A marriage made in Evans

Stonehenge: early example of Anglo-Welsh co-operation?

A spate of comments has raised the subject of tension between the English and the Welsh. But when the two countries have worked together, they have achieved some remarkable things...

In reality much links the culture and history of England and Wales with each community contributing hugely to the achievements of the other.

BBC News Online presents a beginner's guide to Anglo-Welsh collaboration, focusing on the upside and ranging from the dawn of time right up until Welsh babe Helen's near-triumph on Big Brother.

Big Brother's Welsh Helen is a big hit in England

1. Stonehenge

Now taken by many to be a symbol of primitive English civilisation, this ancient monument is in fact made of Welsh stone somehow transported by Neolithic tribes living around Preseli in south west Wales.

2. Stratford-Upon-Avon

What could be more essentially English than the birthplace of Shakespeare? But the word "Avon" is pure Welsh-Celtic for river. Some form of Celtic Welsh was probably spoken in an around Shakespeare's birthplace, before the Romans arrived to ruin everything.

3. King Arthur

Elizabeth I - claimed Welsh ancestors

Totally Welsh to begin with, then became archetypal symbol of joint English-Welsh co-operative myth-making. Confused by the fact that the Cornish are basically descended from the same people as the Welsh while many modern Welsh people have Cornish ancestors.

4. Vikings

The dark age Viking invasions spelled disaster for England. But the plucky Welsh remained independent and either (a) helped liberate English from the Danish yoke and then were sold into slavery by the ungrateful Anglo-Saxons or (b) conspired with the Vikings to sell the English into slavery, according to taste.

5. Feudalism

Although not entirely a joint English-Welsh invention as such, the nobles of the two nations took to the system with gusto and did much to perfect it, including the building of castles, widespread introduction of serfdom, organisation of crusades, etc. Also the memorable battle of Agincourt was basically won by Welsh archers, once again saving the bacon of the English.

6. Tudor Monarchs

Industrial revolution - another Anglo-Welsh gift to the world

Probably the biggest ever joint Anglo-Welsh success. The dynasty which included Elizabeth I and Henry VIII was founded by Owen Tudor from Anglesey who deposed the loathsome Richard III (100% English).

(Later, on the grounds that she was descended from the Welsh King Arthur, Elizabeth I claimed to have inherited the Atlantic Ocean and everything beyond it (ie America) which was thus, from the dawn of time, also Welsh).

7. Non-conformism

Howel Harris did much to bring Methodism to the Welsh with his conversion in 1735; it and non-conformity in general became a powerful Anglo-Welsh movement, widely regarded as a Good Thing, due to preparing the way for democracy as well as founding the tradition of lay singing and harmonium playing.

8. The Industrial Revolution

The English started off the Industrial Revolution, but it only got going when the Welsh took an interest and contributed their high-quality coal and iron resources. By 1827, the south Wales iron industry was producing one half of all Britain's iron exports, much of it to the United States.

9. The Labour Party

More of a joint Welsh-Scottish invention to be fair, with the English tagging along. Keir Hardie became the first socialist to sit in Parliament - for the Welsh seat of Merthyr. Before that Welsh and English radicals had worked together in the Chartist movement. The welfare state was very much Anglo-Welsh in conception (Beveridge and Bevan). Radical Liberal Prime Minister Lloyd George had also previously done much to consummate relations between the English and Welsh.

It's not unusual - Anglo-Welsh music from Tom Jones

10. Anglo-Welsh co-operation today.

The ties that bind are almost too numerous to name. Welsh cricketers play for the English cricket team while English footballers play for the Welsh. Wales, true to its puritan tradition still supplies England with most of its non-alcoholic water. The English send settlers - whether in the form of hippy communes in west Wales or holidaying Merseysiders - to invigorate Welsh cultural life.

Truly the Anglo-Welsh alliance is a marriage made in Evans.