One key aspect of Folk music in England is that one generation of people has long passed elements on to the next. According to the region the music comes from, there are different styles, purposes, forms, and uses of instruments. But generally, instruments that English Folk uses include the fiddle, melodeon, accordion, squeezebox, pipe and tabor, along with regional instruments like the Northumbrian Pipes.
English folk is largely the heritage of ordinary people (rather than the elite sector of society), and has historical links with civil rights movements and struggles for freedom and justice. As a result, many songs talk about such topics.
Unfortunately, many children in England don’t learn even one English Folk song at school, despite this music being a cultural treasure honed over the course of many centuries. The music is not just ignored, but also rejected. And that is a real shame. There is, however, a strong Folk community that keeps the tradition alive, which is good.