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Most read Comments 1 Firefighters rescue toddler stuck in loo seat 2 Remembering the old school days 3 Options announced for Beaconsfield's last major redevelopment 4 Home-grown author appears at Waterstone's 5 Hughenden comes together for day of "merrie" fun 6 Royal date for Good Samaritan 7 Wycombe laces up its trainers for annual race 8 TV wildlife presenter in climbing accident 9 Blues beaten at Forest Green 10 The Teams are in Today | 7 Days 1 Schools chief's fury over SATS "disgrace" 2 Workers picket council offices 3 Boy racers could have cars seized 4 Woman, 21, punched after car collision 5 Banger off on 10,000 mile journey 6 Expenses revealed for south Bucks MPs 7 Staff walk out at two councils 8 Hunt for bright orange raid car 9 Police wear crime cameras 10 Ember blazes a trail

Living in England, history is all around us. The landscape we see now is very similar to that found by the Romans, Vikings and Normans when they came to visit hundreds of years ago.

Indeed, many of the cities we inhabit now have been urban centres for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. The city of Chester, for example, sits on the site of the Roman city of Deva.

Modern Chester is the most complete walled city in England and is home to the largest Roman amphitheatre in Britain. More recently, Chester Cathedral was where Handel first rehearsed 'The Messiah'.

In Somerset, Bath has also been traced back to Roman times and beyond. Generations of people have been drawn to England's only natural spa. The city really came into its own in the Georgian era, when it was the most fashionable retreat for the English upper classes.

Much of the Georgian architecture remains and is considered the finest in England. Another city famous for glorious crescents is Brighton, East Sussex. Up until the 18th Century, Brighthelmstone was a quiet fishing village.

This changed when Dr Richard Russell of nearby Lewes declared the seawater to have health-giving properties, inspiring the Prince Regent to construct a pleasure palace (the Pavilion) there.

Brighton has been a popular seaside destination ever since.

Oxford is home to the first residential university in the world - one which is still seen as one of the great academic institutions. The city is dominated by academia and enjoys a vibrant cultural life.

1:11pm Thursday 2nd November 2006

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