Most people are told that “we don’t have a constitution” – but that simply isn’t true. England’s constitution is uncodified, not non‑existent, built up over centuries through statutes, court decisions, royal prerogatives and long‑standing political conventions that still shape how power is exercised today. Because it isn’t gathered into a single modern document, many English people have been left unaware of the principles and limits that are supposed to bind those who govern us.
In 1808, George Custance published A Concise View of the Constitution of England, bringing together in one volume the legal and political foundations of the English constitutional order as it then stood. He explains the roles of King, Lords and Commons, the functions of the courts, and the rights and liberties of English subjects under the law. More than two centuries later, this historic treatment is still a powerful answer to the claim that England has no constitution at all.
On this page you can read or listen to a free digital copy of Custance’s original work, reproduced from public‑domain library scans, and read for yourself how the English constitution was understood when it still commanded open respect. Whether you are new to the subject or already deep into English constitutional history, this book is a solid starting point for anyone who wants to see, in black and white, that our constitutional settlement is real – and worth defending.