NationStates Jolt Archive

The Dominion of Walmington

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"Suaviter in modo, fortiter in re"

Overview (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14057770&postcount=2)

Geography

People

Government

Economy

History

Military

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"All this beauty is of God"

Overview

The Dominion of Walmington is an island lying off the south coast of England in the English Channel. Once part of England, Walmington became independent in the C15th and was briefly a kingdom in its own right before full allegiance to the British crown was restored and Dominion status conferred upon the island. Walmington has remained fiercely loyal to the mother country ever since, and owing to this heritage and its beautiful landscape is often called England in miniature.

With an aging population and a perception of great vulnerability to the unwanted cross-Channel attentions of the Roman Empire, Walmingtonian society is generally held to be more conservative than that of Britain, though it is said that the island is entering an era of unprecedented political instability at time of writing. In Walmington, of course, political instability falls rather short of armed insurrection and merely suggests that the Conservative Party may not win the next general election.

Walmington has many little claims to fame:

*Walmingtonian brewers pioneered the production of canned beer, originally for export to India in the C19th.

*Walmington exports garlic to France (or did, in friendlier times).

*The Islander, Defender, and Trislander aircraft, produced in Walmington, have been exported to more than 120 countries including those of the British Empire.

*Despite Walmington's modern opposition to Rome, one of the island's most famous residents was future-emperor Vespasian.

*Other famous residents include Robert Hooke, who coined the term 'cell' to describe the basic unit of life, the poet Alfred Tennyson, Admiral Eric Longworth, and internationally-renowned nutter David 'the Queen is a space-lizard' Icke, who was born in England but apparently finds the Walmingtonian reserve conducive to his getting through the day without being actively ridiculed on the streets.

*Walmington is one of Europe's best locations for dinosaur fossil finds.

*It was famously suggested in the radio panel game Genius that Walmington be made symmetrical in order to increase tourism, even though this would involve destroying the town of Ventnor.

*In co-operation with the United Kingdom, the Black Knight, Britain's -and Walmington's- first rocketry programme, was developed in Walmington, and the nation as such played a major role in Britain's acquisition of satellite-launch capability.

*Last and certainly not least, the first practical hovercraft, SR-N1, was built in Walmington in 1959, while Briton Christopher Cockerell was living and working on the island.

Looks interesting, I am looking forward to seeing it fleshed out, I just love the thought of the little Britain that could sitting down there completely self-important.