<Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Th colspan="2"> Name </Th> <Th> Notability </Th> <Th> Nomination defended by </Th> <Th> Ref . </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Sir Winston Churchill </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Prime Minister ( 1940 -- 1945 , 1951 -- 1955 ) . Historically ranked as one of the greatest British prime ministers . Kept the nation 's spirit up during World War II , when the country had to defend itself against Hitler 's attempts to invade . He was an important figure in post-war international and national politics as well . Received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 . </Td> <Td> Mo Mowlam , British politician . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Isambard Kingdom Brunel </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Designer of the Great Western Railway , Clifton Suspension Bridge , SS Great Britain and numerous significant ships , tunnels and bridges . A prominent figure during the Industrial Revolution which began in Britain , he revolutionised public transport and modern engineering . </Td> <Td> Jeremy Clarkson , TV presenter . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Diana , Princess of Wales </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> First wife of Charles , Prince of Wales ( marriage 1981 -- 1996 ) , and mother of Prince William , Duke of Cambridge , and Prince Harry . Admired for her philanthropic deeds . </Td> <Td> Rosie Boycott , journalist and feminist activist . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Charles Darwin </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Biologist . Originator of the theory of evolution through natural selection and author of On the Origin of Species . </Td> <Td> Andrew Marr , journalist and TV presenter . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> William Shakespeare </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Poet and playwright . Creator of Hamlet , Macbeth , Romeo and Juliet , and many more . Thought of by many as the greatest of all English writers . He is still an internationally admired and influential figure in the field of theatre . </Td> <Td> Fiona Shaw , actress and theatre and opera director . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> Sir Isaac Newton </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Physicist , mathematician , astronomer , natural philosopher . Originator of universal gravitation and laws of classical mechanics and laws of motion . His Principia is one of the most influential works in the history of science . </Td> <Td> Tristram Hunt , historian . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> Elizabeth I of England </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Queen of England and Ireland . ( 1558 -- 1603 ) . Brought a period of relative internal stability . She is associated with the defeat of the Spanish Armada . Her reign is known as the Elizabethan era . </Td> <Td> Michael Portillo , journalist and politician . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> John Lennon </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Pop / rock singer - songwriter , musician , activist and member of music quartet The Beatles . One of the most famous , successful , influential , covered and admired pop artists of all time . Hailed for his peace activism . </Td> <Td> Alan Davies , comedian and actor . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson , 1st Viscount Nelson </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Naval commander , famous for his service in the Royal Navy , particularly during the Napoleonic Wars . His victory during the Battle of Trafalgar was significant in preventing an invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte 's army . </Td> <Td> Lucy Moore , historian . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> Oliver Cromwell </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1st Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England , Scotland and Ireland ( 1653 -- 1658 ) . Commander of the New Model Army during the English Civil War against King Charles I. Admired for moving the country to a more democratic stateform , though his nomination was controversial due to allegations of genocide in Ireland . </Td> <Td> Richard Holmes , military historian . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table>
<Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Th colspan="2"> Name </Th> <Th> Notability </Th> <Th> Nomination defended by </Th> <Th> Ref . </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Sir Winston Churchill </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Prime Minister ( 1940 -- 1945 , 1951 -- 1955 ) . Historically ranked as one of the greatest British prime ministers . Kept the nation 's spirit up during World War II , when the country had to defend itself against Hitler 's attempts to invade . He was an important figure in post-war international and national politics as well . Received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 . </Td> <Td> Mo Mowlam , British politician . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Isambard Kingdom Brunel </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Designer of the Great Western Railway , Clifton Suspension Bridge , SS Great Britain and numerous significant ships , tunnels and bridges . A prominent figure during the Industrial Revolution which began in Britain , he revolutionised public transport and modern engineering . </Td> <Td> Jeremy Clarkson , TV presenter . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Diana , Princess of Wales </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> First wife of Charles , Prince of Wales ( marriage 1981 -- 1996 ) , and mother of Prince William , Duke of Cambridge , and Prince Harry . Admired for her philanthropic deeds . </Td> <Td> Rosie Boycott , journalist and feminist activist . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Charles Darwin </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Biologist . Originator of the theory of evolution through natural selection and author of On the Origin of Species . </Td> <Td> Andrew Marr , journalist and TV presenter . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> William Shakespeare </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Poet and playwright . Creator of Hamlet , Macbeth , Romeo and Juliet , and many more . Thought of by many as the greatest of all English writers . He is still an internationally admired and influential figure in the field of theatre . </Td> <Td> Fiona Shaw , actress and theatre and opera director . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> Sir Isaac Newton </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Physicist , mathematician , astronomer , natural philosopher . Originator of universal gravitation and laws of classical mechanics and laws of motion . His Principia is one of the most influential works in the history of science . </Td> <Td> Tristram Hunt , historian . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> Elizabeth I of England </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Queen of England and Ireland . ( 1558 -- 1603 ) . Brought a period of relative internal stability . She is associated with the defeat of the Spanish Armada . Her reign is known as the Elizabethan era . </Td> <Td> Michael Portillo , journalist and politician . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> John Lennon </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Pop / rock singer - songwriter , musician , activist and member of music quartet The Beatles . One of the most famous , successful , influential , covered and admired pop artists of all time . Hailed for his peace activism . </Td> <Td> Alan Davies , comedian and actor . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson , 1st Viscount Nelson </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Naval commander , famous for his service in the Royal Navy , particularly during the Napoleonic Wars . His victory during the Battle of Trafalgar was significant in preventing an invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte 's army . </Td> <Td> Lucy Moore , historian . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> Oliver Cromwell </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1st Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England , Scotland and Ireland ( 1653 -- 1658 ) . Commander of the New Model Army during the English Civil War against King Charles I. Admired for moving the country to a more democratic stateform , though his nomination was controversial due to allegations of genocide in Ireland . </Td> <Td> Richard Holmes , military historian . </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table>
who was voted the greatest briton of all time by the uk public in a bbc poll in 2002
who was voted the greatest briton of all time by the uk public in a bbc poll in 2002
Sir Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Churchill