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Travel + Leisure
4 days ago
- Health
- Travel + Leisure
The 'Wellness Capital of Texas' Known for Its Magical Mineral Waters Was Just Named America's Best Small Spa and Wellness Town
Stay at The Crazy Water Hotel for history, good eats, and local culture. Take a dip at the Crazy Water Bath House & Spa to soak in the town's healing waters. Spend time at Clark Gardens, where you can immerse in nature and escape the daily grind. Dine at Second Bar + Kitchen, where James Beard-nominated chef David Bull serves up seasonal American dishes. Shop at the Famous Mineral Water Company, where you can sample the varieties of Crazy Water, make your own blend, and buy all the merch you need from this town. An hour west of Fort Worth, Mineral Wells, Texas, is a small town steeped in wellness history that all started with, what else, a mineral well. It began in 1877, when James Alvis Lynch moved his family and livestock from Denison, Texas, near the Texas-Oklahoma border, out west in search of a drier climate that would offer relief from malaria. While traveling, the family learned of Comanche attacks further west and decided to settle where they were in Palo Pinto County. The Lynch family dug a well on their property and discovered the water had a funny taste. After testing it on their cattle with no side effects, they began drinking the water themselves, and soon, James and his wife, Armanda, who both suffered from rheumatism, started feeling better. Word spread like wildfire, and people started coming from near and far to drink the water, some even drilling their own wells. After the city was laid out, lots of wells were drilled, and it's said the mineral waters here have a higher concentration of lithium, which helps treat a range of mental and mood disorders. Tourists from around the world flocked to Mineral Wells in the early 20th century to experience these healing waters. Bathhouses were built for healing soaks, and drinking pavilions were abundant. By 1920, the town had 400 mineral wells and was touted as the 'South's greatest health resort.' Railroads brought in droves of travelers looking for a cure, and also helped distribute mineral water outside of the area. Hotels and resorts flourished, including The Baker Hotel and Spa, the 'Grand Lady' of Mineral Wells that opened in 1929 as a glamorous spot for Hollywood icons such as Judy Garland, Clark Gable, and Lawrence Welk. But with a boom, there's always a bust. As the FDA began to monitor medical advertising claims and modern medicine advanced, interest in natural healing waned. By the 1940s, most of the mineral water companies closed, and Mineral Wells went through a sleepy period. The beloved Baker Hotel shuttered in the '70s, and the town experienced a downturn. Growing up in nearby Weatherford in the '90s and early aughts, Mineral Wells was decidedly not cool . We would visit to shop at the Lee denim outlet for back-to-school clothing, and I'd always stare at the decaying Baker Hotel. Dilapidated buildings were plentiful around town, and a melancholy feeling always hung in the air. The only 'cool' thing I loved about going there as a kid was grabbing a burger at Woody's, a biker bar on U.S. 180 that smelled like cigarette smoke and always had the best '90s country tunes on the jukebox. The smell was nostalgic for a '90s kid, the bangers-only jukebox fed my small-town country soul, and the bikers made me feel cool. (Confession: I still feel cool drinking a yellow belly when I'm there and bikers roll up for a burger.) But rebirth was always on its way. In 2019, a group of local investors banded together to restore the historic Crazy Water Hotel, which originally opened in 1912 during the town's heyday. The property was restored and reopened in 2021. The opening ushered in new shopping and dining, and that same year, The Baker Hotel officially began restorations as well. Slowly but surely, Mineral Wells is seeing a resurgence as locals rally together to revitalize historic properties and honor its wellness theme. Wellness retreats and rooftop yoga are common occurrences nowadays. Stop into town and you'll feel the slower pace of life and small-town charm coupled with that buzzy aura of rebirth and opportunity. Here, you'll realize there really is just something in the water. A water bottle statue in Mineral Wells, Texas. Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure Aside from all of the revitalization efforts taking place across town, Mineral Wells became the official Wellness Capital of Texas in June 2023 by the state legislature, due to its storied waters and wellness focus. Bathhouses and drinking pavilions were once found all over town, and today, visitors can still take a dip in the mineral-rich waters or fill up a jug of it to take home. Mineral Wells is also surrounded by nature, with Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway nearby and another state park, Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, in the works. Lakes, the Brazos River, hiking and biking trails, and outdoor pursuits are numerous, making it easy to tap into wellness in Mineral Wells. The living room of a guest suite at The Crazy Water Hotel. Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Crazy Water Hotel dates back to 1913, when it was built to meet the needs for all those visiting Mineral Wells to drink from its mineral-rich wells. At the time of the hotel's opening, the town had already dug three wells that catered to water drinkers, with one at the site of the hotel. In 1885, a wooden pavilion was built over the well, and tourists flocking in via railroad came to experience its healing water. In 1900, a larger pavilion was created next to the first one, where visitors were entertained by vaudeville acts, silent films, and orchestras. A brick pavilion replaced the frame one, but it still wasn't enough to hold the crowds, which is why The Crazy Water Hotel was built. Originally constructed with 110 rooms, the five-story property succumbed to a fire and was rebuilt into a seven-story hotel with 250 rooms. A ballroom and patio gave visitors a view of town and the surrounding Palo Pinto Mountains, and in the basement, guests enjoyed the bathhouse, bowling lanes, and more. The hotel's drinking pavilion was advertised as the largest in the world, where visitors could imbibe in the highly sought-after mineral water. The hotel began to wane in the mid-20th century as people began to turn to modern medicine to treat ailments instead of mineral water, and in 1961, the property closed. It was turned into an interim hospital while the county hospital was being built, and as a retirement home, then was permanently closed in 2010 and sat vacant for nearly 11 years. In 2019, local investors joined forces to bring The Crazy Water Hotel back to life, and after extensive renovations, it reopened in 2021. Today, rooms and suites have been enlarged and remodeled and offer modern amenities and downtown views. Some suites offer soaking tubs and full kitchens, plus living rooms and sitting areas. Shops occupy the first floor, as does the Crazy Water Coffee and Water Bar, where the town's storied waters are used in lattes, teas, and sodas. The hotel's restaurant, Second Bar + Kitchen, is also on the first floor, as is Rickhouse Brewing. Slated for a June 2026 opening is the Spa at The Crazy Water Hotel. It will occupy the basement level, where the bathhouse originally was more than 100 years ago, and the town's mineral waters will be incorporated into towel massages, bath soaks, facials, and oxygen treatments. Occupying a restored home in downtown, Magpie Inn is an adults-only bed-and-breakfast with five guest rooms, each with its own bathroom and charming, cottage-like decor. Each room sleeps two guests, with one able to fit four guests. The B&B is within walking distance to downtown dining and shopping, and the staff here can help coordinate day trips and area excursions. The best part? The owner is a chef and she prepares farm-to-table breakfasts for guests every morning. The seasonal menu includes brunch boards and banana split parfaits, and guest favorites have included Belgian waffles with hot honey chicken bites, blueberry-peach danishes with chef-made vanilla bean icing, and pancetta and gruyere cheese egg soufflés. Of course, there is mineral water on tap for drinking. A private room at the Crazy Water Bath House & Spa. Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure What began as a private garden in 1972 eventually grew into 143 acres of gorgeous landscapes. At Clark Gardens, visitors can walk underneath tree canopies and among flora and fauna of all kinds. 'This is my favorite botanical park in the state,' says Carol Elder, owner of the Crazy Water Bottling Company and Famous Mineral Water Company and a Mineral Wells native. 'It delights in every season with its vibrant colors, beautiful peacocks, and lush, native Texas plants.' Get some exercise by walking the Historic Tree Trail, one of the largest in the U.S., to see 86 historic trees, including one from Elvis Presley's Graceland home, some from the Berkeley Plantation in Virginia, a weeping willow, and sycamores. Clark Gardens is a nationally recognized iris garden, with about 4,000 different iris varieties to see each April. In addition, seasons bring daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, water lilies, roses, holly berries, and so much more. Don't miss black and white swans waddling about, peacocks, blue herons, great egrets, and butterflies as they migrate through. Self-guided and group tours are available. Extend your wellness journey by venturing out to Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway, a 3,282-acre oasis with a lake, miles of hiking trails, and one of the area's few natural rock climbing spots. Almost 13 miles of trails range from easy to difficult, and the 640-acre lake offers six fishing piers. Penitentiary Hollow is where climbers enjoy rock climbing, and campsites and screened shelters are available. 'I love to hike the trails and rock climb in the canyon, then cool off with a swim in the lake,' says Elder, while Carol Clark Montgomery, a local whose family is responsible for opening Clark Gardens, suggests biking the 20-mile Trailway that connects Mineral Wells to the nearby city of Weatherford. 'This old rail bed turned hiking and biking trail passes through open ranch land and is a mix of beauty and adventure,' says Clark Montgomery. Operated by the Crazy Water Bottling Company, the Crazy Water Bath House & Spa is just down the street from The Crazy Water Hotel and offers mineral baths and other spa treatments with, you guessed it, Crazy Water that's pumped right through the faucets. The renovated bath house has numerous treatment rooms and tubs, where you can soak in the storied mineral water. Oxygen-rich microbubbles are injected into the water to promote natural cleansing, exfoliation, and moisturization. Numerous packages are available and include a soak coupled with a massage (Swedish, hot stone, deep tissue), reflexology, or a facial. 'This spa is a true hidden gem,' says Clark Montgomery. 'It's reasonably priced and praised for its authenticity and quality. Plus, it feels like stepping into a vintage retreat that's been updated for today.' After some locals uncovered an old advertising mural in town and gave it new life, efforts were made to revitalize other vintage artwork across town while adding in new ones, too. Today, more than 20 murals span downtown Mineral Wells, giving visitors a way to explore local artists' work while being active. Don't miss the Hot Tamale Man, which depicts local Fred Estrada, who sold the 'best tamales anywhere' at 75 cents a dozen, located at the corner of Hubbard Street and Oak Avenue, the same spot where he sold his tamales. There's also the Instagram-worthy "Greetings From Mineral Wells" postcard-style mural, and the "Flapper Girl" mural at The Ritz theater. Stocked shelves inside The Market at 76067. Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure The Famous Mineral Water Company has been in business for more than 100 years selling Crazy Water, which is now distributed throughout the U.S., plus other products like T-shirts, hats, candles, soaps, and more. The Famous Pavilion is still in use here, where locals bring their containers and fill up on Crazy Water No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 that's piped straight from the source. Each bottle number varies in strength based on how deep into the earth the water is sourced. No. 4 is sourced at 120 feet, No. 3 at 360 feet, and No. 2 at 250 feet. No. 4 is the strongest as it has the highest mineral content, and most consumers choose to mix and match the different levels based on their tastebuds or needs. Mineral water, like Crazy Water, is naturally occurring. Water seeps through layers of earth over millions of years, picking up minerals, which are healthy for the human body. Crazy Water hydrates because your body absorbs the mineral more easily than synthetic ones. It's like a natural sports drink that helps aid in recovery and rehydration, and numerous athletes have actually used Crazy Water for this very reason. Aside from the Famous Pavilion, you'll find bottles of all Crazy Water here. Elder notes that daily walking tours of the facility are available and include a bottle of Crazy Water and a water sampling. 'We specialize in everything made with Crazy Water and source local and Texas artisans for merch and products,' she says. And as far as which Crazy Water is best for you? That's up to you to decide upon tasting. 'My favorite Crazy Water is No. 3,' says Elder. 'At home, we have it plumbed into our refrigerator through five-gallon bottles, and we make ice and cook with it every day, along with drinking it. It's very balanced for all day and every day drinking. I love the mineral taste.' In case you need a new pair of hiking shoes or workout gear for a trek out to the state park, head to The Outfitters of Palo Pinto County. An outdoor gear and apparel store, it sells lake gear, kayaks, coolers, bikes, running shoes, hats, sunglasses, and more. It also rents bikes for those wanting to explore the area, plus it has trail maps and offers expert tips on kayaking and canoeing in the area. Shop for everything you never knew you needed at The Market at 76067. The 12,000-square-foot space features more than 100 vendors, each selling something different. 'The Market at 76067 is like a treasure trove,' says Clark Montgomery. 'It's my go-to for shopping for myself or friends and family.' Find home decor, nuts and candies, bath and body products, jewelry, men's and women's clothing, oils and vinegars for cooking, antiques, and even fresh produce. One of the shops inside The Crazy Water Hotel, Sensology aims to please all your senses with soaps and perfumes, jewelry, designer apparel, and even a sweets counter filled with chocolate truffles. Browse for special gifts for friends, or splurge and grab yourself a new outfit. You can even curate your own wellness basket by picking up various bath salts, robes, slippers, and skin care products. Inside the old Poston's Plaza is The Collective at Poston's Plaza, a co-retail space where numerous vendors sell their wares. Shop for antiques, clothing, birdhouses, leather, mid-century furniture, paintings, cutting boards, and more. There are also dog treats, apparel, and a snow cone stand. Interior dining room at Rickhouse Brewing. Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure James Beard-nominated chef David Bull left the big city of Austin and moved to Mineral Wells to open Second Bar + Kitchen, located at The Crazy Water Hotel. Elevated New American fare is the focus here, as is sourcing as many ingredients as possible locally and giving diners other options like vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free menu items. 'This is my go-to for a date night,' says Clark Montgomery. Crispy Brussels sprouts with smoked bacon, mint, feta, and golden raisins; the Black and Bleu pizza with bleu cheese and pork belly; and steaks served with green chile polenta are all local favorites. If you splurge on a burger, chase it down with the wellness shot. Also at The Crazy Water Hotel is Rickhouse Brewing, a small-town pub brewing beers right on site. Lagers, pale ales, hefeweizens, stouts, and Kölsch beers are all on the menu. Don't like beer? There's also wine and sangria. Live music is scheduled regularly on Wednesdays and Sundays, and the brewery hosts special intimate concerts throughout the year. A food truck keeps snacking convenient. Locals know Natty Flat by its gigantic wooden rocking chair that sits outside of the original location in Lipan, Texas, but it has another outpost in Mineral Wells that also serves the same old-school barbecue its original venue prides itself on. Brisket, sausage, turkey, and smoked bologna are just some of the proteins available that pair well with barbecue beans, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and other sides. Don't forget the banana pudding, cobblers, fried pies, and ice cream cones for dessert, and check out the cookbooks, mugs, jerky, homemade fudge, and jams for a unique souvenir. And though it's smaller than the original, there's still a large rocking chair outside for pictures. Fuel up for a day of exploring at Happy Days Diner, a '50s-style diner with vintage flair. If the checkered tabletops and old records on the wall don't let you know this is a casual spot, the breakfast plates piled with biscuits and gravy and pancake stacks should give you the right idea. Of course, there are healthier options like the fruit and yogurt bowl, but this old-school spot really does classic breakfast the right way. They also serve lunch, which includes items like hamburger steak, Frito pie, hot dogs, and wraps. Check out the old-time candies on your way out. A modern eatery, Coffee & Cocktails at 76067 has a large menu filled with sliders, pizzas, wraps, sandwiches, and appetizers like charcuterie boards, bruschetta, and chips and dips. 'It's a vibrant scene with music, food, and drinks that's perfect for meeting up with friends or making new ones,' says Clark Montgomery. Lighter options such as soups and salads are available, too, and the coffee menu is lengthy. A mural in downtown Mineral Wells, Texas. Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure In general, Texas gets hot in the summertime, with temperatures often reaching the triple digits in July and August, so you may want to avoid a trip during this time. A spring visit offers wildflower blooms and flowers coming back at Clark Gardens, plus milder temperatures. Fall and winter are also ideal times to visit, as temperatures are cooler and Mineral Wells is busy with events such as the Crazy Water Festival (October), Christmas Festival and Lighted Parade (November), and numerous holiday events in December. A large street sign welcoming people to Mineral Wells, Texas. Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure The nearest airport to Mineral Wells is Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, about 75 miles east of the city. You'll need to rent a car from the airport, or if you're local, drive your own vehicle to Mineral Wells. Dallas is about 82 miles east of Mineral Wells, and Fort Worth is about 50 miles east. Public transportation is not available, and ride-share services, like most small towns, are hit or miss. It's best to rent a car or drive your own vehicle.
Telegraph
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Reform has proven again it is unfit to tackle our immigration crisis
Does anybody in Reform know why people vote Reform? It's a question that seems increasingly uncertain. But it's relatively simple to understand: immigration, immigration, immigration. It is clarity and conviction on this single issue that is driving voters away from the mainstream parties and toward the one that, in Nigel Farage, finally seems willing to say what needs to be said – and to do what is necessary. But despite reducing immigration being their central policy, their commitment to it is barely surviving contact with reality – even as an opposition party. Earlier this year Zia Yusuf's replacement as Party Chairman, Dr David Bull, used one of his first media appearances after being appointed to announce that 'immigration is the lifeblood of this country, it always has been'. Meanwhile Linden Kemkaran, the leader of the newly Reform-controlled Kent County Council, has written to the Government to lobby against a tightening of rules on migrant workers. Kemkaran, along with the council's cabinet member for adult social care and public health, Diane Morton, wrote to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and minister for care Stephen Kinnock to raise 'grave concerns' about the proposals in the new Immigration Bill. Those proposals, in particular, were to close the health and social care visa route to overseas applicants, which Kemkaran argued could 'leave providers on a cliff edge'. The Leaders' call was seconded by the leader of the Lib Dem group on the council. The health and social care visas have been a disaster, and one of the primary drivers of the catastrophic Boriswave: low-wage, low-productivity, high-exploitation migration that has undercut British workers and locked the country into an unsustainable dependency on increasing migration flows from low-wage economies. Despite the visa route bringing in more people than the entire population of Montenegro, or a city the size of Bristol, care vacancies are now higher than when the social care worker visa launched. One in four foreign care workers has been found to abuse UK visa rules. There was a tenfold rise in investigations in the care sector by the labour exploitation watchdog in just two years. There was an implicit understanding that Reform councils would be under stricter control from the party HQ than their mainstream equivalents, and would be used to demonstrate their willingness to use what limited powers councils have to fight on totemic issues like immigration. Ahead of May's election, Yusuf admitted that Reform might not be able to prevent asylum seekers from being housed in hotels where the Home Office already holds contracts. However, he said, the party would attempt to block such accommodations using 'judicial reviews, injunctions, and planning laws.' That commitment, it seems, has already begun to unravel – at the worst possible moment. In an electoral landscape where voters have already cast off one Right-wing party for betraying its promises on immigration, showing weakness on this issue is more than just a misstep; it is a threat to Reform's entire raison d'être. The question Reform must answer is simple: if they can't hold the line on immigration in opposition – under no real pressure, with no real power – why should anyone trust them to do it in power? The British public have learned to spot a sheep in wolf's clothing.
Telegraph
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Has Reform peaked?
A couple of days ago, I spotted Nigel Farage on the terrace of the House of Commons, enjoying a late afternoon drink in the sun with his fellow Reform MPs. I could hardly complain about his work ethic, as I should have been in the office myself. I saw him looking out across the Thames – content, relaxed, and surrounded by friends, all of whom agree with the bookies' suggestion that he is set to become our next Prime Minister. On top of the polls, on top of the world, the master of all he surveyed. And yet, only six weeks or so after Reform's triumph at the local elections, is the shine starting to come off Farage? A YouGov poll this week had the party down two points to 27 per cent, with Labour up one to 24 per cent. Reform's lead over Labour has halved in a single week. As relaxed as Farage seemed as he tucked into his pint, is he worried that his momentum is starting to stall? It's hardly been a peaceful month at Reform HQ. Just as the party was basking in its seizure of ten councils, two mayoralties, and the constituency of Runcorn and Helsby, Farage came under steady attack for his latest pie-in-the-sky policy package: scrapping the two-child limit and introducing a new transferable marriage tax allowance to his already costly plan to lift the income tax threshold to £20,000. Then we had Zia Yusuf's two-day resignation and his replacement as the party's chairman by self-styled paranormal expert Dr David Bull; a man who has claimed that 'immigration is the lifeblood of this country.' Endless in-fighting, ideological incoherence, a shallow policy platform: the general impression created by Reform is one of unseriousness. I bet Farage still can't believe his luck: a doubling of his party's vote share in a year, the implosion of the Tories (languishing on 17 per cent in that same YouGov poll), and an utterly useless Labour Government. Downing Street beckons. But if the last year has proven anything, it is how quickly political fortunes can change. One day you're cock of the walk, the next a feather duster. Could voters dump Farage just as quickly as they picked him up? Certainly. But one hesitates to write off Reform because of only one poll – especially as other pollsters have the party topping 30 per cent. The reasons for Farage's success are structural. Voters hated the Tories, and now they hate Labour for much of the same reasons. With both old parties discredited, why not take a punt on something different? It helps when that this new party is led by one of the best-known politicians in Britain – and one of the few with any credibility on the salient topic of immigration. A day after I spied Farage on the Commons terrace, I saw him again at a Tufton Street talk on the future of net zero. He was by turns charming, insightful and profound, especially when tracing climate extremism to a broader crisis of godlessness. Between calling for escalation in the Middle East, and pledging an end to the fracking ban, he seemed confident and unchanged. He will never become a statesman in the traditional mould. But it is always a pleasure to see him at work.
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
The reeling in of Reform: Nigel Farage sees poll lead halved in a week amid infighting and backing for benefits splurge
There were more signs of Reform being reeled in today as a poll showed the party's lead dwindling. YouGov research put Nigel Farage 's insurgents on 27 per cent - down two points from last week. Meanwhile, Labour clawed back a point to 24 per cent, meaning Reform's advantage has halved. The Tories were stuck on just 17 per cent with the Lib Dems on 15 per cent and the Greens 10 per cent. Evidence has been mounting that the sheen is coming off Mr Farage's party following an extraordinary rise in popularity. At the end of May Reform was eight points ahead according to YouGov. The reasons remain unclear, although Reform has come under heavy fire for backing an end to the two-child benefit cap and unrealistic tax and spending plans. There has been a chaotic bout of infighting that saw chairman Zia Yusuf initially quit swiping it was not worth his time trying to get the party elected. He U-turned on the resignation soon afterwards, but Mr Farage replaced him as chairman with David Bull. Critics have pounced on mixed messages about whether the Burka should be banned and the death penalty restored. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer has shifted strategy to mount full-frontal attacks on Mr Farage and his policies, rather than trying to ignore his political threat. Dramatic local election results last month caused panic in Labour circles. Reform seized 10 councils, two mayoralties and the Parliamentary seat of Runcorn in a by-election.
Telegraph
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Politicians should learn that history is not just a handy rhetorical device
The head of Britain's Left-wing government warns that the country might become an 'island of strangers'. A senior black MP, Diane Abbott, attacks his speech as 'fundamentally racist'. Sir Keir 'doubles down', then a few days later apologises. He refuses, then accepts, an enquiry into organised child rape. The chairman of the main anti-immigration party, David Bull, announces that immigration has always been 'the lifeblood of this country'. To put it mildly, all this shows moral, intellectual, political and not least historical confusion. Yet the history of migration is very simple. People have always moved, often compelled by war, persecution or economic stress. Such movement has invariably caused friction and often serious violence: xenophobia is a constant of history. England has for most of its past been a country of low immigration. Those who claim that immigration has always been our 'lifeblood' or that 'immigrants built this land' (in Diane Abbott's words) would have to show when and how this was possible given the rarity of significant migration until the 1990s. Those who repeat the now familiar historical claim that England has always been a country of immigrants also have to skate over the awkward fact that when major immigration did occur, it was rarely a happy experience. Romans (including those probably fictitious black legionaries on Hadrian's Wall), Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans were violent invaders, even if some did build roads and cathedrals. Even 18th or 19th-century internal migrants – such as the Scots in Ireland or the Irish in Scotland – gave rise to lasting tensions still tangible after centuries of common citizenship. Genuine refugees in small numbers met with popular sympathy, and some made an economic contribution – Huguenots are always mentioned here, and sometimes Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia or Ugandan Asians. Nevertheless they were met with hostility from those who felt displaced. Others fleeing manifest danger – French refugees from the Revolution, Belgians in 1914, Ukrainians in 2022 – received sympathy, but were usually expected in due course to return home. The overall picture is clear: for nearly 1,000 years, the British Isles received few immigrants. Our history is one of emigration, as British expatriates became the 'lifeblood' of the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, whether the indigenous populations liked it or not. One can certainly sometimes point to economic development as an outcome of immigration. But as the leading economist of migration, Sir Paul Collier, observes, 'migrants capture the lion's share of the economic gains from migration'. It is not only with regard to migration that the censoring, sanitisation and rewriting of the past has been carried out. There have been attempts to argue that certain modern cultural phenomena have always been present. A recent example is the trans movement: Joan of Arc has been conscripted as a gender activist. Poor Joan, burnt by the 15th-century English, has been sacrificed to another cause by their descendants. Most politicians and activists have always regarded history not as a source of wisdom, but as a handy rhetorical device. When history became a quasi-scientific subject in the 19th century, it aimed to cut through rhetoric and myth-making and discover often awkward and complicated truths. Despite postmodernist assertions that there is no objective reality, this is what most professional historians still try to do: that is why they read archives, analyse statistics and study context. But for some, what counts more than analysis is pushing a 'narrative' that serves a cause (and their careers), even when the evidence is against them. Some things are exaggerated; others are played down. African rulers' enthusiastic slave trading; violent Muslim conquest; the cruelty and oppression of many pre-colonial societies. In the West, this is linked with Left-wing obsessions about race and colonisation, but Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping – and for the sake of balance let me add Donald Trump – are equally keen abusers of history, with Tibet and Ukraine the main victims so far. No surprise there. Our own history too has been and is being carefully moulded by people in unaccountable positions of influence, and is being propagated by schools, universities and museums – I noticed the other day that even the King's Gallery is not entirely immune. People mould history to serve ideological causes or in the hope of calming tensions, or (as in the case of museums) to attract new customers. Hence, the British tend to accept accounts of their own history written by historic opponents. We acquiesce in American accounts of the War of Independence (forgetting the slaves and indigenous people who fought for the Crown) and to nationalist accounts of the Empire. One of the most taught subjects in English schools today is the Atlantic slave trade. Here, Britain's role, especially in abolition, was indeed globally epoch-making. Nevertheless, it is a brief and marginal episode in England's own long saga, and not its principal theme. The history of Britain's institutions is little taught, and the creation of England itself apparently not at all, despite England arguably being the prototype of the nation state. Why is there an England? Why a Britain? What is distinctive about them? You would be unlikely to find out at school. It is notoriously difficult to decide what history should be taught and how. It is easy, however, to say what should not be taught: propagandist 'narratives' that are at best simplistic and anachronistic, and at worst patent falsehoods. One obvious example is that slavery and imperial exploitation created British prosperity. Another is that past empire makes Britain today racist – evidence shows the opposite. History should teach complexity not simplicity. That past societies sometimes succeeded with resources far less than ours. That people thought differently from us, and were not necessarily wrong. That political decisions are hard and that the future is never clear (think of Chamberlain and Appeasement). Even children can learn these things. They might even remember them when they become adults. Perhaps one day a responsible government will help this to happen.
