Raymond Seitz, the former American ambassador in London, aptly described Britain as a country where "a lot of time [is] crammed into a little space." History matters here. Not only do the castles and Beefeaters wow the tourists, but people feel directly connected to what has come before. Indeed, to outsiders the British often seem weighed down by their past: too deferential to precedent, to received wisdom and the opinions of ancient families. Maybe having to memorize all those kings and queens does something to the brain. But the British now seem willing to have more fun with their past. They want to play with it, not just receive it. Thousands throw themselves into weekend-long historical reconstructions, from medieval jousting tournaments to the evacuation of Dunkirk. I found that one of the easiest ways to step back in time is through the Landmark Trust. It runs a network of historic properties throughout Britain that you can actually live in for a few days or weeks, often for less than $100 a person per night. These include manor houses on large estates, an old jail, a famous Scottish summer house with an enormous stone pineapple on top, and apartments in Hampton Court, the great palace of Henry VIII near London.
I stayed at an old fort overlooking Plymouth, where after exploring the tunnels and gun emplacements I made dinner (with modern appliances) in the old officers' mess. At a charming townhouse in Bath, complete with the former owner's mahogany dining table and family portraits, a previous guest had been moved to leave in the guestbook a long account of her holiday in the style of Jane Austen.
History is being domesticated, too. Tom Harland runs the Tavistock Salvage Centre, right on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon, England. It's a wonderful jumble of old radiators, bricks, fireplaces, streetlamps, floorboards and a million other items. Business is growing because people are fascinated with putting more authenticity into their old homes — though "they're not going back all the way and getting rid of central heating," he notes. Because there's more money in it, wholesalers now buy entire demolition sites and cart the stuff away immediately before someone else gets it. The choicest items are posted on the Internet to attract wealthy customers. In five years, Harland figures most of the business will be done on the web. But it will still depend upon "one person's rubbish being someone else's marvelous find" — a nice kind of historical cycle.
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Open All Hours
Britain has put World War II and boiled cabbage behind it at last as prosperity and the party spirit reaches remote Scottish islands
Photo Gallery
Check out the photos from this leg of TIME's Fast Forward Europe voyage
15 Minutes of Fame
Folklore and high finance mix on the quirky Isle of Man
Future Past
The British are having fun with their history
Devolution Revolution
A once-thriving Scottish town is finding ways and means to get people back to work and sell kilts online
Exodus Reversed
Prosperous Ireland is importing workers for a change — it's short of hands to milk cows and make computers
How to Get Noticed
Turner Prize nominee Simon Patterson on the British art scene
Back to School
The University of Oxford is wiring up ancient colleges and looking for private funding
Tower of Babble
British comedian Eddie Izzard talks with TIME's Chris Thornton
People To Watch: Eddie Izzard | Sadie Plant | Charles Muirhead | Jeremy Leggett
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