Did you know that your US driver's license will be valid in the UK for one year following your arrival here? That's right! For the first year of your stay, it will not be necessary for you to get a UK license. However, when that year is up, if you plan to do any driving (even just renting a car for a weekend), you will be required to get a local license. How will they know how long you've been here? They will check your passport which should either have a date-stamp from the border patrol or your visa which will have the dates of your stay.
More later on how to obtain a UK license.
