1. Did you know that the oldest art in Britain dates back to the Neolithic period (around 4,500 B.C in northern Europe)? It has only been found in the context of human burials and is thought to have religious significance. Other art may have been around at that time, but none has survived in the United Kingdom.
2. Perhaps the most famous example of ancient British architecture is Stonehenge, which is thought to date back to around 2400 B.C. however that date is subject to rigorous debate.
3. The earliest ornate British art is thought to have been made by the Beaker people who were skilled metal refiners during the Bronze age and arrived in Britain at around 2,500 B.C. At first their art was made with copper, but they soon learned how to make bronze which influenced the composition of their art. They were also skilled workers of gold and were known in the Wessex culture as fine goldsmiths.
4. The Romans arrived in Britain in around 100 B.C. and brought a new breed of "classical" art with them. A staggering amount of architecture, monuments, glasswork and mosaics survive to the present day.
5. Christian art arrived during Roman rule in around 300 A.D. with many pictures and objects still revered in historical and religious circles.
6. After the Romans left in the early middle ages, they were replaced by many Anglo Saxon and Briton cultures which each produced their own art, although not in the volumes of the Romans. One of the most spectacular examples of this is Sutton Hoo burial which comprised a King's burial in a wooden ship along with a staggering amount of gold and other valuables.
7. King Henry VIII's reformation of the (catholic) monasteries between 1536 and 1541 was an important trigger for British art, with many important pieces of catholic art being destroyed. Along with that came a surge in art from the protestant faith, much of it commi
8. Britain has long has a proud history of painting, and has an affinity with landscape painting. Amongst the most famous British painter are Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable, Francis Bacon and (more recently) Damien Hirst and Tracey Emmin.
9. The most expensive piece of modern British art to be sold in recent times (at the time of writing) is also the worlds most expensive piece of art. Damien Hirst's diamond incrusted human skull entitled, "For the Love of God" and was sold at the White cube gallery in London for a figure reported to be $100 million. It has a platinum top, and has 8,601 gemstones attached to it.
10. Arguably the most famous British art are the British Crown Jewels. Although some of it was made abroad, the majority was commissioned by various royals over the centuries and has been valued as amongst the most valuable jewellery in the world, mainly due to its royal connections. They include 23,578 jewels, and have been held under armed guard at the Tower of London since 1671 when they were stolen by Colonel Blood who narrowly avoided capture only to be caught at the last minute. He was later pardoned by Charles II.
