This Sceptred Isle by Christopher Lee
Based on a major Radio 4 series, this is an account of British history from the Roman invasion to the death of Queen Victoria. It focuses on the significant events and personalities that shaped Britain over nearly 2000 years, tracing its emergence from the Dark Ages which followed the Romans' departure, through the great flowering of culture in medieval times and the gradual evolution of the modern state, to the making of an empire and the huge changes brought about by the industrial revolution.