Top 20 England's Icons

When the Mini motor car first hit the nation’s streets in 1959, few people thought it would become an Icon of England 47 years later. Its iconic status is confirmed as ICONS – A Portrait of England – www.ICONS.org.uk - announces its third wave of national icons.

Twenty new Icons of England are unveiled in today’s list as the ICONS’ – A Portrait of England collection grows bigger and richer in content. The latest announcement brings the total number of official Icons of England in the ICONS collection to 53 - all given star treatment with themed in-depth features, quizzes, video clips and interviews on the site. In addition, there are now approximately 600 icons nominations, which continue to attract votes and comments from the public. Nominations are growing all the time.

The project, which launched in January, has definitely caught the public imagination. Funded initially by Culture Online, part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, ICONS has attracted more than 350,000 votes for the nation’s favourite icons and more than half a million people have visited the site.

“ICONS has huge potential. Usually only huge sporting events like the World Cup or the Olympics generate this kind of passion,” said Jerry Doyle, Managing Director of ICONS.    “ Choosing the things that most represent England has really got the nation’s creative juices going. People get very fired up and inspired. Judging by the debate on the site, everyone is very keen to argue for their nominations too. People love ICONS because it is populist as well as ‘posh’. “

“Where else would you see nominations like Betty’s Tea Room in Harrogate, Blackpool trams and the stiff upper lip, jostling for position alongside the Teletubbies, Durham Cathedral, the Carry On films and the Tate Modern? We get lots of positive feedback from teachers, too, who say it provides a great spark for learning.”

Fictional and legendary figures, Sherlock Holmes and Robin Hood are dubbed icons for the first time and rub shoulders with the English Bobby, The Archers and the Monty Python team in the new line-up voted for by the public and selected by a panel of experts in the national online poll at www.ICONS.org.uk.

Gourmets may sneer, but love ‘em or hate ‘em, Fish and Chips is indisputably a national dish and it’s here to stay. The iconic status of England’s favourite take-away supper is also confirmed today.

“What could possibly be more romantic than fish and chips? Going to a movie, where you cuddle close to each other and then buying your paper-wrapped piece of cod or haddock, and sitting side by side on a  park bench to eat it— there are myriad couples around this country who will remember their young days and the delectable taste of fish and chips when it was the most delicious food in the world,” said Agony Aunt and Journalist, Claire Rayner, who nominated Fish and Chips as an Icon of England.

Apart from the Mini motor car, a fond icon of the ‘60s for many, the rest of the list has a particularly traditional feel this time with Icons of England like Oxbridge, the Tower of London, the White Cliffs of Dover and the Bowler Hat beating other nominations. The natural beauty of the countryside is not forgotten – the humble Hedge, the Parish Church, the Oak Tree and the Lake District all make it into the list of Icons of England.

The Bishop of London, Rt Revd Richard Chartres described parish churches as ‘a jewel in the nation’s architectural heritage’, saying: “ It is only right that parish churches should join the King James Bible, Jerusalem and York Minster among the chosen Icons of England. As well as being centres of worship and community, the 16,200 parish churches in England, have shaped our environment, are a quintessential part of our landscape and the focal point of our cities, towns and countryside. They are part of the historic narrative of our national identity and 86% of the population have visited a church for some purpose in the last 12 months.”

On the Lake District, Eric Robson, of Radio 4’s Gardener's Question Time and chairman of Cumbria Tourist Board, said: "We are delighted that the Lake District has been selected for the ICON award. It demonstrates the fondness with which the British public hold this area -  not just because of its spectacular mountains and lakes but also because of its food, its country house hotels, its literary heritage and its lovely walks. It already attracts around 16 million visitors each year. It is a very special place and we hope it remains an English icon for years to come"

Beefeater, John Keohane, Chief Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London, himself something of an icon, said: "The Tower of London is most definitely an Icon of England. Built on the order of William the Conqueror in 1078, it is one of the world's most famous fortresses and one of Britain's most visited historic sites. Despite a grim reputation as a place of torture and death, visitors to the Tower find there are many more stories to be discovered."

“‘We are delighted that the bowler hat has been chosen as one of the ICONS of England. Before the mid-twentieth century everyone wore a hat. They were not considered accessories, but essential items of clothing. It is fantastic that amongst such things as Fish and Chips and Oxbridge, the bowler hat is considered to be an ICON of similar stature. After all, a famous iconic image of the Second World War is Winston Churchill in his bowler hat,” said Collections Access Officer, Helen Castle. Hat Works Museum, Stockport.

In June, it was announced that ‘Foxhunting and the Ban’ would also be included in the list, with 25,000 people voting for foxhunting and 12,000 voting against. “Coupling foxhunting and the ban seemed the fairest way of reflecting both sides of the argument,” said Jerry Doyle.

Sports lovers can meanwhile rejoice in the fact that, despite the scrum, Rugby made the list this time . The new ICONS’ list also features a typical rugby fan’s favourite tipple – the Pint.  Neither are an appreciation of fair play off the pitch – and, examples of good language – forgotten, with the inclusion of the Magna Carta and the Oxford English Dictionary as official icons.

World Cup winning hero, Jason Leonard OBE, 37, said he was delighted that rugby had been selected as an Icon of England. "Playing rugby is a great way for youngsters to learn discipline and respect. You learn to respect your team-mates, the opposition and the referee. I remember the immense pride I felt pulling on the England jersey and singing the national anthem with gusto. We had a victory parade back in London. When we pulled into Oxford Street it was just a sea of flags with St George crosses. About 750,000 people were there. The whole experience took my breath away. Even now it seems like a dream. We saw the Queen for tea and went to number 10 Downing Street."

Francis Baron, Chief Executive of the Rugby Football Union today said, "This is great news for England rugby fans everywhere, and fantastic recognition for our sport. Rugby continues to grow and thrive all over England and I am proud that rugby has joined the likes of the pub, the FA Cup and the Routemaster bus as one of the symbols of our nation.”

The complete list of 20 new icons in this wave include:

Fish and Chips  Rugby   Robin Hood
The Tower of London The Magna Carta  Hedges
The Bobby  Foxhunting & The Ban The Pint
White Cliffs of Dover The Archers  Monty Python
Sherlock Holmes  Lake District  Parish Church
The OED   Bowler Hat  Mini motor car
The Oak Tree  ‘Oxbridge’
 
 
Four waves of new icons are being announced in all during 2006 as the ICONS – A Portrait of England collection grows in size and depth. It is being assembled jigsaw-fashion, bit by bit, at www.ICONS.org.uk.

The ICONS project encourages people to explore, enjoy and celebrate the country’s cultural treasures online and also in the real world. ICONS is working with Visit Britain to explore ways of utilising the ICONS site to attract potential tourists eager to find out what makes England tick. Unexpectedly it has also been a place that many ex-Pats, in Australia or other far-flung parts, ‘come home to’.

The ICONS coalition of support round the country embraces a wide range of national cultural, sporting and heritage bodies, as well as charity partners. It includes the National Trust, THE British Library, the Black Cultural Archives, the Museum of Rugby, the Football Association, English Heritage, MENCAP, Visit Britain, the V&A Museum of Childhood, the British Museum,  Age Concern, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the Muslim Council for Great Britain and several national and city museums in  London, Birmingham, Gateshead, Brighton & Hove and Manchester. 

30 July 2006