COLEGIUL DOBROGEAN SPIRU HARET TULCEA

LUCRARE PENTRU OBINEREA ATESTATULUI

DE LIMBA I LITERATURA ENGLEZ

VISITIN
G

UK

PROFESOR COORDONATOR: PLNGE ANCA

ELEV CANDIDAT: MARIN MARIA IZABELA

TULCEA 2016
Referat

Lucrarea elevei Marin Maria Izabela, alcatuita din patru capitole surprinde aspecte legate de
cultura, istorie, arhitectura si legende din spatiul britanic. Tema aleasa vine din interesul deosebit
pe care eleva l-a manifesatpe toata perioada celor patru ani de liceu pentru cultura si civilizatia
spatiului anglo-saxon.
In vederea intocmirii lucrarii, eleva s-a documentat intens pe tema propusa, accesand o vasta
bibliografie si webgrafie. Lucrarea nu este insa o colectie de texte din diverse surse bibliografic,
ci rezultatul unei munci de comparare, interpretare, si redactare a unor realitati culturale
reflectate intr-o multitudine de surse.
Tema propusa este amplu dezbatuta in cadrul celor patru capitole: "Introduction", "British
Culture","Tourist Attractions" si "British artists". Fiecare dintre capitole este impartit, la randul
sau, in subcapitole, pentru o mai buna organizare a materialului, si in vederea unei mai facile
urmariri a continutului.
Cele trei capitole mari impart continutul lucrarii conform cu principalele directii pe care se
abordeaza culturaunei tari: instorie/ traditii; atractii turistice; si, nu in ultimul rand, oameni
reprezentativi pentr cultura actuala,atat de cunoscuti tinerilor din ziua de azi- muzicienii.
La realizarea lucrarii de obtinere a atestatului au fost uzitate informatii precise, dar si fotografii
sugestive,
corespunzatoare temei abordate si suficient de incitante pentru a trezi interesul
potentialilor cititori.
Prin tema abordata, prin seriozitatea dovedita in munca de cercetare, precum si prin organizarea
si redactarea informatiei, lucrarea cu tema Visiting UK reprezinta dovada unei munci sustinute a
elevei Marin Maria Izabela.

Table of Contents
1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................1
2. British Culture
2.1 .British Cottages .Villages................................................................................................3
2.2. Traditions and Superstitions............................................................................................4
2.3. Holidays. Feast. Fair
2.3.1 Saint Patrick's Day.........................................................................................................6
2.3.2 Remembrance Day.........................................................................................................6
2.4. Food and Beverages from Great Britain..........................................................................7
2.5. Legends
2.5.1. King Arthur Legend......................................................................................................8
2.5.2. Robin Hood............................................................................................................ ......10
2.5.3. The Loch Ness Monster................................................................................................11
3. Tourist Attractions
3.1. Castles..............................................................................................................................11
3.2. Museums..........................................................................................................................14
3.3. Landscapes.......................................................................................................................15
4. British Artists......................................................................................................................17

1)

Introduction

London is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom. Standing on the
River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. It was founded by the Romans,
who named it Londinium. London's ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its 1.12-squaremile (2.9 km2) medieval boundaries and in 2011 had a resident population

of 7,375, making it the

smallest city in England. Since at least the 19th century, the term has also referred to the metropolis
developed around this core. The bulk of this conurbation forms Greater London, a region of
England governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. The conurbation also covers
two English counties: the small district of the City of London and the county of Greater London.

London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment,
fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional

services, research and development, tourism, and transport

all

contributing to its prominence. It is one of the world's

leading financial centres and has the fifth-or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the
world depending on measurement. London is a world cultural capital. It is the world's most-visited
city as measured by international arrivals and has the world's largest city airport system measured by
passenger traffic.

London is the worlds leading investment destination. London's 43 universities form the largest
concentration of higher education institutes in Europe and a 2014 report placed it first in the world
university rankings. London is famous as well as the entire United
Kingdom, for the old architecture, imposing building, traditions, history
and for the unreal landscapes.

According

to

the

report

London also ranks first in the

world in software, multimedia
development and design, and
shares

first

position

in

technology readiness. In 2012,

London became the first city to
host

the

modern Summer

Olympic Games three times.

London has a diverse range of
peoples and cultures, and more than 300 languages are spoken within
Greater London.

2) British Culture
2.1. British Cottages. Villages
Tucked away in tiny villages, lying in the shadow of dramatic hills, perched on cliffs over rolling
oceans, the locations are as exceptional as the properties themselves. A cottage is, typically, a
small house. The word comes from England where it originally was a house that has a ground
floor, with a first, lower storey of bedrooms which fit within the roof space. In many places the
word cottage is used to mean a small old-fashioned house. In modern usage, a cottage is usually
a modest, often cosy dwelling, typically in aural or semi-rural location. In the United
Kingdom the term cottage denotes a small dwelling of traditional build, although it can also be
applied to dwellings of modern construction which are designed to resemble traditional
one("mock cottages").

For many British people, the village represents

an ideal of Great Britain. Seen as being far from the
bustle of modern life, it is represented as quiet and
harmonious place to live in.
All over the United Kingdom, lush green valleys give
way to historic high streets strung with thatched
cottages, while the coastline is marked by clusters of
brightly painted fishermans houses.
3

Wiltshire Village, England

Beddgelert Village, England

2.2. Traditions and Superstitions

Great Britain's customs, traditions and superstitions

are

famous all over the world. When people speak about

United Kingdom, they often think about: people
drinking tea at 5 o'clock, eating fish and chips, scones,

or about the rainy weather, Great Britain has more than that; there are superstitions,
traditions,

history

and

customs.

The Great Britain's superstitions are much diversified: is lucky to meet a black cat
(black cats are featured on

good luck greetings cards and birthday cards), to find a clover plant with four leaves , to hang a
horseshoe(the horseshoe needs to be the right way up ,contrary the luck runs out of the
horseshoe),to catch falling leaves in Autumn(every leaf means a lucky month next year); is bad
luck to walk underneath a ladder ,to break a mirror (seven years bad luck) , to see just one
magpie, to spill salt(you must throw it over your shoulder to counteract the bad luck),to open an
umbrella indoors , Friday the thirteenth brings bad luck too.

2.3 Holiday. Feast. Fair

2.3.1 St Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day, is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death
date of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland Saint Patrick, he is
credited with bringing Christianity; born in Great Britain, he was carried off by pirates and spent
six years in slavery before escaping and training as a missionary. According to tradition, Patrick
returned to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. The Declaration says that he spent
many years evangelizing in the northern half of Ireland and converted "thousands". Saint
Patrick's efforts to convert, subjugate, and drive off the Pagans (specifically the Celts) were
eventually turned into an allegory in which he drove "snakes" out of Ireland. The Saint Patrick's
Day is marked by the wearing of shamrocks (clover) or green attire the emblem of Northern
Ireland and of the Republic of Ireland; celebrations generally involve public parades and
festivals. According to legend, Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy
Trinity to Irish pagans.

2.3.2 Remembrance Day in Britain

Remembrance Day is celebrated on 11 November, it is a special day set aside to remember all
dead people from the two World Wars. At one time the day was called Armistice Day and was
renamed Remembrance Day after the Second World War. This day is marked by wearing of a red
poppy, which symbolizes by the red colour the shed blood

2.4. Food and Beverages from United Kingdom

British food has traditionally been based on beef, fish, lamb and chicken served with potatoes and
one other

vegetable. The most typical foods eaten in Great Britain are: sandwiches (the

sandwiches were invented in

England in 1762), fish and chips, pies like the Cornish pastry,

shepherd's pie, meat pie, Toad-in-the-Hole, scones and more others dishes based on eggs,
meat, fish, flour, butter, and fresh herbs.

Toad-in-Hole

Mini
Pie

Mushroom

Scones

After Lunch the English have a small meal that consist on tea (served with jam and cream), assorted
pastries, bun,

toasted crumpets or with mini cucumber sandwiches. The English national meals

consist in fish and chips, roast

with gravy, puddings, all kind of breads. In general the British

breakfast contains fried sausages, eggs, bacon,

tomatoes or mushrooms accompanied with a cup of

tea or coffee

2.5 Legends and My ths

2.5.1 King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led
the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries.
The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his
historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians.

Arthur is a central figure in the legends making up the so-called Matter of Britain. The legendary
Arthur developed as a figure of international interest largely through the popularity of Geoffrey of
Monmouth's fanciful and imaginative 12th-century (Historia Regnum Britanniaeistory of the Kings
of Britain).In some Welsh and Bretons tales and poems that date from before this work, Arthur
appears either as a great warrior defending. Britain from human and supernatural enemies or as a
magical figure of folklore sometimes associated with the Welsh.
Geoffrey depicted Arthur as a king of Britain who defeated the Saxons and established an empire
over Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Norway and Gaul. Many elements and incidents that are now an
integral part of the Arthurian story appear in Geoffrey's Historia, including Arthur's father Uther ,
the wizard Merlin, Arthur's wife Guinevere, the sword Excalibur, Arthur's conception at Tintagel,
his final battle against Mordred at Camlann, and final rest in Avalon.

As a young man, Uther (Arthur's father) returned to Britain with his elder
brother, Ambrosius, and together they fought for their ancestral rights,
eventually defeating the usurping Vortigern. After 460 British nobles were
massacred at a peace conference, as a result of Saxon trickery, Ambrosius
consulted Merlin about erecting a suitable memorial to them. After his death,
Ambrosius was succeeded by his brother, Uther, during his pursuit of
Gorlois and his irresistible wife, Ygerna, back to their lands in Cornwall,
was aided by Merlin. As a result of a deception made possible by Merlin's
powers, Uther was transformed. Merlin, along with Uther, led an expedition
to Ireland to procure the stones of the Chorea Gigantum, the Giant's Ring.
Merlin, by the use of his extraordinary powers, brought the stones back to a site, just west of
Amesbury, and re-erected them around the mass grave of the British nobles, place called
Stonehenge. Stonehenge is surely Britain's greatest national icon, symbolizing mystery, power and
endurance. Its original purpose is unclear to us,
but some have speculated that it was a temple made for the worship of ancient earth deities. It has
been called an astronomical observatory for marking significant events on the prehistoric calendar.
Others claim that it was a sacred site for the burial of high-ranking citizens from the societies of

long ago).After Uther's death (the Germans poisoned the water-supply and Uther, along with many
of his men, died in the days that followed), the fifteen-year-old Arthur succeeds him as King of
Britain and fights a series of battles; After twelve years of peace, Arthur sets out to expand his
empire once more, taking control of Norway, Denmark and Gaul. Gaul is still held by the Roman
Empire when it is conquered, and Arthur's victory naturally leads to a further confrontation
between his empire and Rome's.
Arthur and his warriors, including Kay, Bedivere, Gawain, defeat the Roman emperor Lucius
Tiberius in Gaul but, he prepares to march on Rome, Arthur hears that his nephew Mordred, whom
he had left in charge of Britain, has married his wife Guinevere and seized the throne. Arthur
returns to Britain and defeats and kills Mordred on the river Camblam in Cornwall, but he is
mortally wounded. He hands the crown to his kinsman Constantine and is taken to the isle of
Avalon to be healed of his wounds, never to be seen again.
The most significant for the development of the Arthurian legend are Lancelot the Knight of the
Cart, which introduces Lancelot and his adulterous relationship with Arthur's queen, Guinevere.
He has also been used as a model for modern-day behaviour. In the 1930s, the Order of the
Fellowship of the Knights of the Round Table was formed in Britain to promote Christian ideals
and Arthurian notions of medieval chivalry.
According to Geoffrey's "Vita Merlini" (c. 1151) , Merlin was a sixth century prophet living in
the north of Britain where his career extended beyond Arthur.
After Arthur's birth, Merlin became the young boy's tutor, while he grew up with his fosterfather, Sir Ector. In the defining moment of Arthur's career, Merlin arranged for the sword-in-thestone contest by which the lad became king. Later, the magician met the mystic Lady of the
Lake at the Fountain of Barenton (in Brittany) and persuaded her to present the King with the
magical sword, Excalibur. In the romances, Merlin is the creator of the Round Table, and is
closely involved in aiding and directing the events of the king and kingdom of Camelot. He is
pictured by Geoffrey of Monmouth, at the end of Arthur's life, accompanying the wounded
Arthur to the Isle of Avalon for the healing of his wounds. Others tell how having fallen deeply
in love with the Lady of the Lake, he agreed to teach her all his mystical powers. She became so

powerful that her magical skills outshone even Merlin's. Determined not to be enslaved by him,
she imprisoned the old man in a glass tower, a cave or similarly suitable prison. Thus his absence
from the Battle of Camlann was ultimately responsible for Arthur's demise.

2.5.2 Robin Hood

It was into the Forest of Sherwood that Robin Hood's expanding band of fugitives moved. Here
they lived, worked, married, raised families, died and were buried. And the places where all these
events happened are still pointed out today, remembered throughout the years by generations of
Nottinghamshire folk.
There are secret hiding places, caves and stables, wooded plantations
for robbing the unsuspecting, ancient priories of the hated monks,
several outlaw wedding churches and even the grave of Will Scarlet
himself.

Who can resist the green-leafed Mecca of Edwinstowe

near where Robin's "Major Oak" still stands or more urban setting of
Nottingham Castle and the modern retelling of
then Tales of Robin Hood.

Robin, being grievously sick, went to his cousin, Prioress of

Kirklees, who had great fame for the letting of blood. He was
welcomed and his vein opened forthwith. But finding himself
locked in, faint and with no means of staunching the flow, he
scented treachery. Feebly he sounded his horn. But Little John was listening
and burst doors to reach him. From his comrade's arms Robin shot a broad
arrow through the window, saying: "Bury me where it falls." And there they
buried him, as he wished, with his bow at his side and a green turf under his head.
Despite Robin Hood's apparent early activities in Yorkshire, the area most readily associated with
the great outlaw is Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. Robin's feud with his arch-enemy, the
Sheriff of Nottingham, brought him often to that city and the surrounding forestlands where he

and his men felt quite at home amongst the Greenwood.

2.5.3 The Loch Ness Monste r

The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that reputedly inhabits Loch Ness, a lake in the Scottish
Highlands. It

is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its

description varies from one account to the next, with most describing it as large. Popular interest
and belief in the creature's existence

has varied since it was first brought to the world's

attention in 1933. Evidence of its existence is anecdotal, with minimal and much-disputed
photographic material and sonar readings.
The most common speculation among believers is that the creature represents a line of longsurviving plesiosaurs.
Much of the scientific community regards the Loch Ness Monster as a modern-day myth, and
explains sightings as including misidentifications of more mundane objects, outright hoaxes, and
wishful thinking; the creature has been affectionately referred to by the nickname Nessie since
the 1940s.
Believers in the Loch Ness Monster often point to this story, set in the River Ness rather than the
loch itself, as evidence for the creature's existence as early as the 6th century.
3) Tourist Attractions
3.1 Castles and Medieval Buildings
Castles have played an important military, economic and social role in Great Britain and Ireland
since their introduction following the Norman invasion of England in 1066. Although a small

number of castles had

been built in England in the 1050s the Normans began to build motte and

bailey and ring works castles in

large numbers to control their newly occupied territories in

England and the Welsh Marches.

During the 12th century the Normans began to build more
castles in stone, with characteristic square keeps

that

played both military and political roles. There was a large

degree of variation in the size and exact shape

of the

castles built in England and Wales after the invasion.

.

In the middle of the 13th century Henry III began to redesign

including Winchester

his favourite castles,

and Windsor, building larger halls, grander chapels, installing glass

windows and decorating the palaces

with painted walls and furniture. Wi n d s o r C a s t l e i s

a r o ya l r e s i d e n c e a t Wi n d s o r i n t h e

county of Berkshire; then original

c a s t l e w a s b u i l t i n t h e 11 t h c e n t u r y a f t e r t h e
E n g l a n d b y Wil l i a m t h e C o n q u e r o r.

Norman invasion of

It is the longest-occupied palace in Europe, originally designed to protect

Norman dominance around the outskirts of London and oversee a
strategically important
W in d s o r

Castle

surrounding

was

part of the River Thames.

built

as

central

m o t t e - a n d - b a i l e y,

mound;

fortifications the castle become in

gradually

with

three

wards

with

stone

replaced

time the most expensive secular

b u i l d i n g p r o j e c t o f t h e e n t i r e M i d d l e Ag e s i n

England.

Britain is famous for all the medieval buildings, for the stone castles, for
the fortresses and for the imposing churches, abbeys.
Wes t m i n s t e r Ab b e y i s p o s i t i o n e d i n t h e h e a r t o f L o n d o n , n e x t t o B i g B a n
and the Houses of Parliament.
Wes t m i n s t e r Ab b e y i s o n e o f t h e w o r l d s g r e a t
stretching back over a

churches with a history

thousand years. This gothic church is a UNESCO

Wor l d H e r i t a g e s i t e a n d a s i g n i f i c a n t p a r t o f

B r i t i s h h i s t o r y.

Complete with paintings, stained glass windows

and other religious

a r t e f a c t s , t h e Wes t m i n s t e r Ab b e y o w n s t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t c o l l e c t i o n o f
monumental sculpture anywhere in Britain. Monarchs like Henr y III,
George II and other British

personalities like Shakespeare,

D i c k e n s , H a r d y, a n d Ten n y s o n h a v e b e e n i n t e r r e d h e r e .

3.2 British Museum

The British Museum is a museum dedicated to human history, art, and culture, located in
the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection, numbering some 8 million works, is
among the largest and most comprehensive in existence and originates from all continents,
illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.

The British Museum was established in 1753,

largely based on the collections of the physician
and scientist Sir Hans Sloane.

Increasing British prosperity led to a greatly increased production and the decorative arts, the
latter often being exported The Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and
Commerce had been founded in 1754, principally to provide a location for exhibitions. The
collection first began in 1753 encompasses everything from history to art and culture, it ranging
from Egyptian mummies through the controversial Elgin Marbles (sculptures taken from the
Acropolis in Athena).
In 1761 Reynolds was a leader in founding the rival Society of Artists of Great Britain, where the
artists had more control. This continued until 1791, despite the founding of the Royal Academy
of Arts in 1768, which immediately became both the most important exhibiting organization and
the most important school in London

3.3 Landscapes

Sleepy villages where sheep wander the grassy hillsides, lakes set amidst mountains that inspired
centuries of literature, and cities thriving with arts and culture, these are the landscapes of
Britain; Great Britain has from this point of view a lot to offer: the beautiful Dorset Coast, known
for its soaring cliffs revealing fossils thousands of years old, the amazing Scottish Highlands,
amazing sunsets, the beautiful island of Skye.

The Jurassic Coast's dramatic bays and the golden hue of the cliffs, the
chalk sea and the arch of Durdle Door are as famous as the fossils that
give it World Heritage Site Status.
Knaresborough is a historic market town and
civil parish in North Yorkshire; historically part
of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is located on
the River Nidd, 4miles east from the centre.
Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most
northerly major island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's
peninsulas radiate from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillins,
the rocky slopes of which provide some of the most dramatic mountain
scenery in the country. Although it has been suggested that the
Gaelic Sgitheanach describes a winged shape there is no definitive
agreement as to the name's origins.

The Highlands are a historic region of Scotland. The region became culturally
distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period,
when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands. The term is also
used for the area north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault, although the exact boundaries
are not clearly defined, particularly to the east. The Glen divides the Grampian Mountains to the
southeast from the Northwest Highlands. The Scottish Gaelic name of A' Ghidhealtachdliterally
means "the place of the Gaels" and traditionally, from a Gaelic-speaking point of view, includes
both the Western Isles and the Highlands.

The area is very sparsely populated, with many mountain ranges dominating the region, and
includes the highest mountain in the British Isles, Ben Nevis.

The monument rises from a hill behind a shroud of mist. Before it, trees shed their coats into a
placid body of water reflecting a cloud-flecked sky.
4)

4. British Singers
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins born 5 May 1988 is an English singer and songwriter.
from the School for Performing Arts and Technology in 2006,

Graduating

Adele was given a recording

contract by XL Recordings after a friend posted her demo on My Space the same year. In 2007,
she received the Brit Awards "Critics' Choice" award and won the BBC Sound of 2008 poll. Her
debut album, 19, was released in 2008 to commercial and critical success. It is certified seven
times

platinum in the UK, and double platinum in the US.

An appearance she made on Saturday Night Live in late 2008 boosted her career in the US. At
the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009, Adele received the awards for Best New
Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Adele released her second studio album, 21, in
early 2011. The album was well received critically and surpassed the success of her
debut, earning the singer numerous awards in 2012, including a record-tying six Grammy
Awards, including Album of the Year; two Brit Awards, including British Album of the Year, and
three American Music Awards. The album has been certified 16 times platinum in the UK, and is
the fourth best-selling album in the UK of all time. In the US it has held the top position longer
than any album since 1985, and is certified Diamond. The album has sold 31 million copies
worldwide.
In 2011 and 2012, Billboard named Adele Artist of the Year. In 2012, she was listed at number
five on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music, and Time magazine named her one of the most
influential people in the world. On 15 January 2016, her sales were estimated at more than 100
million records, making her one of the world's best-selling artists.

Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 23 July 2011) was an

English singer and songwriter known for her deep expressive
contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres,
including soul (sometimes labelled as blue-eyed soul and neo
soul), rhythm and blues, and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut
album, Frank, was a critical success in the UK and was nominated
for the Mercury Prize. Her 2006 follow-up album, Back to Black,
led to five 2008 Grammy Awards, tying the then record for the

most wins by a female artist in a single night, and made her the first British female to win five
Grammys.
Winehouse won three Ivor Novello Awards: in 2004, Best Contemporary Song for "Stronger
Than Me"; in 2007, Best Contemporary Song again, this time for "Rehab"; and in 2008, Best
Song Musically and Lyrically for "Love Is a Losing Game." She won the 2007 Brit Award for
Best British Female Artist, having also been nominated for Best British Album, with Back to
Black.
Winehouse died on 23 July 2011, aged 27, her album Back to Black posthumously became for a
time the UK's best-selling album of the 21st century. In 2012, Winehouse was ranked
26th on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music; The BBC has called her
"the pre-eminent vocal talent of her generation".

Adele Emily Sand (10 March 1987), better known as Emeli Sand, is
a Scottish recording artist and song- writer. She first became prominent
after she featured on the track "Diamond" by the rapper Chipmunk in
2009. It was their first top 10 single on the UK Singles Chart.
In 2010, she featured on "Never Be Your Woman" by the
rapper Wiley, which was another top ten hit. In 2012, she received
the Brit Awards Critics Choice Awards.

Sand released her first solo single "Heaven" in August 2011. She has three
singles across the UK and Ireland with "Read All About It" with
Me", and "Beneath Your Beautiful", a collaboration
Events spent seven non-consecutive

number one

Professor Green, "Next to

with Labrinth. Her album Our Version of

weeks at number one and became the best-selling album of

2012 in the UK, with over 1 million sales. In 2012, she performed in both the Opening and
Closing

ceremonies of the London

Olympics. She won two Brit Awards at the 2013

ceremony, Best British Female Artist, and British Album of the Year.

Samuel Frederick Smith better known as Sam Smith (born 19 May 1992) is an

English

singer-songwriter. He rose to fame in October 2012 when he was featured on

Disclosure's breakthrough single "Latch", which peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles
Chart. His subsequent feature on Naughty Boy's "La La "earned him

his first number one

single in May 2013.

In December 2013, he was nominated for the 2014 Brit Critics' Choice Award and
the BBC's Sound of 2014 poll, both of which he won. He released his debut studio album, In the
Lonely Hour, in May 2014 on Capitol Records UK. The lead single, "Lay Me Down", was
released prior to "La La". The second single, "Money on My Mind", became his second number
one single in the UK. The album's third single, "Stay with Me", was an international success,
reaching number one in the UK and number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, while the fourth
single "I'm Not the Only One" reached the top five in both countries. The fifth single, "Like I
Can", reached number nine in the UK.
In December 2014, Smith was nominated for six Grammy Awards, and at the 57th Annual
Grammy Awards in February 2015 he won four: Best New Artist, "Stay with Me" for Record of
the Year and Song of the Year, and In the Lonely Hour for Best Pop Vocal Album. At the 2015
Brit Awards, he won the awards for British Breakthrough Act and Global Success. In October
2015, Smith released "Writing's on the Wall," the theme for the James Bond film Spectre; Smith
achieved a Guinness World Record when it became the first Bond theme song to reach number
one in the UK. In January 2016 it won him the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.