In commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of Hot Fuzz, (honestly, it's as good a reason as any at this point), here are some more true stories of British crime gone horribly weird. The Case of the Fraudulent Fiddler Bethan Doci was a woman who had it all, holidays in five-star Cancun resorts, a villa in Spain, and a career as a concert violinist. And she decided the perfect … [Read more...] about Britain’s Least Wanted XVII
Cheshire
Britain’s Least Wanted XVI: The Grand Return!
For reasons not entirely clear to me, I wound up taking a long break from researching Weird Britain. I don't know why, except that I wound up forgetting to do it for a couple weeks and, as the weeks piled up, I decided it would take too long for me to go through it all, but, on Sunday, I managed to pull it off. What inspired this turn of events? Well, I found this … [Read more...] about Britain’s Least Wanted XVI: The Grand Return!
The Campaign to buy Ian Curtis’ house and turn it into a museum
77 Barton Street in Macclesfield has recently been put on sale for £115,000. According to its rightmove page, it is a "Superb character cottage" in a "Convenient location" with "Two Double Bedrooms and Reception Rooms, a "Newly fitted kitchen", a "Well appointed bathroom", and a "Shared courtyard garden." I would not mention it if not for one thing: it is the last home of Joy … [Read more...] about The Campaign to buy Ian Curtis’ house and turn it into a museum
Great British Houses: Lyme Park – Made Famous as Pemberley in Pride & Prejudice – A Beautiful National Trust Property in Cheshire
An exquisite estate is usually described as having intricate architecture, a thorough background in historical events, and many highly sought after collectibles contained within the house. An estate that is very much categorized as such is Lyme Park, located south of Disley, in the county of Cheshire. It is now managed by the National Trust and is surrounded by beautiful … [Read more...] about Great British Houses: Lyme Park – Made Famous as Pemberley in Pride & Prejudice – A Beautiful National Trust Property in Cheshire
Britain’s Least Wanted VII: Even more Barmy British Crime Stories
In honour of the recent discovery of DNA evidence that may solve the Jack the Ripper murders (a story I may seriously have to cover if the current drought in the British Music World keeps up), let's cover some more stories of bizarre crimes from Britain. The Case of the Repentant Robber. Only one person remembers 1992's great break-in at theSwettenham Arms inCongleton, … [Read more...] about Britain’s Least Wanted VII: Even more Barmy British Crime Stories
Weird Britain: Britain’s Least Wanted VI – The Gregarious Gunslinger, Scooby Suit, Library Book Returned 61 Years Late and An Obnoxious 999 Caller
Well, it looks like it's time to do another Weird Crime column, so, in honour of the season finale of Martin Freeman's Fargo miniseries, here are four odd stories of crime from Britain. The Case of the Gregarious Gunslinger. As a rule, I'm a big fan of westerns. Naturally, for blindingly obvious reasons, I almost never get a chance to talk about that on Anglotopia. But, it … [Read more...] about Weird Britain: Britain’s Least Wanted VI – The Gregarious Gunslinger, Scooby Suit, Library Book Returned 61 Years Late and An Obnoxious 999 Caller
Britain’s Least Wanted: Weird British Crime IV
I currently have a glut of strange crime news, so, in honour of the third season finale of Sherlock, I suppose I should cover some more crime stories from Britain. The Case of the Cataract-Heavy Car Chaser. I have definitely covered this story before; well, not exactly. This isn't the story of a blind racing fan who rented his idol's car and promptly ran it into a … [Read more...] about Britain’s Least Wanted: Weird British Crime IV
Halloween in Britain: Paranormal Britain
A recent study by the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena has shown that 52% of people in Britain believe in the supernatural, and one in five claimed to have directly experienced the paranormal. So, you'd think I'd actually have accumulated more paranormal-related stories in the months I've been doing this Weird Britain column. So, anyway, just in time … [Read more...] about Halloween in Britain: Paranormal Britain
The Fiver: Top Five Famous Manor Houses Used in Film and Television
You may remember one of my first articles about “Famous Filming Castles You Can Visit”. Well now it’s time to look at some of the grandest residences in the United Kingdom where many a period drama programme and film have been shot. As the upkeep on these homes, just as with castles, can be pretty expensive, many are open to the public to raise revenue necessary for their … [Read more...] about The Fiver: Top Five Famous Manor Houses Used in Film and Television
The Fiver: “Don’t Mention the War!” Five Great War Museums to Visit in Britain
The United Kingdom has one of the most illustrious military histories of any nation. From the Roman invasion to the Hundred Years’ War to World War II, it’s arguable that most wars studies over the last 1,000 years have had a British country fighting in it. Naturally, such a long history gives rise to many museum commemorating battles and the brave men and women who fought in … [Read more...] about The Fiver: “Don’t Mention the War!” Five Great War Museums to Visit in Britain
Brit TV: Classic British TV Shows Where the Location is the Star That You Can Visit
Over at Anglotopia Towers, our favorite way to spend an evening is to pop in a British Show DVD and let the Telly take us away to Britain. Many British TV shows are filmed on location rather than in a studio, so watching British TV can be a great way to explore parts of Britain you've never seen. So, we thought it would be fun to put together a list of British TV shows where … [Read more...] about Brit TV: Classic British TV Shows Where the Location is the Star That You Can Visit
The Fiver: And All I Got Was this Lousy T-Shirt – Five Oddest Tourist Attractions
Ah, those summers in the car being dragged by parents to one boring tourist trap after another. Some were boring, some were places your mum and dad were dragged to as kids, and some were just plain weird. The United Kingdom is no exception to having its own strange places to visit. For every tourist spot such as Buckingham Palace, Stonehenge, or the British Museum, there are … [Read more...] about The Fiver: And All I Got Was this Lousy T-Shirt – Five Oddest Tourist Attractions
Top 11 Stately Homes in England – Best English Manor Houses
One thing England is known for are its many fine stately homes and manor houses. They've had a troubled history in the last century as families have been forced to sell them off or donate them to the National Trust. Many have even been demolished. That being said there are still many beautiful stately homes left to visit in England - the types of buildings you think of when you … [Read more...] about Top 11 Stately Homes in England – Best English Manor Houses