arthurian legend , and that a named train be introduced. The name was chosen as the result of a competition run in the staff magazine and the winning entry was submitted by Mr F. Rowland, a guard from Woking who won a prize of three guineas for suggesting Atlantic Coast Express . He
1482-470: A regular bus service from Exeter to Bude, via Okehampton and Holsworthy (service X9), which was branded Atlantic Coast Express , with this name appearing on the indicator board of the bus and also on bus stops. The bus had to make a diversion around the back streets of Holsworthy to avoid a low bridge – one of the surviving overbridges of the old railway route. The Bluebell Railway operates some of its Mark 1 coaching stock with ACE roofboards. While there
1596-752: A small but growing resort on the most northerly part of the Cornish coast; and Padstow , a fishing port at the mouth of the River Camel and the Southern Railway's most distant outpost almost 260 miles from Waterloo. At the junction, the Bude carriages were detached and the Padstow section turned south to Launceston , skirting the edge of Bodmin Moor before reaching Camelford . A swift descent to Wadebridge followed, through countryside described by Poet Laureate John Betjeman . The route
1710-542: A temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen : Cfb ). Rainfall records have been kept in the city since at least 1697, when records began at Kew . At Kew, the most rainfall in one month is 7.4 inches (189 mm) in November 1755 and the least is 0 inches (0 mm) in both December 1788 and July 1800. Mile End also had 0 inches (0 mm) in April 1893. The wettest year on record is 1903, with a total fall of 38.1 inches (969 mm) and
1824-591: Is 1,049.8 millibars (31.00 inHg) on 20 January 2020. Summers are generally warm, sometimes hot. London's average July high is 23.5 °C (74.3 °F). On average each year, London experiences 31 days above 25 °C (77.0 °F) and 4.2 days above 30.0 °C (86.0 °F). During the 2003 European heat wave , prolonged heat led to hundreds of heat-related deaths. A previous spell of 15 consecutive days above 32.2 °C (90.0 °F) in England in 1976 also caused many heat related deaths. A previous temperature of 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) in August 1911 at
1938-554: Is agreed that the name came into these languages from Common Brythonic ; recent work tends to reconstruct the lost Celtic form of the name as * Londonjon or something similar. This was then adapted into Latin as Londinium and borrowed into Old English. Until 1889, the name "London" applied officially only to the City of London , but since then it has also referred to the County of London and to Greater London . In 1993, remains of
2052-803: Is designated by a "Presenting Partners" group from within the community, the Minnesota poet laureate chosen by the League of Minnesota Poets (est. 1934), the Northampton Poet Laureate chosen by the Northampton Arts Council, and the Martha's Vineyard Poet Laureate chosen by ten judges representing the Martha's Vineyard Poetry Society. In ancient Greece , the laurel was used to form a crown or wreath of honour for poets and heroes. The custom derives from
2166-786: Is expressed in the Xhosa term, some poets have been dually noted as "poet laureate" and "national poet" depending upon the source: Kazi Nazrul Islam ( Bangladesh ), Rabindranath Tagore ( India ), José Craveirinha ( Mozambique ), Mahmoud Darwish ( Palestine ), Mohamed Ibrahim Warsame 'Hadrawi' ( Somalia ), Edwin Thumboo ( Singapore ) and Taras Shevchenko ( Ukraine ). This contrasts with other figures such as Shamsur Rahman ( Bangladesh ), Thomas Moore ( Bermuda ), Francisco Borja da Costa ( Timor–Leste ) and Haji Gora Haji ( Zanzibar ) —who are conferred an "unofficial poet laureate" status due to their poetical works. As of modern times, over
2280-528: Is formed of two tiers: a citywide, strategic tier and a local tier. Citywide administration is coordinated by the Greater London Authority (GLA), while local administration is carried out by 33 smaller authorities. The GLA consists of two elected components: the mayor of London , who has executive powers , and the London Assembly , which scrutinises the mayor's decisions and can accept or reject
2394-738: Is headquartered in Thames House on the north bank of the River Thames and the foreign intelligence service ( MI6 ) is headquartered in the SIS Building on the south bank. Crime rates vary widely across different areas of London. Crime figures are made available nationally at Local Authority and Ward level. In 2015, there were 118 homicides, a 25.5% increase over 2014. Recorded crime has been rising in London, notably violent crime and murder by stabbing and other means have risen. There were 50 murders from
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#17328524263952508-572: Is held by an independent . The ministerial post of minister for London was created in 1994, however as of 2024, the post has been vacant. Policing in Greater London, with the exception of the City of London , is provided by the Metropolitan Police ("The Met"), overseen by the mayor through the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). The Met is also referred to as Scotland Yard after
2622-553: Is known as London . It is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England by convention rather than statute. The capital of England was moved to London from Winchester as the Palace of Westminster developed in the 12th and 13th centuries to become the permanent location of the royal court , and thus the political capital of the nation. Greater London encompasses a total area of 611 square miles (1,583 km ) an area which had
2736-495: Is no chance of reopening all the routes of the ACE, some significant sections may soon see the return of passengers. The Bodmin & Wenford Railway plans to extend 5 miles west from Boscarne Junction into Wadebridge in the future (although only the last mile of this will be over the route of the ACE). The Launceston Steam Railway wants to extend its short narrow-gauge line further west along
2850-669: Is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom , with a population of 8,866,180 in 2022. The wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe , with a population of 14.9 million. London stands on the River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) estuary down to the North Sea , and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years. Its ancient core and financial centre ,
2964-523: Is the vast London commuter belt . Greater London is split for some purposes into Inner London and Outer London , and by the River Thames into North and South , with an informal central London area. The coordinates of the nominal centre of London, traditionally the original Eleanor Cross at Charing Cross near the junction of Trafalgar Square and Whitehall , are about 51°30′26″N 00°07′39″W / 51.50722°N 0.12750°W / 51.50722; -0.12750 . Within London, both
3078-512: The 2012 Summer Olympics . London is an ancient name, attested in the first century AD, usually in the Latinised form Londinium . Modern scientific analyses of the name must account for the origins of the different forms found in early sources: Latin (usually Londinium ), Old English (usually Lunden ), and Welsh (usually Llundein ), with reference to the known developments over time of sounds in those different languages. It
3192-515: The ACE followed swiftly. From June 1963 the Bude, Torrington and Plymouth through carriages were withdrawn except on summer Saturdays. The remaining services survived through the following summer until, on 5 September 1964 West Country locomotive 34023 Blackmoor Vale hauled the last ACE out of Padstow, and the last coaches of the Atlantic Coast Express arrived there from Waterloo behind N Class locomotive 31845. The radical pruning of
3306-536: The Belgian Congo (modern day Democratic Republic of the Congo ) appointed bards that served as both the royal historian and poet laureate. In addition to being known as poet laureates, bards were also referred to as "praise-poets" due to their special function of venerating the chief. In the Xhosa language , Imbongi YeSizwethe can be translated to mean either "poet laureate" or " national poet ". Similar to what
3420-529: The Black Death in the mid-14th century, London lost nearly a third of its population. London was the focus of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381. London was a centre of England's Jewish population before their expulsion by Edward I in 1290. Violence against Jews occurred in 1190, when it was rumoured that the new king had ordered their massacre after they had presented themselves at his coronation. In 1264 during
3534-520: The Canary Wharf development. This was born out of London's increasing role as an international financial centre in the 1980s. Located about 2 miles (3 km) east of central London, the Thames Barrier was completed in the 1980s to protect London against tidal surges from the North Sea . The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986, leaving London with no central administration until 2000 and
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3648-497: The City of London , was founded by the Romans as Londinium and has retained its medieval boundaries. The City of Westminster , to the west of the City of London, has been the centuries-long host of the national government and parliament . London grew rapidly in the 19th century , becoming the world's largest city at the time . Since the 19th century, the name "London" has referred to
3762-648: The Corn Laws in 1846 was specifically aimed at weakening Dutch economic power. London then overtook Amsterdam as the leading international financial centre. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, an unprecedented growth in urbanisation took place, and the number of High Streets (the primary street for retail in Britain) rapidly grew. London was the world's largest city from about 1831 to 1925 , with
3876-553: The Georgian era , new districts such as Mayfair were formed in the west; new bridges over the Thames encouraged development in South London . In the east, the Port of London expanded downstream. London's development as an international financial centre matured for much of the 18th century. In 1762, George III acquired Buckingham House , which was enlarged over the next 75 years. During
3990-609: The King's Road , Chelsea and Carnaby Street . The role of trendsetter revived in the punk era. In 1965 London's political boundaries were expanded in response to the growth of the urban area and a new Greater London Council was created. During The Troubles in Northern Ireland, London was hit from 1973 by bomb attacks by the Provisional Irish Republican Army . These attacks lasted for two decades, starting with
4104-600: The London Ambulance Service (LAS) NHS Trust , the largest free-at-the-point-of-use emergency ambulance service in the world. The London Air Ambulance charity operates in conjunction with the LAS where required. Her Majesty's Coastguard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution operate on the River Thames , which is under the jurisdiction of the Port of London Authority from Teddington Lock to
4218-748: The Mediterranean was normally through Antwerp and over the Alps ; any ships passing through the Strait of Gibraltar to or from England were likely to be Italian or Ragusan . The reopening of the Netherlands to English shipping in January 1565 spurred a burst of commercial activity. The Royal Exchange was founded. Mercantilism grew and monopoly traders such as the East India Company were founded as trade expanded to
4332-594: The New Model Army entered London in 1647, and they were levelled by Parliament the same year. London was plagued by disease in the early 17th century, culminating in the Great Plague of 1665–1666, which killed up to 100,000 people, or a fifth of the population. The Great Fire of London broke out in 1666 in Pudding Lane in the city and quickly swept through the wooden buildings. Rebuilding took over ten years and
4446-554: The New World . London became the main North Sea port, with migrants arriving from England and abroad. The population rose from about 50,000 in 1530 to about 225,000 in 1605. In the 16th century, William Shakespeare and his contemporaries lived in London during English Renaissance theatre . Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was constructed in 1599 in Southwark . Stage performances came to a halt in London when Puritan authorities shut down
4560-590: The Old Bailey bombing . Racial inequality was highlighted by the 1981 Brixton riot . Greater London's population declined in the decades after the Second World War, from an estimated peak of 8.6 million in 1939 to around 6.8 million in the 1980s. The principal ports for London moved downstream to Felixstowe and Tilbury , with the London Docklands area becoming a focus for regeneration, including
4674-637: The Second Barons' War , Simon de Montfort 's rebels killed 500 Jews while attempting to seize records of debts. During the Tudor period , the Reformation produced a gradual shift to Protestantism . Much of London property passed from church to private ownership, which accelerated trade and business in the city. In 1475, the Hanseatic League set up a main trading base ( kontor ) of England in London, called
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4788-568: The Stalhof or Steelyard . It remained until 1853, when the Hanseatic cities of Lübeck , Bremen and Hamburg sold the property to South Eastern Railway . Woollen cloth was shipped undyed and undressed from 14th/15th century London to the nearby shores of the Low Countries . Yet English maritime enterprise hardly reached beyond the seas of north-west Europe . The commercial route to Italy and
4902-495: The Thames , its primary geographical feature, a navigable river which crosses the city from the south-west to the east. The Thames Valley is a flood plain surrounded by gently rolling hills including Parliament Hill , Addington Hills , and Primrose Hill . Historically London grew up at the lowest bridging point on the Thames. The Thames was once a much broader, shallower river with extensive marshlands ; at high tide, its shores reached five times their present width. Since
5016-428: The Tower of London ; the site featuring the Palace of Westminster , Church of St. Margaret , and Westminster Abbey ; and the historic settlement in Greenwich where the Royal Observatory defines the prime meridian (0° longitude ) and Greenwich Mean Time . Other landmarks include Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus , St Paul's Cathedral , Tower Bridge , and Trafalgar Square . The city has
5130-414: The Victorian era the Thames has been extensively embanked , and many of its London tributaries now flow underground . The Thames is a tidal river, and London is vulnerable to flooding. The threat has increased over time because of a slow but continuous rise in high water level caused by climate change and by the slow 'tilting' of the British Isles as a result of post-glacial rebound . London has
5244-562: The metropolis around the City of London, historically split between the counties of Middlesex , Essex , Surrey , Kent , and Hertfordshire , which since 1965 has largely comprised the administrative area of Greater London , governed by 33 local authorities and the Greater London Authority . As one of the world's major global cities , London exerts a strong influence on world art , entertainment, fashion , commerce, finance, education , healthcare , media , science, technology, tourism , transport , and communications. Despite
5358-402: The 10th century, Muhammad ibn Hani al-Andalusi al-Azdi was appointed as the chief court poet to the Fatimid Caliph al-Mu'izz . Also, in the 10th century, Ali ibn Muhammad al-Iyadi was the court poet of Fatimid caliphs al-Qa'im , al-Mansur , and al-Mu'izz . Poets Laureate of Tunisia include Qasim Shabi. Poets Laureate of Uganda include Akena Adoko. Ginyilitshe Hlabangana was
5472-401: The 11th century, London was clearly the largest town in England. Westminster Abbey , rebuilt in Romanesque style by King Edward the Confessor , was one of the grandest churches in Europe. Winchester had been the capital of Anglo-Saxon England , but from this time London became the main forum for foreign traders and the base for defence in time of war. In the view of Frank Stenton : "It had
5586-434: The 18th century, London was said to be dogged by crime, and the Bow Street Runners were established in 1750 as a professional police force. Epidemics during the 1720s and 30s saw most children born in the city die before reaching their fifth birthday. Coffee-houses became a popular place to debate ideas, as growing literacy and development of the printing press made news widely available, with Fleet Street becoming
5700-420: The City of London and the City of Westminster have city status . The City of London and the remainder of Greater London are both counties for the purposes of lieutenancies . The area of Greater London includes areas that are part of the historic counties of Middlesex , Kent , Surrey , Essex and Hertfordshire . More recently, Greater London has been defined as a region of England and in this context
5814-431: The Greenwich station was later disregarded as non-standard. Droughts can also, occasionally, be a problem, especially in summer, most recently in summer 2018, and with much drier than average conditions prevailing from May to December. However, the most consecutive days without rain was 73 days in the spring of 1893. Poet Laureate A poet laureate (plural: poets laureate ) is a poet officially appointed by
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#17328524263955928-435: The London area. This called for the Corporation of the city to extend its jurisdiction and administration over expanding areas around the city. Fearing an attempt by the Crown to diminish the Liberties of London , coupled with a lack of interest in administering these additional areas or concern by city guilds of having to share power, caused the Corporation's "The Great Refusal", a decision which largely continues to account for
6042-466: The North Cornwall line as far as Egloskerry , and to provide winter services using a railmotor. The course of the Barnstaple to Bideford route is retained, and there is an active campaign for reopening. The Exeter to Plymouth route beyond Okehampton via Tavistock has been considered for reopening, partly due to population growth in Tavistock, and partly because of coastal erosion of the South Devon Railway sea wall at Dawlish . London London
6156-419: The Republic of Liberia have included Roland T. Dempster , Melvin B. Tolson (1947), and Patricia Jabbeh Wesley . Libya -born Callimachus was appointed as an imperial court poet to Ptolemy II Philadelphus . Poets Laureate of Madagascar include Jacques Rabemananjara . Poets Laureate of Malawi include Jack Mapanje . Poets Laureate of Mali include Ban Sumana Sisòkò. Mohamed Ould Taleb
6270-409: The Thames. Despite the evidence of scattered Brythonic settlements in the area, the first major settlement was founded by the Romans around 47 AD, about four years after their invasion of 43 AD. This only lasted until about 61 AD, when the Iceni tribe led by Queen Boudica stormed it and burnt it to the ground. The next planned incarnation of Londinium prospered, superseding Colchester as
6384-415: The United Kingdom's population and over 16% of England's population. The Greater London Built-up Area is the fourth-most populous in Europe, with about 9.8 million inhabitants as of 2011. The London metropolitan area is the third-most populous in Europe, with about 14 million inhabitants as of 2016, making London a megacity . Four World Heritage Sites are located in London: Kew Gardens ;
6498-405: The Viking incursions formally agreed by the Danish warlord , Guthrum and the West Saxon king Alfred the Great in 886. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Alfred "refounded" London in 886. Archaeological research shows this involved abandonment of Lundenwic and a revival of life and trade within the old Roman walls . London then grew slowly until a dramatic increase in about 950. By
6612-467: The ancient myth of Daphne and Apollo (Daphne signifying "laurel" in Greek), and was revived in Padua for Albertino Mussato , followed by Petrarch 's own crowning ceremony in the audience hall of the medieval senatorial palazzo on the Campidoglio on April 8, 1341. Because the Renaissance figures who were attempting to revive the Classical tradition lacked detailed knowledge of the Roman precedent they were attempting to emulate, these ceremonies took on
6726-410: The appointment of John Dryden in 1668. In modern times a poet laureate title may be conferred by an organization such as the Poetry Foundation , which designates a Young People's Poet Laureate, unconnected with the National Youth Poet Laureate and the United States Poet Laureate . The office is also popular with regional and community groups. Examples include the Pikes Peak Poet Laureate, which
6840-437: The centre of the British press. The invasion of Amsterdam by Napoleonic armies led many financiers to relocate to London and the first London international issue was arranged in 1817. Around the same time, the Royal Navy became the world's leading war fleet, acting as a major deterrent to potential economic adversaries. Following a fire in 1838, the Royal Exchange was redesigned by William Tite and rebuilt in 1844. The repeal of
6954-399: The character of doctoral candidatures. In Persia, the poet laureate ( amīr- or malek-al-šoʿarāʾ ) carried artistic authority and were provided sources of income. Since the office of poet laureate has become widely adopted, the term "laureate" has come to signify recognition for preeminence or superlative achievement ( cf. Nobel laureate ). A royal degree in rhetoric , poet laureate
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#17328524263957068-425: The city's metropolis. The City of London at its core once comprised the whole settlement, but as its urban area grew, the Corporation of London resisted attempts to amalgamate the city with its suburbs , causing "London" to be defined several ways. Forty per cent of Greater London is covered by the London post town , in which 'London' forms part of postal addresses. The London telephone area code (020) covers
7182-412: The city, to intimidate the inhabitants. In 1097, William II began building Westminster Hall , near the abbey. It became the basis of a new Palace of Westminster . In the 12th century, the institutions of central government, which had hitherto followed the royal English court around the country, grew in size and sophistication and became increasingly fixed, for most purposes at Westminster , although
7296-443: The combined revenue expenditure by London councils and the GLA amounted to just over £22 billion (£14.7 billion for the boroughs and £7.4 billion for the GLA). The London Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for Greater London, run by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority . It is the third largest fire service in the world. National Health Service ambulance services are provided by
7410-405: The comprehensive University College London . It is the most visited city in Europe and has the world's busiest city airport system . The London Underground is the world's oldest rapid transit system. London's diverse cultures encompass over 300 languages. The 2023 population of Greater London of just under 10 million made it Europe's third-most populous city , accounting for 13.4% of
7524-409: The court poets of Norway 's kings. Just like the first English poet laureates, ministers during China 's feudal era presented "commanded poems" at royal events and were beholden to the ruling class. In Japan , the poet laureate ( keikanshijin ) was also imperially appointed and were often called upon to read at the annual Utakai Hajime . Comparatively, in Africa , kingdoms such as the Kuba in
7638-500: The creation of the Greater London Authority . To mark the 21st century, the Millennium Dome , London Eye and Millennium Bridge were constructed. On 6 July 2005 London was awarded the 2012 Summer Olympics , as the first city to stage the Olympic Games three times. On 7 July 2005, three London Underground trains and a double-decker bus were bombed in a series of terrorist attacks . In 2008, Time named London alongside New York City and Hong Kong as Nylonkong , hailing them as
7752-419: The creation of the London Underground , the world's first urban rail network . The Metropolitan Board of Works oversaw infrastructure expansion in the capital and some surrounding counties; it was abolished in 1889 when the London County Council was created out of county areas surrounding the capital. From the early years of the 20th century onwards, teashops were found on High Streets across London and
7866-713: The driest is 1921, with a total fall of 12.1 inches (308 mm). The average annual precipitation amounts to about 600mm, which is half the annual rainfall of New York City . Despite relatively low annual precipitation, London receives 109.6 rainy days on the 1.0mm threshold annually. London is vulnerable to climate change , and there is concern among hydrological experts that households may run out of water before 2050. Temperature extremes in London range from 40.2 °C (104.4 °F) at Heathrow on 19 July 2022 down to −17.4 °C (0.7 °F) at Northolt on 13 December 1981. Records for atmospheric pressure have been kept at London since 1692. The highest pressure ever reported
7980-484: The estuary of the Taw westward to Instow before turning south along the River Torridge to Bideford and its destination of Great Torrington . The portion for Ilfracombe, another port that owes its status as a holiday destination to the coming of the railways, continued northwards. Started from Barnstaple Junction, the branch for Ilfracombe headed north through Barnstaple Town and on to Braunton before climbing steeply to Mortehoe and then descending more steeply to
8094-550: The first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital. The mayor's statutory planning strategy is published as the London Plan , which was most recently revised in 2011. The local authorities are the councils of the 32 London boroughs and the City of London Corporation . They are responsible for most local services, such as local planning, schools, libraries, leisure and recreation, social services , local roads and refuse collection. Certain functions, such as waste management , are provided through joint arrangements. In 2009–2010
8208-508: The first North Cornwall Express in 1900 leaving London Waterloo at 11:10, and this continued over the next decade as the North Cornwall & Bude Express with the departure time adjusted to 11:00 running during the summer only. By 1914 this train was running throughout the year, and outside the summer season carried through coaches to Padstow, Bude, Plymouth and Ilfracombe , a presage of things to come. However World War I reduced both
8322-571: The journey time from Waterloo to Exeter Central came down to 2 hours 56 minutes. In common with lines all over the country, the 1960s were a period of steady decline for services to the West Country as car ownership increased. In 1963 control of all lines west of Salisbury was handed over to the Western Region – still the hated Great Western Railway to most of the Southern employees – and changes to
8436-403: The limit. In the winter timetable, one train was sufficient for all of the branches, and stops were made at all but the most insignificant stations west of Exeter. Significant delays were frequent at the junctions, as coaches were detached or attached and shunted between the various sections of the train, belying the name of "Express". In later years, a carriage was detached at Salisbury to join
8550-622: The location of its original headquarters in a road called Great Scotland Yard in Whitehall. The City of London has its own police force – the City of London Police . First worn by Met police officers in 1863, the custodian helmet has been called a "cultural icon" and a "symbol of British law enforcement". Introduced by the Met in 1929, the blue police telephone box (basis for the TARDIS in Doctor Who )
8664-558: The main competitor for services to Devon and Cornwall , had been left virtually unchanged by the railway company mergers, and the directors of the new Southern Railway recognised that some initiative was needed to publicise their services to the South West, and in addition show they were ready to compete with "the old enemy" once more; the GWR had coined the phrase Cornish Riviera and had been using this in its publicity for 20 years. John Elliot,
8778-455: The mayor's budget proposals each year. The GLA has responsibility for the majority of London's transport system through its functional arm Transport for London (TfL), it is responsible for overseeing the city's police and fire services, and also for setting a strategic vision for London on a range of issues. The headquarters of the GLA is City Hall , Newham. The mayor since 2016 has been Sadiq Khan ,
8892-718: The most museums , art galleries, libraries, and cultural venues in the UK, including the British Museum , National Gallery , Natural History Museum , Tate Modern , British Library , and numerous West End theatres. Important sporting events held in London include the FA Cup Final , the Wimbledon Tennis Championships , and the London Marathon . It became the first city to host three Summer Olympic Games upon hosting
9006-650: The most diverse cities in the world. In 1951, the Festival of Britain was held on the South Bank . The Great Smog of 1952 led to the Clean Air Act 1956 , which ended the " pea soup fogs " for which London had been notorious, and had earned it the nickname the "Big Smoke". Starting mainly in the mid-1960s, London became a centre for worldwide youth culture , exemplified by the Swinging London sub-culture associated with
9120-550: The official poet laureate (or Imbongi YeNkosi ) for the Ndebele Kingdom (now called Matabeleland, Zimbabwe ). During the 10–11th century, Unsuri was made poet laureate by Sultan Maḥmūd of Ghazna . Modern Poets Laureate of Afghanistan include Abdullah "Malik al-Shu'Ara" Qari, Sufi Abdul Bitab, and Ustad Khalilullah Khalili . Poets Laureate of Armenia include Avetik Isahakian and Hovhannes Toumanian (1970). In 1502, Azerbaijan -born court poet Habibi earned
9234-460: The officially designated Laureate includes Tsegaye Gebre-Medhin . Tsegaye's award was granted in 1966 by His Majesty, Haile-Selasie II. Poets Laureate of The Gambia include Lenrie Peters . Poets Laureate of Ghana include Atukwei Okai . Muyaka bin Haji al-Ghassaniy was the Poet Laureate of Mombasa, Kenya . Poets Laureate of Lesotho include Joshua Pulumo Mohapeloa . Poets Laureate for
9348-467: The old Roman city. By about 680 the city had become a major port again, but there is little evidence of large-scale production. From the 820s repeated Viking assaults brought decline. Three are recorded; those in 851 and 886 succeeded, while the last, in 994, was rebuffed. The Vikings applied Danelaw over much of eastern and northern England, its boundary running roughly from London to Chester as an area of political and geographical control imposed by
9462-606: The poet laureate. During the Tang dynasty , He Zhichang was appointed as the poet laureate of Emperor Ho Kwei. Zhou Boqi was a court poet appointed during the Yuan Dynasty . During the 19th century, after the Turks invaded Cyprus , Mufti Hilmi Efendi was appointed the poet laureate of Sultan Mahmud II . In 1980, the World Academy of Arts and Culture awarded Cyprus -born Costas Montis
9576-526: The poor state of the track, which had suffered neglect during the war. The 1950s marked the highpoint of the ACE , with the first mile-a-minute timing on the Southern Region (as the Southern Railway had become after nationalisation of the railways in 1947) with a 12:23 arrival in Salisbury, 83 miles from Waterloo. Gradual improvements in schedules continued until the final acceleration in autumn of 1961, when
9690-486: The principal city of the Roman province of Britannia in 100. At its height in the 2nd century, Roman London had a population of about 60,000. With the early 5th-century collapse of Roman rule, the walled city of Londinium was effectively abandoned, although Roman civilisation continued around St Martin-in-the-Fields until about 450. From about 500, an Anglo-Saxon settlement known as Lundenwic developed slightly west of
9804-770: The railway system from 1966 by Dr Richard Beeching affected the West Country. Torrington lost its passenger services in 1965, the North Cornwall branches in 1966, the Plymouth line in 1968, and Barnstaple to Ilfracombe in 1970. In 2008 First Great Western revived the name for a new summer only daily service from London Paddington to Newquay operated by High Speed Trains . As at May 2018, this departs London Paddington on Mondays to Fridays at 09:03 and Newquay at 15:06, and on Saturdays departs London Paddington at 11:35 and Newquay at 11:30. First Devon & Cornwall previously ran
9918-509: The resources, and it was rapidly developing the dignity and the political self-consciousness appropriate to a national capital ." After winning the Battle of Hastings , William, Duke of Normandy was crowned King of England in newly completed Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. William built the Tower of London , the first of many such in England rebuilt in stone in the south-eastern corner of
10032-624: The rest of Britain, with Lyons , who opened the first of their chain of teashops in Piccadilly in 1894, leading the way. The tearooms, such as the Criterion in Piccadilly, became a popular meeting place for women from the suffrage movement. The city was the target of many attacks during the suffragette bombing and arson campaign , between 1912 and 1914, which saw historic landmarks such as Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral bombed. London
10146-529: The route beyond Exeter meant that it was not possible to compete with the Great Western Railway's Cornish Riviera Express in terms of speed, but it was a useful alternative route, particularly for passengers from the South and South East of England, who could make a connection at Salisbury and thus avoid travelling via London. Halwill Junction was the junction for the two Cornish destinations: Bude ,
10260-454: The royal treasury came to rest in the Tower . While the City of Westminster developed into a true governmental capital, its distinct neighbour, the City of London , remained England's largest city and principal commercial centre and flourished under its own unique administration, the Corporation of London . In 1100, its population was some 18,000; by 1300 it had grown to nearly 100,000. With
10374-471: The scope for holidays and stretched the railway's resources, and after this the L&;SWR did not pursue a policy of having a premier named train on the route. This was set to change as a result of the 1923 Railway Grouping Act which created four new companies to run Britain's railways, and the former London & South Western Railway became part of the new Southern Railway . The Great Western Railway (GWR), as
10488-534: The sea. London is the seat of the Government of the United Kingdom . Many government departments, as well as the prime minister's residence at 10 Downing Street , are based close to the Palace of Westminster , particularly along Whitehall . There are 75 members of Parliament (MPs) from London; As of June 2024 , 59 are from the Labour Party , 9 are Conservatives , 6 are Liberal Democrats and one constituency
10602-424: The start of 2018 to mid April 2018. Funding cuts to police in London are likely to have contributed to this, though other factors are involved. However, homicide figures fell in 2022 with 109 recorded for the year, and the murder rate in London is much lower than other major cities around the world. London, also known as Greater London , is one of nine regions of England and the top subdivision covering most of
10716-401: The terminus at Ilfracombe. At various times Exmouth , Sidmouth , Seaton Junction and Lyme Regis had through coaches. The heavy reliance on holiday passengers meant that the volume of traffic was very seasonal. On Summer Saturdays, the ACE consisted of up to five trains departing from Waterloo in the 40 minutes before 11:00, stretching resources on the long single-track branch lines to
10830-725: The theatres in the 1640s. The ban on theatre was lifted during the Restoration in 1660, and London's oldest operating theatre, Drury Lane , opened in 1663 in what is now the West End theatre district. By the end of the Tudor period in 1603, London was still compact. There was an assassination attempt on James I in Westminster, in the Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605. In 1637, the government of Charles I attempted to reform administration in
10944-401: The title "king of poets" from Safavid king Ismail I . Poets Laureate of Azerbaijan include Bakhtiyar Vahabzadeh . Bahrain -born Muḥammad Sharīf al-Shībānī served as the poet laureate of the court of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (c. 1967). During the 15th century, Zainuddin was appointed the court poet of Bengal while under the patronage of Prince Yusuf Khan . Yusuf-Zulekha
11058-479: The title of Poet Laureate. Heraclius II of Georgia appointed Sayat-Nova as his poet laureate at the court of Tblisi . In India , poet laureates were maintained at the royal courts beginning in ancient times. For instance, in Ancient India , Harisena was designated poet laureate by Emperor Samudragupta . During the 7th century, Emperor Harsha proclaimed Bāṇabhaṭṭa as the poet laureate. Jayamkondar
11172-691: The unique governmental status of the City . In the English Civil War , the majority of Londoners supported the Parliamentary cause. After an initial advance by the Royalists in 1642, culminating in the battles of Brentford and Turnham Green , London was surrounded by a defensive perimeter wall known as the Lines of Communication . The lines were built by up to 20,000 people, and were completed in under two months. The fortifications failed their only test when
11286-455: The war years; Bulleid's two new designs of express locomotive, the Merchant Navy class Pacifics for services between Waterloo and Exeter Central and the lighter West Country and Battle of Britain class for the branches beyond, enabled improvements in timekeeping and reliability and facilitated the introduction of heavier trains. Initially there was little increase in overall speeds owing to
11400-625: The world's three most influential global cities . In January 2015, Greater London's population was estimated to be 8.63 million, its highest since 1939. During the Brexit referendum in 2016, the UK as a whole decided to leave the European Union , but most London constituencies voted for remaining. However, Britain's exit from the EU in early 2020 only marginally weakened London's position as an international financial centre. The administration of London
11514-1014: Was bombed by the Germans in the First World War , and during the Second World War , the Blitz and other bombings by the German Luftwaffe killed over 30,000 Londoners, destroying large tracts of housing and other buildings across the city. The tomb of the Unknown Warrior , an unidentified member of the British armed forces killed during the First World War, was buried in Westminster Abbey on 11 November 1920. The Cenotaph , located in Whitehall ,
11628-440: Was a Paramama court poet. In the mid-11th century, Nannaya was the poet-laureate of Rajaraja Narendra . In the 15th century, Cherusseri Namboothiri was the court poet of Udaya Varma. During the 15th-16th centuries, Allasani Peddana was the poet laureate of Emperor Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagara . In the 16th century, Shaikh Gadai Kamboh was the poet laureate in the court of Sultan of Sikandar Lodhi. In 1665, Nusrati
11742-609: Was appointed as the official court poet during Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz 's presidency in Mauritania . Poets Laureate of Mauritius include Édouard Maunick . In the 13th century, Abdelaziz al-Malzuzi was the court poet of Abu Yahya ibn Abd al-Haqq . During the 16th-17th centuries in Morocco 's history, Abd al-Aziz al-Fishtali was appointed as the poet laureate of the Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur . Burkina Faso -born Boûbacar Tinguidji,
11856-518: Was awarded at European universities in the Middle Ages . The term therefore may refer to the holder of such a degree, which recognized skill in rhetoric, grammar, and language. During England 's seventeenth century, the poet laureate served as the "court poet" of royalty, and was often called upon to celebrate state occasions until that role was abolished during the early 1800s. The skald in ancient Scandinavia often spent their careers too serving as
11970-564: Was completed following the River Camel. The North Devon portions of the ACE followed the route from Exeter Central through Crediton to Yeoford before turning north west and reaching the valley of the River Taw at Lapford . Thereafter the line hugged the river to Barnstaple Junction , the junction for the two North Devon destinations of the ACE . From here the Torrington portion followed
12084-483: Was made a poet laureate by Sultan ʿAlī II ( r. 1656–1672) of the ʿĀdil-Shāhī dynasty . During the Mughal Empire , Emperor Akbar made Birbal the poet laureate. In the aforementioned empire's later history, Taleb Amoli was Emperor Jahangir 's poet laureate from 1618–1627, and Emperor Shah Jahan appointed Jagannatha Panditaraja as the poet laureate during his reign. In the 18th century, Bharatchandra Ray
12198-455: Was made poet laureate by Chola Emperor Kulottunga I . In the 10th century, Ranna was the poet laureate of Western Chalukya Kings Tailapa II and Satyashraya . Adikavi Pampa was the court poet of Vemulavada Chalukya king Arikesari II . Also, in the 10th century, Ponna received the title Kavichakravarthi (poet laureate) and Ubhaya-Chakravarthi (imperial poet in two languages) from Rashtrakuta king Krishna III . Padmagupta Parimala
12312-437: Was once a common sight throughout London and regional cities in the UK. The British Transport Police are responsible for police services on National Rail , London Underground , Docklands Light Railway and Tramlink services. The Ministry of Defence Police is a special police force in London, which does not generally become involved with policing the general public. The UK's domestic counter-intelligence service ( MI5 )
12426-599: Was soon to move to Great Torrington in North Devon ; he was killed in a shunting accident there six years later. It made its inaugural run on 19 July 1926. From the beginning the ACE effectively had five destinations, three in Devon and two in Cornwall . Plymouth , by far the largest city in Devon, was served via Okehampton and Tavistock . The steep gradients and tortuous nature of
12540-459: Was supervised by polymath Robert Hooke . In 1710, Christopher Wren 's masterpiece, St Paul's Cathedral , was completed, replacing its medieval predecessor that burned in the Great Fire of 1666. The dome of St Paul's dominated the London skyline for centuries, inspiring the artworks and writing of William Blake , with his 1789 poem " Holy Thursday " referring to 'the high dome of Pauls'. During
12654-564: Was the court poet of Shaka Zulu . During the 10th century, David Livingstone Phakamile (Yali-Manisi) was the poet laureate of Kaiser Matanzima . Poets Laureate of South Africa include Mazisi Kunene (2005), Keorapetse Kgositsile (2006), and Mongane Wally Serote (2018– ). During the 1800s in Sudan , Al U'aysir was the court poet ( inqīb ) of the Ja'alin tribe King Mek Nimr . Poets Laureate of Tanzania include Saadani Kandoro (1969). During
12768-776: Was the court poet of Sultan of Bengal , Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah . Sometime during the 15th-16th century, Shah Muhammad Saghir was the poet laureate of the Sultan of Bengal Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah . Daulat Qazi , born in what is now modern day Bangladesh , was officially appointed as the poet for the Arakan court in Myanmar (then ruled by King Thiri Thudhamma ). Poets Laureate of Brunei include royal poet Omar Ali Saifuddien III . Poets Laureate of Cambodia include Ind (1907–1924). In Ancient China , Emperor Yuan of Han appointed Shi You as
12882-456: Was the official court poet during the reigns of Kigeli IV Rwabugiri and Mutara III Rudahigwa . Poets Laureate of Rwanda include Edouard Bamporiki Uwayo. Poets Laureate of Senegal include Léopold Sédar Senghor and Robert Hayden (1966). Poets Laureate of Sierra Leone include the Italian authors Roberto Malini and Dario Picciau . In the 19th century, Magolwane kaMkhathini Jiyane
12996-516: Was unveiled on the same day, and is the focal point for the National Service of Remembrance held annually on Remembrance Sunday , the closest Sunday to 11 November. The 1948 Summer Olympics were held at the original Wembley Stadium , while London was still recovering from the war. From the 1940s, London became home to many immigrants, primarily from Commonwealth countries such as Jamaica, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, making London one of
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