Yes, thanks for the info Maggie.

I will be looking up the books in the song, especially on the Diggers, who really interest me. The song reflects a fundamental point about the nature of English consiousness that is sometimes forgotten and almost never commented upon by the chatterers in the media- our connection (or lack thereof) with the land.

During the recent wave of flag-waving brought about by Euro 2004, an article in the Observer (or Grauniad), asked two people about their identity as English. One, a townie sort (like myself), gave the usual answers about reclaiming the flag etc, but the other chap, a farmer from the Cotswolds if memory serves me correctly, said his connection was with the land, and how could anyone know England (or any other part of the world) if they are not connected to the land?

It is this point which 'A Place Called England' makes so beautifully, and why the song seems to inspire such emotions when people discuss it - the more info, the merrier!

Would it be too cheeky to ask which chords you play?