The project costs £1m and is known as . So far, it comprises of an "official list" of 12 icons, including Alice in Wonderland, the King James Bible, Stonehenge and Routemaster buses.
Also on the list are a cup of tea and a famous portrait of Henry VIII by Hans Holbein, Punch & Judy, the Angel of the North, the SS Empire Windrush and the FA Cup.
The public will be able to vote on a list of other English cultural treasures to expand the collection. So far nominations include the BT Tower, the London Eye, the black cab and the pub.
According to the website: "Icons will be a rich resource of material about our lives and cultural heritage. Teachers will use it to stimulate classroom learning. Inspiring content will spark visits to arts venues and events. It will whet the appetites of tourists and provide valuable reference material for students."
Not everyone feels the same way. Historian Roger Scruton told The Sun newspaper: "Henry VIII was more Welsh than English. Holbein was born in Germany. Tea? That came from India."
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .