History, Culture, and Tradition in England
In thinking about England, or Great Britain, what is striking is the long history that it possesses in relationship to most of the other countries of the world. Although it has fought many wars to retain its sovereignty, it has existed as a separate entity for hundreds of years. That entity, however, has undergone many changes in character, along with changes in the influence of various tribes and peoples.
As Briggs (1983) noted in the preface to his work, although there are many references to an English character, or way of being in the world, this character is quite varied and difficult to pin down. There are many stock types in popular cultural understandings, such as the Colonel Blimp type or pukka sahib, or the young, effete aristocrat, or the cockney, or the taciturn countryman. These are all quite different from each other. Yet, there are some qualities, writers like Briggs contend, which serve to unite the people in a basic national character.
He noted that England is at the center of a very old society, and that this is reflected in things around the people and in the way they relate to their world. The country tends to value the old and preserve them, primarily through the National Trust. This acquires buildings and land that are deemed to be of historical significance for the country and maintains them, creating access for the general public.
As one example of this, there are the megaliths, or dolmens, that are preserved throughout England. The most famous of these standing stones are at Stonehenge, but as Scott Peck (1995) described in his recent book, these standing stones are everywhere, sometimes standing in the middle of farmer's fields. Yet, they are not torn down and carted away, but generally preserved as a reminder of times past, and times which are still somewhat mysterious in character.
While the standing stones are an example of the oldest kind o...