Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 August 7

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Today's featured article
Peveril Castle is a medieval building overlooking the village of Castleton in the English county of Derbyshire. Its site provides views across the Hope Valley and Cave Dale. The castle is named after its founder, William Peveril, who held lands in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire on behalf of the king. It was built some time between the Norman Conquest in 1066 and its first recorded mention in 1086, in the Domesday Book. Nearby Castleton benefited from the presence of the castle, which acted as the administrative centre of an independent lordship called Peak. There were periods of building work at the castle in the 13th century, with Peveril's final form established by 1300. Near the end of the 14th century, the lordship was granted to John of Gaunt. Having little use for the castle, he ordered some of its material to be stripped out for reuse, marking the beginning of its decline. Since that time, the castle has been administered by the Duchy of Lancaster. Peveril Castle became less important administratively and in 1609 was described as "very ruinous and serveth for no use". In the 19th century, Sir Walter Scott featured the castle in his novel Peveril of the Peak. The site is cared for by English Heritage and situated in a national park. Peveril Castle is protected as a scheduled monument and a Grade I listed building. (more...) Recently featured: Halo 2 – Stamata Revithi – Song Thrush Archive – By email – More featured articles...
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From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Mount Billy Mitchell (pictured) was named for "Billy" Mitchell, who is often referred to as the "father of the United States Air Force"? ... that when she played for Great Britain against Australia on 28 July, Rose Anderson became Scotland's first Olympic basketball player? ... that the nobleman Mochtar acted in 69 films in his nearly 60-year career? ... that prior to the 2012 Summer Olympics American javelin thrower Craig Kinsley had never competed in an international competition? ... that construction of the South Mole, a breakwater in the harbour of Gibraltar, was begun by the Spanish in 1620? ... that Queen Elizabeth II made the German trumpeter and conductor Ludwig Güttler an officer of the OBE, in recognition of his efforts to reconstruct the Frauenkirche in Dresden? ... that 2012 Olympic BMX rider Caroline Buchanan was one of Australia's best BMX riders in 2008 but could not compete in Beijing because her youth made her ineligible? ... that the extinct snakefly Amarantoraphidia ventolina is named for air beings of the Cantabrian mythologies? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
NASA's Curiosity rover (pictured) lands on the surface of Mars. Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Farid Hijab defects to revolutionary forces. A gunman kills six people at a Sikh temple in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Unidentified gunmen kill 16 Egyptian police officers on the Egyptian-Israeli border in Sinai. In rugby union, the Chiefs defeat the Sharks to win their first Super Rugby title. The World Health Organization states that an outbreak of Ebola virus in the Kibaale District of Uganda has been controlled. American author and playwright Gore Vidal dies at the age of 86. Olympics summary – Wikinews – Recent deaths More current events...
On this day...
August 7: Assyrian Martyrs Day (1933); Independence Day in Ivory Coast (1960) 1461 – Ming Chinese general Cao Qin staged a failed coup against the Tianshun Emperor. 1933 – An estimated 3,000 Assyrians were slaughtered by Iraqi troops during the Simele massacre in the Dahuk and Mosul districts. 1938 – Prisoners from Dachau concentration camp were sent to begin construction of Mauthausen (entrance pictured), which would later be part of one of the largest labour camp complexes in German-occupied Europe. 1944 – IBM presented the first program-controlled calculator to Harvard University, after which it became known as the Mark I. 1978 – Two years after the discovery of toxic waste that had been negligently disposed of, U.S. President Jimmy Carter declared a federal health emergency in the Love Canal neighborhood of Niagara Falls, New York. 1999 – The Chechnya-based Islamist militia group Islamic International Brigade invaded the neighbouring Russian republic of Dagestan in support of the Shura of Dagestan separatist movement. More anniversaries: August 6 – August 7 – August 8 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now August 7, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is a carnivorous marsupial found in the wild only on the Australian island of Tasmania. It is characterised by its stocky and muscular build, black fur, pungent odour, extremely loud and disturbing screech, keen sense of smell, and ferocity when feeding. Its large head and neck allow it to generate the strongest bite per unit body mass of any living mammal.

Photo: JJ Harrison

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