England flag flown at Stonehenge and Dartmouth Castle ahead of Euros final
Stonehenge and Dartmouth Castle are flying a special flag to cheer on England in the Euro 2020 final.
The St George's flag features more that 32,000 surnames - that includes almost everyone in the country. English Heritage hopes it will show the team the nation is behind them on Sunday 11 July.
Among the surnames are England players Kane, Sterling, Pickford and Phillips.
The intricate design is the work of English Heritage, which has included the names in red in the red cross or in white on the white background.
It has been put up at some of the charity's historic properties nationwide with the aim of inspiring the Three Lions to glory.
As part of the project, English Heritage has been asking 'What's in a name?'
Over the years people have moved to England to make it their home - from the Romans to the Windrush generation - and their surname can map that journey. It can also reveal an ancient trade like Smith or Thatcher.
Looking at some of our football side - England striker Harry Kane's surname means 'warrior' while that of defender Kieran Trippier means 'to dance' - he certainly has some fancy footwork. Tyrone Mings - who was born in Bath - however is listed as having an uncommon surname and no meaning is given.
The surnames on English Heritage’s England flag – from Aamir to Zyla, arranged alphabetically – capture family names in England with over 100 occurrences in the country, and provide a snapshot of England and its people today and a window into their stories.
Matt Thompson, English Heritage’s Head Collections Curator, said: “History may be made at Wembley on Sunday and English Heritage is cheering on the team by flying the England flag at our castles and palaces across the country.
"The surnames on our England flag connect the country’s past, present and future and we hope that our flag will remind people that everyone living here today – including the Kanes and Sterlings – will shape the England of the future. Hopefully, that immediate future will be one in which England have won the Euros!”
English Heritage has also created a digital flag on the charity’s website where people will be able to explore the history and meaning of their surname. Families who have a particularly rare name will also be able to submit it for inclusion.
England v Italy: What you need to know about the Euro 2020 final
When is the final happening?
When is the final happening?
The Euro 2020 final kicks off at 8pm on Sunday 11 July at Wembley Stadium.
Can I get a ticket?
Can I get a ticket?
While the capacity for the final, along with both semi-finals which have all been at Wembley, has been increased to more than 60,000, it seems there is little hope of securing a ticket if you do not already have one. As it stands, there are no tickets on sale on the Uefa website for the final. Most ticket sales took place in 2019, long before the matches in each stage of the knockout stage of the competition were known. If the situation changes, however, and more tickets do become available, fans would likely need to stump up hundreds – if not thousands – of pounds to secure a seat.
Where can I watch the game on TV or online?
Where can I watch the game on TV or online?
The game will be broadcast on ITV, with its coverage starting from 6.30pm on Sunday. It will also be available to stream online on the ITV Hub (for viewers in the UK only).
What if I'm watching it at a pub?
What if I'm watching it at a pub?
Pubs in England will be allowed to stay open later on Sunday, in case the final goes to penalties, Downing Street has said.
The government has granted pubs special permission to open until 11.15pm - 15 minutes after normal closing time on Sunday.