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A bat stored in the vaults of a London museum for 30 years is a previously unknown species, experts have discovered. The Francis' Woolly Horseshoe Bat, Rhinolophus francisi, has been named after Charles Francis, who collected the specimen in Malaysia in 1983. Bat species discovered at...

Land thought to contain important archaeological remains has been saved from being used for housing after a mystery benefactor bought it for a seven-figure sum. The site in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, is next to where remains of a Roman villa have previously been discovered. The land has...

A 6,000-year-old "eco-home" has been discovered close to Stonehenge, archaeologists have revealed. The shelter - in a hollow left behind by a fallen tree - at Blick Mead was used over a 90-year period from 4336 BC, it is believed. Archaeologist David Jacques, said: "They... used the stump...

UK population is to increase beyond 70 million in the next 12 years, official projections suggest. The Office for National Statistics said the population was expected to increase by 4.4 million in the next decade, before reaching 70 million in 2027. That increase is roughly the size of...

The Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War should be published in June or July 2016 - nearly six years late - says its author. Sir John Chilcot said the two million word report would be finished in April, with two months or so then set aside for national security checks on it. The mother of a...

He is one of the most notorious and pivotal figures in English history, leading a revolution against the Crown that saw him cast as a libertarian, a brutal dictator and a class hero. So it is hardly surprising that Oliver Cromwell's sudden death at the age of 59 in 1658 has been...

Britain's Lewis Hamilton has joined the pantheon of F1 greats after becoming only the tenth driver to win the F1 world title at least three times. Hamilton, 30, claimed his third world title, and his second in successive seasons, after winning the US Grand Prix in Austin yesterday. Winning his...

A pile of bones discovered in a Welsh pub could be the last remains of an English saint who was hanged, drawn and quartered in the 17th Century for his religious beliefs. The bones, found 140 years ago in the Olde Star Inn next to St Winefride’s Well, Holywell, Flintshire, were discovered...

It is 600 years since Henry V led England to victory at the battle of Agincourt, defeating a French army significantly bigger than his own. But despite deservedly being one of the most famous battles of the Middle Ages, Agincourt is not necessarily one of the most significant of the era...

In AD 675, the Northumbrian ruler Ecgfrith was so powerful that he effectively made himself ‘high-king’ of Britain. Nick Higham introduces a true heavyweight of early English history. The Anglo-Saxon who (almost) united Britain In AD 675, the Northumbrian ruler...

Third World dic....sorry, European football's governing body Uefa is to charge Manchester City fans - because they booed the Champions League anthem. Fans mocked Uefa after it confirmed a case had been opened against the Premier League leaders following a report from its match delegate at...

Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is suing a Chinese toy-maker for producing a Nazi doll called 'Bastian'. The toys, which are due for European release this week, depict a Wehrmacht soldier, complete with Nazi insignia on the soldier's hat. The 31-year-old is understood...

Britain could one day be hit by a storm given the very British name of Nigel; or it could be battered by Steve. The UK Met Office has decided it wants to start naming storms affecting the UK and Ireland and has asked the public for suggestions. Barney, Desmond, Steve, Tegan and Wendy are...

China's President Xi Jinping has been given a very British welcome as he starts his state visit to the UK. Mr Xi was welcomed by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and David Cameron during the ceremony in Horse Guards Parade, while a 41-gun salute was held in Green Park. The Chinese...

With a single refereeing decision, Scotland's Rugby World Cup hopes came crashing down on Sunday evening as they fell to a heroic defeat against Australia at Twickenham. Craig Joubert awarded a controversial last-minute penalty to the Wallabies for offside with the Scots leading 34-32...

These extraordinary photographs show how Britain might be very different if Guy Fawkes and his gang had succeeded in blowing up the Houses of Parliament. The computer-generated images depict an imaginary Catholic London, with Parliament replaced by a princess's castle and a monastery...

British films are the best in the world because their makers know how to do humour, honesty and understand history better than anyone, Carey Mulligan has said. Mulligan, the actress, said there is an “amazing wealth of talent” in Britain, citing “incredible actors and incredible...

From the Scottish physician who pronounced lobsters as being capable of love and ‘damned crabs’ as having hearts of stone, to the peculiar aristocrat who invented a tiny gun for shooting wasps, Britain has long been a stronghold of eccentricity and peculiar behaviour. In his new book...

Stonehenge's builders were not slaves but instead willing workers who enjoyed the perks of feasting on dairy and meat, archaeologists have revealed. Analysis of pottery shards found near the stone circle has revealed that the containers once contained yoghurt, cheese and milk. Pig and cow...

They were the wild-haired, primitive savages who roamed Britain before the Romans turned up and knocked some civilisation into them. The Celts were never going to defeat the invading Romans with their superior military strength, vast empire and underfloor central heating. But a new show...