Take a trip around the US and you will probably understand most of the people you encounter. Send an American around the UK, however, and they will probably hit trouble before even leaving Heathrow. Now the UK’s wonderfully rich variety of accents can be heard among the sound archives being made available at the British Library. They are part of the excellent Collect Britain site. While you are there, don’t forget to take the tour of London’s East End.
www.collectbritain.co.uk