Here, in a single convenient volume, is the essential reference book foranyone with an interest in British history and its contemporary legacy. Drawingon the latest scholarship, over 100 distinguished contributors describe andanalyse the people and events that have shaped and defined life in Britain over2000 years of political, social and cultural change.Over 4000 entries - ranging from quick-reference summaries to essay-lengthoverviews - provide a wealth of fact and insight on all aspects of the subjectand from a variety of perspectives, including social, political, military,cultural, economic, scientific, and feminist. As well as coverage of expectedtopics such as monarchs, battles, and political events, there are dozens ofentries on the wider aspects of British life and culture over the centuries:Boudica and Stanley Baldwin are here, but so are Enid Blyton and Jesse Boot,whilst the Boat Race and Big Ben find a place along with the Bloody Assizes andthe Battle of Bosworth.The unrivalled range of lateral coverage includes authors, composers andmusicians, legal and technical terms, newspapers and periodicals, ranks andorders, sport and leisure, and scholarship and education. For readers interestedin local history, or who like to explore history on the ground, there are alsoentries on individual counties, cathedrals and churches, palaces and royalresidences, and a range of other sites of historical significance.As well as providing reliable factual information, the Companion also offersdetailed interpretation and analysis, giving readers a sense of how events andpersonalities relate to each other, whilst its multi-disciplinary approachplaces topics in the widest possible context. Designed to be useful for theschool or university student, as well as for the general reader, The OxfordCompanion to British History is in the great tradition of Oxford Companions:authoritative, comprehensive, accessible, elegantly written, and - above all -companionable. Whether you need to check the date of the Peasants' Revolt,understand what happened at the Battle of Imphal, find out about the history ofmaypoles, or compare the careers of successive Princes of Wales, this is a bookno home reference shelf should be without.