As the BBC commentator notes, for centuries rulers redrew the boundaries of counties and regions, paying no attention to the invisible but very real borders that exist in the minds and hearts of local people. Many, very many English people identify themselves primarily with their counties – even if those counties no longer exist – with ancient cities and even kingdoms from ancient legends.
England has just conducted the largest public opinion poll in history, called "The English Question," the aim of which was to determine what exactly underlies the self-identification of the English. Its results demonstrate the tenacity of ancient attachments to one's own locality.
About half of respondents associate their identity precisely with their counties, some of which are older than England itself. Despite the fact that bureaucrats in London often moved the boundaries of many counties, or even abolished them entirely, historical regions are still dear to local residents, even in cases where they no longer officially exist.
Take Yorkshire, for example. This was the location of the only Viking kingdom in England. The legacy of the Normans is still noticeable in the county's towns. And it is the residents of York and its neighboring districts who feel themselves primarily as Yorkshiremen, and only then as English and British.
Much the same is observed in the neighboring county of Lancashire, a longtime rival of Yorkshire. This year, during the three-day cycling race "Tour de Yorkshire," county flags were in high demand, and local pubs were selling Yorkshire pudding and local Yorkshire beer at a discount.
In one primary school along the race route, children were told about the glorious history of the county; in parks, sheep appeared painted in the heraldic colors of Yorkshire, and people entertained themselves with such traditional pastimes as rubber boot throwing and pudding rolling down slopes.
The War of the Roses ended more than 500 years ago, but the hearts of local residents still flutter at the sight of the white rose of York. As part of the survey, Yorkshire residents were asked to name symbols, traits, or ideas they associate with their county. In first place was the local landscape, in second the friendliness of the local population, and in third that heraldic white rose.
After the question about self-identification, many spoke of "Yorkshireness." This concept, according to them, includes qualities such as directness, frankness in conversation, the ability to work well and hard, friendliness, and a sense of solidarity with others.
Residents of more southern English counties, such as Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Buckinghamshire, are not as emotionally attached to their regions. This may well be explained by their proximity to London.
In London itself, few people even think about which county they live in. Londoners are proud of their city, not their county.
In third and fourth place in terms of pride in their county were Cornwall and Cumbria, which are distant from London both geographically and in lifestyle.
If county boundaries and the identity associated with them go back to the distant feudal past, then the identity of city dwellers was forged in the furnaces of the Industrial Revolution. Residents of cities in northern England turned out to be the most attached to their native place.
About half of English people feel a special connection to their city or village. This is strongest in Newcastle – there, 70% of residents feel the warmest feelings for their city. Such a degree of civic pride is not observed in any other city in England.
What are Newcastle residents proud of? They most often mention the local River Tyne and the bridges over it, the incredible popularity of football, and the local brown ale with a nutty flavor. But Newcastle residents are also united by a difficult past, as this once industrial city has lost most of its industry, with all the consequences that entails.
In terms of civic pride, the closest to Newcastle residents were the citizens of Newcastle's main rival, Sunderland. It seems that for a sense of identity and belonging, it is important not only where you come from, but also whether your city has a traditional rival.
For example, residents of Rugby consider Coventry their main rival. But in Coventry, they pay no attention to Rugby and compete with Birmingham. Birmingham residents, in turn, almost consider Manchester residents enemies, and Manchester residents consider Liverpudlians enemies.
A sense of belonging and identity is built on locally accepted interpretations of local habits and history. These feelings are strongest among people living in poor areas, where there is often a feeling that fate has played a cruel trick on their locality.
Poverty unites people better than wealth. People often mention that local landscapes and scenery, forests and fields, hills and plains are important to them. This is partly a matter of aesthetics, but also the fact that nature connects us with the past.
We can imagine our ancestors walking in these same places, along the same paths. Surprisingly, our sense of belonging and connection to a place arises more often in nature than in cities. Two-thirds of English people living in cities in the north of the country say that local nature is important to them, and often mention the riches of the local land. For example, residents of Somerset are justifiably proud of their local apple orchards and cider, as well as local cheese.
In a globalizing world, people often care about where their food comes from, and they like it if the food is local. The feelings of Somerset residents for their native land can also be called metaphysical: here everyone knows ancient tales about dragons and "wassails." "Wassail" is a mythical creature, a man-apple tree. This spirit, since pagan times, is invoked every year to bless the apple harvest, from which cider will then be made.
Regional identity is often based on ancient legends and customs, including pagan ones. This is especially true when it comes to something uniquely local, rooted in the depths of centuries. Local dialects are no less important, as they help distinguish who is a local and who is a stranger, and apparently that is why, despite all the centrifugal forces of modern life, they have not disappeared. People cherish their dialects and pass them down from generation to generation.
So far, we know relatively little about all these regional subcultures. But it is precisely the understanding of these subcultures that will allow us to unravel the mystery of "this sovereign island."