Italians have lived in England from the time of the Roman Empire in 43AD, and the cultures of the two countries have been intertwined for centuries.

From the 15^th to the 18^th century, an influential community of merchants, bankers and artists arrived, living primarily in London or in coastal cities in the south.

In the 19^th Century the Napoleonic Wars left parts of Italy devastated and prompted thousands to seek employment in England, coming primarily from the northern and central regions of the country.  The majority came to London, inspiring ‘Little Italy’ in Clerkenwell, and a similar community sprung up in Ancoats in Manchester.

Much more recently the opportunities of post-war Britain brought many Italians to England, and now large communities exist all across the country. These communities have made and shaped hundreds of England’s historic buildings and places

Here are 8 places that help to tell…