I’m going to London for a poetry class abroad. What are the best books to read beforehand to really get in the spirit?

I'd really like to bring some British classics to get in the spirit of literature in London this May. What are your favorite poetry collections, authors, or novels that give the classic British feel?

They can be from any time period. Anything from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to Shakespeare to Virginia Woolf is fine by me. Thanks!