Anglo Gothic is a Regional Gothic aesthetic based on the atmosphere of dingy suburban English areas with an emphasis on overcast skies, drizzling rain, council estates, grime, the colour blue, and melancholy. Works that fall under this category tend to explore the themes of class, industrialism, and feature English staples such as cheap tea and biscuits.
Other common themes are the hardships of labour occupations such as coal or steel mining and factory work that are common among those in the working class in England. A lot of Anglo Gothic media is influenced by the boom in council estates being built in the 1960s in England, hence a lot of imagery being evocative of that time.
History[]
Coinage[]
The term 'Anglo Gothic' was coined by Tumblr user demixian in 2020; however, this style for aesthetic is represented back in the '90s.
Visuals[]
Anglo-gothic envisions run down British suburbs (which mainly have terraced homes that are falling apart or shoddily built apartment buildings). Some other aspects are broken cars from the '90s and early '00s and cloudy or rainy days.
Much of this aesthetic can be seen in the early British a Goth and Post-Punk scenes, many of who chose to romanticize their industrialized surroundings and embrace the darkness it entailed. Later, some 90s Britpop went in the same direction (although it wasn’t common).
Music[]
Some music that falls under the Anglo Gothic category includes:
- The Smiths
- Modern English
- The Cure
- The Verve
Media[]
Anglo Gothic media is distinct from traditionally Gothic media set in England due to its grounding in more modern times as well as its emphasis on industrial towns and council housing, which became more prominent in the 1960s.
TV Shows[]
- Alex Rider (2020)
- BBC Sherlock (2010-2017)
- C.B. Strike (2017-)
- Chewing Gum (2015-2017)
- Crashing (2016)
- Doctor Who (1963-1989/2005-) some episodes.
- Him & Her (2010-2013)
- Misfits (2009-2013)
- My Mad Fat Diary (2013-2015)
- Pennyworth (2019-)
- Raised by Wolves (2013-2016)
- Skins (2007-2013)
- The Dumping Ground (2013-)
- This is England (2006)
- Shameless (2004-2013)
- The End of the F***ing World (2017-)
- This Country (2017-2020)
- Waterloo Road (2006-2022)
Films[]
- A Taste of Honey (1961)
- Billy Elliot (2000)
- Pride (2014)
- The 'Kidulthood' series:
- Kidadulthood (2006)
- Adulthood (2008)
- Brotherhood (2016)
- The Conjuring 2 (2016)
- The Full Monty (1997)
- Blood Brothers, a musical by Willy Russel (set in The Liverpool from the 50s to the 80s)
Literature[]
- Elements of the works of Ramsey Campbell
Gallery[]
