The largest festival in the UK dedicated entirely to history has been held in Wiltshire.

The Chalke Valley History Festival ran from June 20 and covered many eras, with the final events including a Restoration-era pageant on Sunday.

Thousands of history buffs camped at Broad Chalke near Salisbury during the event that offered talks and debates alongside interactive living history displays and re-enactments.

The Duchess of Cornwall introduced the first event on Monday where she revealed Queen Elizabeth I was the woman from history she would most like to join her at an evening book club.

The festival began in June 2011 on a small scale as a fundraiser for the local cricket club but now covers a 70-acre site.

Eras covered include the Celts and Romans, Middle Ages, Napoleonic riflemen, and as recently as the world wars, with guns, armor, tanks on show alongside heritage cookery, dancing, and music displays.

Sir Paul McCartney has delivered a Glastonbury headline set for the history books which included surprise appearances from Bruce Springsteen and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.

As he took to the Pyramid Stage on Saturday night, the former Beatle became the festival’s oldest solo headliner, a week after he celebrated his 80th birthday.

To mark the momentous occasion, Sir Paul treated the masses in the crowd to a selection of his own songs as well as beloved tracks by The Beatles and from his later group Wings.

During his more than two hour set, he played a range of classic songs including Hey Jude, Blackbird, Live And Let Die, Ob-La-Di, Ob‐La‐Da and Get Back.

The electrifying show was further amplified as he introduced Grohl to the stage to sing I Saw Her Standing There and Band On The Run.

The Foo Fighters frontman revealed he had flown in from the US, especially for the appearance, but admitted that the journey was not without a few bumps as he had multiple flights canceled but noted he would “never miss being on stage” alongside Sir Paul.

Following Grohl, Sir Paul announced he had another surprise all the way from the east coast of America as Springsteen took to the stage.

After the US rocker wished Sir Paul a happy 80th birthday, they played Glory Days and I Wanna Be Your Man.

Sir Paul also remembered his nearest and dearest during the headline set including dedicating a piano-led version of My Valentine to his wife Nancy and Something to his Beatles’ bandmate George Harrison.

Ahead of the song Here Today, he revealed he had written it after John Lennon died, describing it as a “form of a letter” which he never got to write to his bandmate as he said when they were kids they “couldn’t express too much affection for each other” as they were “too busy trying to be hard and dead cool”.

As the song ended, he added: “If you want to tell someone you love them, don’t wait, don’t put it off.”

Elsewhere in the set, Sir Paul delivered an energetic guitar solo after playing Let Me Roll It.

Following the rendition, he explained that he adds that section on at the end as a tribute to the “late great Jimi Hendrix”.

He also recounted a fond anecdote about Hendrix, recalling how he put his guitar out of tune while covering the Beatles’ song Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, causing him to ask guitar maestro Eric Clapton who was in the audience to help fix the instrument.

During the story, Sir Paul briefly paused to allow festival staff to check on a situation in the crowd and resumed after he was informed it had been sorted.

After finishing his main set with Hey Jude, the crowd chanted the famous lyrics back to the singer until he returned for an encore.

When he came back to the stage he was waving the Ukrainian flag while members of his band flew a rainbow Pride flag and the Union Jack.

As part of the encore, through special technology which could isolate Lennon’s vocals from old recordings, Sir Paul was able to duet The Beatles’ track I’ve Got A Feeling alongside his former bandmate on the Pyramid Stage.

To end the historic set he sang the Beatles’ song The End to a cheering crowd with Springsteen and Grohl also returning to provide guitar solos.

Despite the majority of the Glastonbury headline performances being shown live on BBC iPlayer, Sir Paul was not aired on the broadcaster’s channels until an hour into his set.

The BBC has been contacted for comment.

Ahead of his history-making set on the Pyramid Stage, Sir Paul delivered a surprise preview performance at an intimate venue in Frome, Somerset, where he played some of his best-known material.

The Pyramid Stage also hosted musical stars Haim, AJ Tracey, Easy Life, Joy Crookes and Les Amazones d’Afrique on Saturday.

US pop star Olivia Rodrigo and rapper Megan Thee Stallion both played on the Other Stage, while Mercury-winner Celeste played the West Holts Stage.

Billie Eilish gave an electrifying headline performance on the Pyramid Stage on Friday to end the first day of performances at Glastonbury.

Her appearance was a landmark moment for the festival as she became Glastonbury’s youngest ever solo headliner.

Game Of Thrones creator George R R Martin has shared details of a new spinoff show which will see Kit Harington reprise his role of Jon Snow.

The series, which Martin, 73, has confirmed has a working title of Snow, is set to be a sequel following the character, who became a fan favorite during the eight-season fantasy epic.

Writing about the project on his blog, Martin said: “Yes, there is a Jon Snow show in development.”

Also in the post, he revealed the idea for the spinoff was originally suggested to him by 35-year-old British actor Harington. He also confirmed that it has been in development for quite a while along with all the other active Game of Thrones spin-offs in development.

He wrote: “Yes, it was Kit Harington who brought the idea to us.

“I cannot tell you the names of the writers/ showrunners, since that has not been cleared for release yet … but Kit brought them in too, his own team, and they are terrific.”

In the original Game Of Thrones series, Harington played Jon Snow – the illegitimate son of the Stark family who took up a post in the Night’s Watch to guard the realm of men from the sinister White Walkers.

Game Of Thrones saw Snow journey north of the wall, returning to be named Warden Of The North, before learning that he was in fact descended from the dreaded Targaryen family.

Harington was nominated twice for Emmy Awards for his portrayal of the character, and starred alongside his wife Rose Leslie, who played his wildling lover Ygritte in the series.

Martin added that he was unable to share many more details at the current time, writing: “There’s not much more I can tell you, not until HBO gives me a green light.”

But he did confirm he was very much involved with the production of the Snow series, as is the case with a number of different Game Of Thrones spinoffs in the works.

“Various rumors are floating around about my involvement, or lack of same,” he wrote.

“I am involved, just as I am with The Hedge Knight and The Sea Snake and Ten Thousand Ships, and all the animated shows.

“Kit’s team have visited me here in Santa Fe and worked with me and my own team of brilliant, talented writer/consultants to hammer out the show.”

News of the Jon Snow spinoff comes after the announcement of fellow franchise spinoff House Of The Dragon, a prequel that follows the rise of House Targaryen, taking place 200 years before the events of Game Of Thrones.

The 10-episode HBO series stars Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen and is based on Martin’s Fire And Blood novel.

British Airways workers based at Heathrow have voted to strike in a dispute over pay.

Members of the GMB and Unite backed industrial action.

The unions said holidaymakers face disruption, warning of a summer of strikes.

Workers, including check-in staff, will now decide on strike dates, which the union said were likely to be held during the peak summer holiday period.

Nadine Houghton, GMB national officer, said: “With grim predictability, holidaymakers face massive disruption thanks to the pig-headedness of British Airways.

“BA have tried to offer our members crumbs from the table in the form of a 10% one-off bonus payment, but this doesn’t cut the mustard.

“Our members need to be reinstated the 10% they had stolen from them last year with full back pay and the 10% bonus which other colleagues have been paid.

“GMB members at Heathrow have suffered untold abuse as they deal with the travel chaos caused by staff shortages and IT failures.

“At the same time, they’ve had their pay slashed during BA’s callous fire and rehire policy.

“What did BA think was going to happen?

“It’s not too late to save the summer holidays – other BA workers have had their pay cuts reversed.

“Do the same for ground and check-in staff and this industrial action can be nipped in the bud.”

Asked whether she would book a BA flight over the next few months, Ms. Houghton told BBC Radio 4’s PM program: “Not at this stage”.

Unite national officer for aviation Oliver Richardson said: “The problems British Airways is facing are entirely of its own making.

“It brutally cut jobs and pay during the pandemic even though the Government was paying them to save jobs.

“In the case of this dispute, they have insulted this workforce, slashing pay by 10% only to restore it to managers but not to our members.

“BA is treating its loyal workforce as second-class citizens and they will not put up with it a moment longer.

“Strike action will inevitably cause severe disruption to BA’s services at Heathrow.

“The company has a short window of opportunity to reinstate our members’ pay before strikes are called. I urge BA not to squander that opportunity.”

Downing Street said strike action would add to passengers’ “misery” at airports and called for BA to put contingency measures in place.

A No 10 spokesman said: “This is obviously a matter for British Airways and the unions and we would strongly encourage both to come together to find a settlement.

“We don’t want to see any further disruption for passengers and strike action would only add to the misery being faced by passengers at airports.

“DfT (Department for Transport) will obviously work closely to look at what contingency measures BA could put in place and we expect BA to put in place contingency measures to ensure that as little disruption is caused, and that where there is disruption that passengers can be refunded”.

Members of the GMB voted by 91% in favor of industrial action while Unite said 94% of its members backed action.

A BA statement said: “We’re extremely disappointed with the result and that the unions have chosen to take this course of action.

“Despite the extremely challenging environment and losses of more than £4bn, we made an offer of a 10% payment which was accepted by the majority of other colleagues.

“We are fully committed to work together to find a solution, because to deliver for our customers and rebuild our business we have to work as a team.

“We will of course keep our customers updated about what this means for them as the situation evolves.”

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have viewed the first official joint portrait of themselves on a visit to Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum.

The painting, commissioned last year as a gift for the people of Cambridgeshire, shows the pair standing side-by-side, with Kate in an elegant emerald dress and William in a black suit.

It is to go on public display in the university city.

The portrait was painted by award-winning artist Jamie Coreth, who is described on his website as “one of Britain’s leading portrait artists” who “focuses on the character of his sitters, evoking a sense of their presence in his work”.

The duke and duchess, both 40, met Coreth as they viewed the painting of themselves on Thursday while in Cambridgeshire for a series of engagements.

William said, after looking at the painting: “It’s quite big.”

He told Coreth it was “amazing”.

The duke and duchess both studied history of art at St Andrews University, though William later switched to geography.

William said in a Big Issue Q&A session published this week to mark his 40th birthday: “I studied a bit of art history at university.

“Had to give it up.

“I kept falling asleep in the lectures. Terrible.

“We did a lot of Renaissance, which was amazing.

“But then once we got into modern art, I started to get a bit dozy.”

The portrait of William and Kate was commissioned by the Cambridgeshire Royal Portrait Fund, held by the Cambridge Community Foundation, as a gift to Cambridgeshire.

Coreth worked to incorporate the city of Cambridge into the portrait by painting the background with the tones and colors of many of the historical stone buildings that are synonymous with it.

The portrait also includes the use of a hexagonal architectural motif which can be seen on buildings across the university city.

Coreth said it was the “most extraordinary privilege of my life to be chosen to paint this picture”.

“I wanted to show Their Royal Highnesses in a manner where they appeared both relaxed and approachable, as well as elegant and dignified,” he said.

“As it is the first portrait to depict them together, and specifically during their time as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, I wanted the image to evoke a feeling of balance between their public and private lives.

“The piece was commissioned as a gift for the people of Cambridgeshire, and I hope they will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed creating it.”

Members of the public will be able to view the portrait at the Fitzwilliam Museum for an initial period of three years, after which the artwork will be exhibited in other community spaces and galleries around Cambridgeshire.

The painting will also be loaned to the National Portrait Gallery for a short time in 2023 to mark the gallery’s reopening.

Luke Syson, director of Cambridge University’s Fitzwilliam Museum, said: “It’s incredibly exciting to be the first to be able to show the only double portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge so far to have been painted, and commemorating of course their connection with Cambridge through their titles.

“It’s a great moment for the Fitzwilliam.”

The Canterbury suburbs were home to some of Britain’s earliest humans, new discoveries have revealed.

The research confirms that Homo heidelbergensis, an ancestor of Neanderthals, occupied southern Britain between 560,000 and 620,000 years ago, when it was still attached to Europe.

This makes it one of the earliest known Palaeolithic sites in northern Europe.

Archaeological finds made on the outskirts of the cathedral city in Kent, also hint at some of the earliest animal hide processing in European prehistory.

The findings come a century after stone tool artifacts were first uncovered at the site in Fordwich.

Located in an ancient riverbed, the site was originally discovered in the 1920s when local laborers unearthed artifacts known as hand axes (mostly now in the British Museum).

But by applying modern dating techniques to new excavations their age has finally been determined.

Led by the University of Cambridge’s department of archaeology, the recent excavations have not only dated the original site but also identified new flint artifacts, including the very first “scrapers” to be discovered there.

Researchers dated these stone tools using infrared-ratiofluorescence (IR-RF) dating – a technique that determines the point at which feldspar sand grains were last exposed to sunlight, thereby establishing when they were buried.

Early humans are known to have been present in Britain from as early as 840,000, and potentially 950,000 years ago, but the early visits were fleeting, the study suggests.

Dr. Tobias Lauer from the University of Tubingen in Germany, who led the dating of the new site, said: “This is one of the wonderful things about this site in Kent.

“The artifacts are precisely where the ancient river placed them, meaning we can say with confidence that they were made before the river moved to a different area of the valley.”

Dr. Alastair Key from the University of Cambridge, who directed the excavation, adds: “The diversity of tools is fantastic.

“In the 1920s, the site produced some of the earliest hand axes ever discovered in Britain.

“Now, for the first time, we have found rare evidence of scraping and piercing implements at this very early age”.

Homo heidelbergensis was a hunter-gatherer known to eat diverse animal and plant foods, meaning that many of the tools may have been used to process animal carcasses, potentially deer, horse, rhino, and bison; as well as tubers and other plants.

Researchers say evidence of this can be seen in the sharp-edged flake and hand ax tools present at the site.

The presence of scraping and piercing implements, however, suggests other activities may have been undertaken.

Dr. Tomos Proffitt from the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology, who analyzed the artifacts, said: “Scrapers, during the Palaeolithic, are often associated with animal hide preparation.

“Finding these artifacts may therefore suggest that people during this time were preparing animal hides, possibly for clothing or shelters.

“The range of stone tools, not only from the original finds, but also from our new smaller excavations, suggest that hominins living in what was to become Britain, were thriving and not just surviving.”

The findings are published in the Royal Society Open Science journal.

The remodeled British Film Institute (BFI) cinema in London is among the winners of a major architecture prize.

BFI Riverfront, the restaurant, and bar attached to the screening complex on London’s Southbank, is one of 29 winners of the 2022 Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba) National Awards.

The awards, which have been presented since 1966, recognize the UK’s best new buildings and provide an insight into design and economic trends, according to Riba.

Burrowed beneath the arches of Waterloo Bridge, BFI Southbank was originally built in the 1950s to accommodate the UK’s largest independent cinema house and national film archive.

The entrance to the building was recently redesigned by architectural group Carmody Groarke after it became outdated.

Riba said the judges were impressed with how the architects had “created a project that genuinely enhances a complex heritage setting” by celebrating the Grade II listed Waterloo Bridge and the Grade II listed National Theatre.

They added that the project is “an exemplar of a modern intervention that subtly but genuinely enhances the appreciation, experience, and understanding of a complex and layered heritage setting”.

Also among the winners was a viewing tower at an Anglo-Saxon royal burial site in Suffolk called Sutton Hoo.

The institute described the addition of the tower as an “extremely brave piece of commissioning by the National Trust”, which requested it due to visitors being unable to appreciate the historical landscape fully.

House at Lough Beg, a family home built on the shores of a lake in Northern Ireland, and a modernized traditional village pub in North Yorkshire named The Alice Hawthorn also made the list of winners.

Harris Academy Sutton secured a spot after becoming the UK’s first secondary school to achieve Passivhaus eco status.

Also on the winner’s list was 100 Liverpool Street, a net-zero carbon office building sitting above the new Crossrail line in the City of London, which was described as a “truly impressive project” by the institute.

Riba said key trends from this year’s winners included uniting communities, developing housing for the future and restoring and adapting existing buildings.

Riba president Simon Allford said: “At a time when we need to bring people together and plan for a sustainable future, this year’s Riba National Award-winning buildings offer much hope.

“This is a powerful collection of buildings that show, despite the economic, political and social turmoil of the last few years, how great architecture can emerge even in challenging conditions.

“As we start to settle from the pandemic, I am particularly encouraged by the number and quality of new buildings designed to foster community.

“From local cultural hubs to reinvigorated accessible arts venues, these projects demonstrate the power of good architecture to lift spirits and enhance lives.”

He added that he was pleased to see “new and innovative solutions” to meet the demand for energy-efficient homes and said the winners have “set a new benchmark and vision for the future of UK housing”.

Mr Allford also said he was “encouraged to see restoration and sensitive adaptation feature so prominently” this year, with “buildings acknowledging their history, the needs of the present and the potential of a dynamic future”.

He added: “I congratulate every client, architect and construction team for their achievements.”

Thousands of people have welcomed the longest day of the year under clear skies at Stonehenge.

Some of the prehistoric monument’s giant stones are aligned with the rising sun on the longest and shortest days, and traditionally sees people celebrating the solstices at the site.

The dawn event marked the first time since the pandemic began people have taken part in these ancient ceremonies, thought to date back thousands of years.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle has named his new pet kitten after former Labour prime minister Clement Attlee.

The Speaker of the House is known for his love of animals and his wide array of pets, all named after key figures from across the political spectrum.

The naming of the four-month-old brown tabby Maine Coon means that Sir Lindsay has two pets named after Conservative politicians and two named after Labour MPs.

The Hoyle family lost Patrick, a Maine Coon named after Tory peer Lord Patrick McCormack when the 12-year-old cat died from a tumor earlier this year.

He said: “Attlee is just the boldest, craziest, life-force you can imagine, he races around my office, much to the amusement of my team, and brings a smile to the face of doorkeepers, police officers, cleaners – and everyone who comes into contact with him.

“I still miss Patrick – who was my favorite pet – but Attlee, who we named after a former prime minister who created the NHS, has cheered us up no end.”

An Instagram account has been created for Attlee which Sir Lindsay said he hopes will help to engage animal lovers with democracy.

Sir Lindsay also owns a parrot named Boris, a Patterdale Terrier named Betty, and a tortoise named Maggie.

One wonders how the Chief Mouser at Number 10 Downing Street feels about the feline competition!

Many may not know that the Speak of the House actually lives in the Palace of Westminster. We got a behind-the-scenes tour last month – read it here!

One of Planet Earth’s cameramen has filmed a wildlife documentary shot entirely in a British pub garden. You can watch the result at the end of this article.

Doug Allan has worked on David Attenborough’s popular BBC One documentary series and is an Emmy and BAFTA award-winning filmmaker and wildlife photographer.

And now he has swapped oceans and polar expanses for a traditionally British environment – the pub garden.

The wildlife documentary was made with the backing of gin brand Warner’s Gin. It was shot at the Castle Hotel in Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire, and is thought to be the first in the world filmed entirely in the grounds of a pub.

It has been launched to highlight how nature “can thrive amongst us in the most unexpected places”.

Pubgoers included in the film vary from bees, newts, birds and butterflies to wildflowers and other plants that exist alongside humans.

“My career as a nature filmmaker has taken me to the Antarctic and the Pacific Ocean but never a pub garden in England,” Mr Allan said.

“But a garden like the one we filmed in was just as teeming with nature and wildlife as any habitat I’ve shot in.

“The whole time we were here at this pub filming we were never short of nature to capture on camera, even when the garden was busy with people.

“It’s brilliant to be part of Warner’s Gin documentary that’s set to transform the way people see pub gardens across the country and hopefully make a difference to nature and in turn, the planet.”

The mini-series was commissioned by Warner’s Gin to announce its new Nature Marque accreditation scheme.

It is hoped the documentary will show people “how important these outdoor spaces are for nature and encourage pubs to get involved with the accreditation”.

With the support of the Wildlife Trust BCN, the accreditation will reward pubs that have made an effort to open their gardens for nature as well as people by planting wildflowers, installing bird boxes and bug hotels or creating a hedgehog highway.

Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Warner’s Distillery Tom Warner said: “We’ve got big ambitions with Warner’s Nature Marque and the accreditation scheme for pubs is the first step on that journey.”

“We want to encourage real, sustained support for nature… Tens of thousands of pub gardens are an untapped resource for biodiversity.”

The documentary is available to watch on YouTube:

Dame Mary Berry is to return to TV screens with a new cooking series celebrating the joy of sharing food.

The leading cookery writer and broadcaster has published more than 50 books during a career spanning more than five decades and found further recognition as a judge on The Great British Bake Off.

In a new series for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, Mary Berry Cook And Share, Dame Mary, 87, will show viewers how to make her very best recipes, many of which are perfect to share at big gatherings, but can also be modified for smaller groups or even as something special for two.

The show will see Dame Mary travel to some of her favorite locations across the UK to meet others who come together over food – as part of family celebrations, to bring communities and generations together, and as the centerpiece of summer festivals and events.

Speaking about the new show, Dame Mary said: “Sharing recipes is always an utter joy for me and this series is the ultimate guide, whether you are cooking for a crowd or just for two.

“I’m loving visiting some spectacular parts of the country at extraordinary events, gatherings, and beautiful locations for this new series.

“I have always believed there is no better way to spend time with family and friends than over fresh home-cooked food – and now more than ever that feels so important.”

Mary Berry Cook And Share will consist of six episodes, in which Dame Mary will inspire viewers by sharing recipes from a hearty minted lamb casserole, or a delicious tear-and-share bread, to a roasting-tin spiced chicken and an eggy bread avocado and ham toastie.

Dame Mary’s salted caramel cake, honeycomb chocolate rocky road, and chocolate truffle cake will also feature as some of the sweet treats that are made to bring people together to enjoy.

The baking veteran will visit her mother’s homeland of Scotland, explore the ingredients of Dorset’s Jurassic coast and see what Birmingham city center has to offer.

The BBC’s commissioning editor of popular factual and factual entertainment, Ricky Cooper, said: “Mary has spent her life sharing her knowledge, her passion and of course her recipes with audiences all over the UK and beyond.

“So we’re delighted she’s returning to the BBC to share her love of cooking – and the impact it has on our lives and communities – in what promises to be a truly spectacular series.”

A book of the same name will also be published on September 1. Cook And Share will feature a new collection of more than 100 dishes from Dame Mary, including all the recipes from the TV series.

The launch date for Mary Berry Cook And Share will be announced in due course.

Michelle Keegan will star in new BBC drama Ten Pound Poms, created by Bafta-award winner Danny Brocklehurst.

The actress, 35, will lead the original six-part series, set in Australia, alongside Games Of Thrones star Faye Marsay and Luther actor Warren Brown.

The drama will follow a group who have been promised a better quality of life in Australia for only £10, leaving behind post-war Britain.

Creator Brocklehurst said: “Ten Pounds Poms demands an ensemble cast that we are always rooting for – actors we love and want to succeed.

“I am thrilled to have found those actors. It is a delight to welcome so much exciting Australian talent as well as working with the brilliant Faye and Warren for the first time.

“This is my third outing with the wonderful Michelle Keegan and I’m positive we will make another winner together.”

Keegan will play young nurse Kate, who arrives in Australia without her fiance and will do whatever it takes to “rewrite her devastating past”, the BBC said.

At the heart of the drama is Annie and Terry Roberts, played by Marsay and Brown, who are trying to do the best for their family despite the poor living conditions of the migrant hostel and local attitudes towards immigrants.

They will star alongside Leon Ford’s character Bill, who has lost his family business and wants to prove he is living the Australian dream.

Declan Coyle will appear as teenager Stevie, who comes from a troubled background and wants to escape his oppressive father, alongside Rob Collins, who plays indigenous Australian war veteran Ron, who is struggling with feeling like an outsider in his own country.

The cast, which includes David Field, Stephen Curry, Hattie Hook, Finn Treacy, and Emma Hamilton, is filming in Australia.

The show will follow the triumphs and pitfalls of a group adapting to a new life and struggling with their new identity as immigrants, the BBC added.

It is produced by Eleven, the team behind Netflix’s Sex Education, and directed by Jamie Stone and Ana Kokkinos.

Thousands of people have greeted the sun with cheers as it rose over Stonehenge for the summer solstice.

Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic monument in Wiltshire encountered a chilly morning accompanied by clear skies as the sun glinted over the horizon at 4.49 am.

This year was the first time members of the public have been allowed to attend the solstice in person since 2019 – with the last two years’ events streamed online because of the pandemic.

English Heritage said 170,000 people from around the world watched the solstice online this year.

Nichola Tasker, English Heritage’s director of Stonehenge, said: “Celebrating summer solstice is one of the highlights of the year at Stonehenge and we’re so delighted to have been able to welcome people back this year and also to livestream the occasion to thousands of people right around the world.

“Wherever you are, it’s a great opportunity for friends and families to come together to mark the longest day of the year, as people have done for thousands of years.

“There was a warm, friendly atmosphere throughout, and everybody enjoyed a beautiful sunset and dawn.

“Summer solstice at Stonehenge is a major operation and we couldn’t do it without the support of our partners, especially Wiltshire Police and Wiltshire Council.

“We look forward to welcoming people to the summer solstice again next year.”

Wiltshire Police said the event passed off peacefully, with around 6,000 people attending and just two arrests made.

Superintendent Phil Staynings said: “This year’s summer solstice – the first one celebrated as a public gathering at Stonehenge in three years – has been a success on many levels.

“Inevitably, there were some traffic delays approaching Stonehenge due to the sheer number of vehicles wanting to visit the site, but overall the whole event has passed off with no major incidents and the atmosphere remained convivial throughout – no doubt helped by the weather, which has been incredible this year.

“It’s good news that only two arrests were made, showing that the good relationship we have with our partners, including English Heritage at Stonehenge and the National Trust at Avebury, does work to make large-scale events like this run smoothly.”

Police said a 49-year-old man from the London area was arrested on suspicion of common assault.

And a 41-year-old man from Trowbridge was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.

They remain in police custody.

Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset.

On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle, and rays of sunlight are channeled into the center of the monument.

It is believed that solstices have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years.

Summer solstice takes place as one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun and the sun reaches its highest position in the sky, ensuring the longest period of daylight for the year.

Forty photos charting the Duke of Cambridge’s life have been compiled to celebrate his 40th birthday tomorrow.

William, who reaches the milestone on Tuesday, June 20th is pictured through the years from his debut as a newborn baby in his mother’s arms and as a toddler trying to walk, to his role as a family man and future king.

The images, from the PA news agency’s photo archive, show the second in line to the throne on family holidays with the Prince and Princess of Wales and playing bicycle polo with Prince Harry.

He is pictured studying at university, in his military uniform at Sandhurst and as an air ambulance helicopter pilot.

Among the images is one of William on his first official royal tour when he joined his parents on a six-week trip to Australia and New Zealand when he was just nine months old in 1983.

In 2006, he is captured smirking as his grandmother the Queen makes a remark while inspecting him and his fellow cadets during a passing out parade at Sandhurst.

Times of joy show William announcing his engagement to his former university flatmate Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge.

The newlywed pair took to the Palace balcony on their wedding day in 2011, and introduced their first born, Prince George, to the world outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in London in 2013.

But William has also experienced great sadness, with the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in a car crash in 1997.

The duke and his younger brother the Duke of Sussex, who have a long-reported rift, came together briefly last year to unveil the statue they commissioned in her honour.

Other photos from over the years show William in a camouflaged military helmet tackling an assault course during a Sport Relief mile run in 2006, trying out a motorbike at the Isle of Man TT in 2018 and on tour with Kate to Pakistan in 2019.

Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales was born second in line to the throne at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, at 9.03pm on June 21 1982.

He weighed 7lb 1oz and was the firstborn son of the Prince and the Princess of Wales.

William was made the Duke of Cambridge by the Queen on the morning of his wedding.

He is expected to become King William V when he eventually accedes to the throne as monarch, hopefully one day far in the future.

Ed Sheeran was the most played artist of 2021 in the UK, and also claimed the year’s most-played single with Bad Habits.

The pop superstar, 31, is the first artist to claim both accolades in two different years.

He previously did the double in 2017 with the release of his album Divide and hit single Shape Of You.

Adele is the only other artist to have topped both charts in the same year, with Rolling In The Deep and the popularity of her album 21 in 2011.

This is also the fourth time in five years where Sheeran has been the UK’s most played artist, being dethroned only in 2020 by Dua Lipa following the release of her chart-topping second album Future Nostalgia.

The annual charts are compiled by music licensing company Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) from music usage and airplay data from radio stations and television channels as well as public performance locations.

Tom Grennan crowned a break-out year by claiming both the second and third most-played tracks of 2021 with By Your Side with Calvin Harris and Little Bit Of Love respectively.

The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights was the fourth most played track, demonstrating staying power having originally been released in November 2019.

The fifth most played track of 2021 was Higher Power by Coldplay.

The second most played artist of the year was Guetta with Lipa in third.

Little Mix, who recently went on hiatus, claimed fourth place after consistently appearing in the top 10 for the past five years.

Coldplay were the fifth most-played act.

Peter Leathem, chief executive of PPL, said: “Congratulations to Ed Sheeran for having the UK’s most played track of 2021 and being the UK’s most played artist of 2021.

“His chart-topping success over the last five years is a testament to not only the quality of his output but also the strength of UK music at a time when the global music landscape is more competitive than ever.

“PPL plays a vital role in the UK music ecosystem, collecting royalties when these recordings and hundreds of thousands more are broadcast on TV, radio, and played in public, with total revenue of £252.8m in 2021.

“Both the performers on a recording and the recording rightsholders benefit from these royalties, providing an important revenue stream for many in the music industry, from household names to those just starting out.”

– Most played tracks of 2021

1. Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran
2. By Your Side – Calvin Harris featuring Tom Grennan
3. Little Bit Of Love – Tom Grennan
4. Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
5. Higher Power – Coldplay
6. All You Ever Wanted – Rag’n’Bone Man
7. Heartbreak Anthem – Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix
8. Starstruck – Years & Years
9. Midnight Sky – Miley Cyrus
10. Bed – Joel Corry, Raye and David Guetta

– Most played artists of 2021

1. Ed Sheeran
2. David Guetta
3. Dua Lipa
4. Little Mix
5. Coldplay
6. The Weeknd
7. Justin Bieber
8. Calvin Harris
9. Taylor Swift
10. Pink

The names of Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily are synonymous with Glastonbury Festival.

Michael, a dairy farmer by trade, co-founded the festival in September 1970, while Emily’s influence, both musically and politically, has grown steadily since 1999.

Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis was born in 1935, his father was a Methodist preacher, and educated at the Wells Cathedral School.

Now aged 86, he left school at 15 to join the Union-Castle Line, part of the British Merchant Navy, as a trainee midshipman, which took him from Britain to Kenya and South Africa.

When he returned to the UK following the death of his father from cancer in 1954, he reluctantly agreed to inherit the family’s land and herd.

He eventually came to love the job and still, when asked in interviews, gives his occupation as “dairy farmer”.

During the festival, he chooses to walk among the punters instead of travel through the site’s myriad of rat runs, and is often seen taking selfies with fans.

The driving force behind the festival’s politics, Michael is a life-long supporter of the Labour Party, even unsuccessfully standing as a candidate in the 1997 general election in Wells.

This foray came after he sought treatment for stomach cancer.

Michael has also been vocal in his support for fox hunting, trophy hunting, and badger culling, prompting anger from animal rights activists including Queen guitarist Brian May, who has claimed he will never play the festival in protest.

He holds honorary degrees from the University of Bath and the University of Bristol and was awarded a CBE for services to music in the Queen’s 2007 birthday honors list.

Emily was born in 1979 to Michael and Jean Eavis, her father’s second wife, and like her father attended Wells Cathedral School.

The 42-year-old has not, however, always walked in her father’s shadow.

Emily was responsible for the majority of the event’s recent high-profile bookings, securing the likes of The Rolling Stones, Adele, Bruce Springsteen, Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, and Dolly Parton.

She was also instrumental in the increase in African and Middle Eastern acts at the festival, bringing Amadou and Mariam, Rokia Traore, and the Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music to the Pyramid Stage.

Like her father, she remains invested in charitable work, regularly organizing gigs in aid of Oxfam.

Growing up on Worthy Farm, Emily’s first memories were of the festival.

She performed a rendition of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star on the vast Pyramid Stage in 1985, aged five, before that year’s headliners, Paul Weller’s The Style Council.

Following her mother’s death in 1999 from cancer, she dropped her teaching career to return to the farm and take on more responsibility.

Alongside her husband Nick Dewey, who has managed bands including the Chemical Brothers, Emily worked first on The Park area, later taking over full responsibility for the line-up.

The pair married in 2009 and have three children.

If you’re in Britain this week, your travels around will be heavily affected by rail strikes that are now going forward – whether you’re traveling by train or not. There will be knock-on effects on the roads and skies, with delays and cancellations everywhere. Here’s what you need to know.

Rail and Tube strikes are set to cripple services this week, causing travel chaos for passengers across the UK.

– Who is going on strike?

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Network Rail and 13 train operators.

– When are the strikes?

Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

– How bad will the disruption be?

Fewer than one in five trains will run, and only on main lines and only for around 11 hours, starting later and finishing earlier.

– Will there be strikes on the London Underground?

Yes. Members of the RMT and Unite will strike on Tuesday.

– Are other unions involved in the dispute?

Yes. The Transport Salaried Staffs Association and the drivers union Aslef are also taking industrial action or balloting for strikes.

– What are the strikes about?

The railways are proposing to make efficiency savings, especially as fewer passengers are travelling by train because of the pandemic, which has led to more people working from home.

– Why are the unions striking?

They argue that many of their members worked throughout the virus crisis and were hailed as ‘Covid heroes’ but now face job cuts, changes to their working conditions and pay rises well below the rate of inflation following years of wage freezes.

– Will there be more strikes after this week?

Yes. Members of Aslef on the Croydon Tramlink will stage a 48-hour walkout next week, and more strikes are likely if there is not a breakthrough.

– Have there been talks to try to resolve the dispute?

Yes. Talks continued until Monday, involving senior RMT and rail industry officials.

– Why hasn’t the Government been involved in the negotiations?

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said it is up to the unions and employers to negotiate pay and conditions, but Labour and the unions believe he should be taking part in the talks.

– What are the efficiency savings the industry wants?

They largely revolve around the use of new technology, such as drones to check on railway tracks rather than having workers walk along lines.

– How many jobs are likely to be lost?

Unions believe between 2,000 and 2,500 jobs are at risk.

– Who are the union leaders?

The RMT general secretary is Mick Lynch, who has worked for the union for decades after an earlier career in the building industry. He took over from Mick Cash, who had succeeded Bob Crow after his sudden death.

The TSSA is led by Manuel Cortes, and Aslef by Mick Whelan, who are both long-standing officials in the rail unions.

– Are the union leaders driving the strikes?

Thousands of RMT members voted overwhelmingly in favor of strikes, while similar outcomes are expected among TSSA and Aslef members currently being balloted.

– Has a pay offer been made and what are the unions asking for?

Offers of around 2.5% have been made during talks with Network Rail, although nothing has been formally tabled by the train operators.

The unions point to the 11% rate of RPI inflation, although they have not formally put a figure on their demands.

The Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Cambridge have released heartwarming family photographs through the ages to mark Father’s Day.

William issued a picture of himself beaming and surrounded by his children on a holiday in the Middle East, while the Queen and Charles shared old photos through their official Twitter accounts.

Kensington Palace said the duke’s photograph was taken in Jordan in autumn 2021, and the family are pictured with a rocky, sand-colored backdrop.

A smiling William is shown with his arms around Prince George, eight, and Princess Charlotte, seven, while four-year-old Prince Louis sits on his shoulders.

All the children have cheeky grins.

The duke and his eldest son are wearing casual, khaki-colored outfits, and the younger children are dressed in navy and white tops.

Meanwhile, the Royal Family official Twitter account shared a photograph of a young Queen smiling as she stands in a garden facing her father, King George VI, in 1946.

The monarch is wearing a long, patterned summer dress while her father, who died in 1952, sports a suit and tie.

The photograph was shared with the words: “Wishing all of our followers a very happy Father’s Day.”

Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, shared three family photographs with the words: “Wishing everyone a very happy Father’s Day”.

The first is a black-and-white image of the prince in high spirits with his father, the Duke of Edinburgh.

They are dressed in military uniform, and Charles is glancing sideways at a grinning Philip.

A second image shows Charles wearing knee-high red socks and a kilt, lying on a lawn, with William and Harry as children.

A young William is wearing a white shirt and has his arm around his father, while Harry is sporting a green sweater and matching green wellies as he leans on Charles.

Another image shows Camilla interlinking arms with her father, Major Bruce Shand, at Clarence House.

They are dressed formally, with the smiling duchess in a long, gold-patterned jacket and headdress while her father, looking more serious, wears a suit with a sand-colored waistcoat.

In Kate and William’s photograph, the children appear in high spirits, reminiscent of Louis’ mischievous antics at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, which won the hearts of the nation.

The young prince pulled faces as he sat on the laps of members of his family to watch the show.

He let out a howl and clapped his hands over his ears on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the RAF flypast on Thursday June 2, as his “Gan Gan”, the Queen, told him what was happening.

The Cambridges also used a photograph from Jordan for their official Christmas 2021 card.

The image showed William sitting on a gold pouf next to Kate, with the two eldest children next to them, while Louis sat on what appeared to be a sheepskin rug at his mother’s feet.

Temperatures are predicted to drop by nearly 15C in some parts of the UK after the hottest day of the year so far.

The Met Office has said the Midlands may see temperatures fall to 15C after seeing highs of 29C on Friday as well as some rain after gusts of hot continental air swept across the UK.

As a result of an influx of cooler Atlantic air, the mercury is predicted to drop across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the majority of England.

The North West is predicted to have a 11C fall from 25C to 14C while the south coast, meanwhile, is expected to keep hold of the scorching temperatures, so could see highs of 30C.

On Sunday, rain is predicted for the southern parts and the north while other regions are expected to have sunny spells.

Meanwhile, a flood warning is in place in England and Scotland.

Spring tides have prompted a flood alert – which warns that flooding is possible – in south west London for the Tidal Thames riverside from Putney Bridge to Teddington Weir at 6.45am.

A Government statement said: “River levels are expected to be high as a result of spring tides.

“Flooding of low-lying roads and footpaths is expected, which may exist for one to two hours either side of high tide. Flooding of properties is not expected.”

The alert is expected to be updated at 1pm on Saturday.

Meanwhile the Churchill Barriers, in the Orkey Islands, has a flood warning, which means flooding is expected, in place.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency said road closures are likely around the time of high tide which is between 12.30am and 2am on Saturday.

It warned that further flooding could take place from 12.30pm and 2pm on Saturday.

We are thrilled to announce Anglotopia’s newest book: London Tube 101- History, Culture, and Travel on London’s Transport Network. This new publication is your complete guidebook to London’s iconic transport network; its history, culture, and a guide to using the famous London Tube network. The book will be released in September and we need to start pre-orders now. 

We do a deep dive into the London Tube’s fascinating history, covering the history of the tube network, fascinating stories, London’s abandoned and hidden Tube stations and so much more. This comprehensive book covers everything from the first Metropolitan Railway to the newly opened Elizabeth Line. In addition to all of this, we’ll provide useful and practical information using the network on your travels. It’s a combination of a history book, guidebook, and culture book. 

Following a similar format to our previous books, such as 101 Budget Britain Travel Tips and 101 London Travel Tips it is a pleasure to read. Tube enthusiasts will adore this 300-page book, sure to learn something new about the most famous rail network in the world. From the history of every tube line, including facts about each tube line, to long-reads on the history of specific Tube-related topics, this comprehensive guide is a must-have for the Tube enthusiast.

This handy little book also includes tips on how to navigate and use the network. It is small enough to take with you on your journeys across the network. 

Due to ship in September, Anglotopia is opening pre-orders starting today and we need to sell 100 copies in advance to gauge interest for the full print run. 

Those who pre-order today though will receive a special deal – FREE SHIPPING. This is a limited-time offer, and the pre-sale order must be made by Monday, September 20th to be eligible for this fantastic deal.

This book will make an excellent holiday present, so be sure to order extra copies as holiday gifts for the Londonphile in your life, by all means, go ahead!

Click here to order your copy now. 

Presales can only be ordered directly from the Anglotopia store. In September, it will be available from bookstores everywhere and in eBook (on Kindle, Nook, etc). 

Get your copy today…. And Mind the Gap.