Open Your Eyes and Think of England Quiz

Named after a saline spring near the Surrey town of Epsom, epsomite, or Epsom salt, is the most common hydrous magnesium sulfate mineral (MgSO4·7H2O), generally found as deposits on the walls of limestone caves or mines. Readily soluble in water, Epsom salt is the main ingredient of bath salts, a mixture of pulverized minerals, oils, and fragrance that has been developed to reproduce some of the properties of hot springs or natural mineral baths. Though its medical benefits have not been proved, Epsom salt is believed to help in relieving muscle aches and pains, and is often used as a soak for sore feet. Food-grade Epsom salt can be also used as a laxative, though it is not recommended for people suffering from kidney disease, or those on a low-magnesium diet.

Part of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell, Epsom lies about 22 km (13.5 mi) south of central London. Besides the mineral waters of the spring located in Epsom Common - which made the town briefly popular as a spa resort in the 17th and early 18th centuries - Epsom's other claim to fame is the Epsom Down Racecourse, located on the chalk hills just outside the town. The racecourse has hosted the horse race known as the Derby Stakes (or simply the Derby) since 1780.

Often spelled with a lowercase "a", the Ascot tie (or simply ascot) is a neckband with broad wings, which are folded over each other, tied loosely, and fastened with a pin or clip (as shown in the photo). This elegant piece of neckwear takes its name from the world-famous Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, where in the 19th century and early 20th century it was customary to wear such dress cravats at formal daytime events.

While its ancestor was the elaborately tied, starched linen neckcloth popular during the Regency era, the ascot is traditionally made of grey or black patterned silk. In modern times, ascots are usually worn on special occasions, such as weddings. Ascots in different colours are also part of the military uniforms worn in various parts of the world.

Located in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, the town of Ascot lies about 40 km (25 mi) west of London. Owned by the British Crown, the Ascot Racecourse was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne. The most important event held at the racecourse is the Royal Ascot, a five-day meeting held in June and regularly attended by the Royal Family, who come from Windsor Castle (located about 9.7 km/6 mi away). The Royal Ascot is also famous as a fashion showcase, with particular emphasis on the ladies' spectacular hats.

A number of firearms used by the British Army from the mid-19th century onwards were produced at the Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF) in the town of Enfield in north London, which was active from 1816 to 1988. The first Enfield rifle, also known as Pattern 1853 Enfield rifle-musket, was used by the British Empire from 1853 to 1867. Introduced in India in 1856, it was one of the causes of the bloody Sepoy rebellion of 1857, as rumours spread that pig fat (abhorrent to Muslims) or beef tallow (abhorrent to Hindus) were used to grease the rifle's cartridges. The Lee-Enfield bolt-action rifle, designed by James Paris Lee, was the standard-issue rifle of the British Army from 1895 to 1957. In recent times, this rifle has become very popular for hunting and target shooting.

Located about 16 km (10 mi) north of Charing Cross in central London, Enfield is now the administrative centre of the London Borough of Enfield - the city's northernmost. Enfield's parish church, St Andrew's, was established in the late 12th century, though most of the current building dates from the 14th century.

Though a hackney carriage (generally spelled with a lowercase "h") was originally a horse-drawn vehicle for hire, now in the UK the term refers to a taxicab licensed by the Public Carriage Office, the Department of the Environment (in Northern Ireland), or some local authority. Hackney carriages are often identified with London's iconic black cabs: the one depicted in the photo is a 1937 model designed by Glasgow-based William Beardmore and Company. The first hackney carriages were introduced in the mid-17th century.

The word "hackney" is generally believed to derive from the name of London borough of Hackney through the French word "haquenée", a breed of small saddle horse. According to some sources, in the Middle Ages the green, open countryside around Hackney provided an ideal environment for the breeding of horses that were often made available to hire. The word then shifted from horses to horse-drawn carriages, and later to motor vehicles.

Present-day Hackney lies about 8 km (5 mi) north-east of central London. The River Lea runs through the borough on its way south to join the Thames. Hackney still boasts plenty of green spaces such as the Hackney Marshes and Hackney Downs. Hackney's oldest surviving domestic building, Sutton House, is a Tudor-era manor now owned by the National Trust.

Dover sole, or common sole (Solea solea), is a highly prized species of flatfish (order Pleuronectiformes) that lives in the shallow waters of the North Atlantic Ocean (as far south as Senegal), as well as most of the Mediterranean Sea. The name "Dover" comes from the town of Dover in Kent, which in the 19th century was a major fishing port for sole.

As shown in the photo, the Dover sole has a fleshy, oval body, with two small eyes located on the upper side, close to each other. Its greyish-brown upper body allows the fish to camouflage in the sand or mud of the seabed. Because of its bottom-dwelling habits, the Dover sole is fished by trawling on the seabed. Its delicate, mild-flavoured white flesh easily yields four separate fillets, and lends itself to a variety of preparations - such as the famous "sole meunière", a classic dish of sole fillets dredged in flour (hence the name, which means "in the miller's fashion") and pan-fried in butter.

Called "Portus Dubris" in Roman times, Dover is located on the southeastern coast of England, on the eponymous strait - the narrowest part of the English Channel - facing the French city of Calais. Known for its white chalk cliffs and the vast 11th-century castle overlooking the city, Dover is now one of Europe's most important passenger and cargo ports.

The pale grey stone used to build famous landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and St Paul's Cathedral is named after the Isle of Portland off the coast of Dorset. Portland stone is a variety of limestone originally formed in a marine environment, consisting of grains of calcite (calcium carbonate) known as ooids ("egg-shaped) partially cemented together. This makes the stone resistant to weathering, but also relatively easy to work - as well as expensive. Portland stone has been quarried on the island since Roman times, and widely used in England as building material at least since the 11th century. The most common type of cement is called "Portland cement" because its inventor believed it resembled Portland stone.

The Isle of Portland is connected to the seaside resort of Weymouth by a barrier beach. It is part of southern England's Jurassic Coast, so named because of its geological importance and abundance of fossils. The island boasts one of the world's largest man-made harbours, as well as two castles - the ruined, 15th-century Rufus Castle, and the 16th-century Portland Castle, built by Henry VIII. The US city of Portland, Maine, founded in 1786, was named after the Isle.

The four-wheeled open carriage known as "surrey cart" was popular as a family vehicle in late 19th-century and early 20th-century US, especially in rural areas. Though named after the ceremonial county of Surrey in South East England, where it is supposed to have been invented, the connection between the county and the vehicle is still unclear.

Surreys usually had two bench seats and could carry four passengers; many models also had a distinctive top, often in the shape of a fringed canopy. This particular style of surrey is the subject of one of the best-known songs from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Oklahoma!" (1943), titled "Surrey With the Fringe on Top". In the song, the conveyance is lovingly described - with its yellow wheels, leather dashboard, and silk fringe - by cowboy Curly McLain to Laurey, the girl he is in love with. The surrey in the photo dates from 1900.

The county of Surrey lies southwest of Greater London. Its landlocked territory is characterized by its large proportion of woodlands and other green areas. Surrey's largest towns are Woking and Guildford; the countryside is dotted with picturesque villages and historic country houses. The water-meadow of Runnymede along the River Thames, where the Magna Carta was signed in 1215, is located in the northern part of the county.

The colour designated as "Lincoln green" - a dark shade of green somewhat paler than forest green - originally referred to a type of dyed woollen cloth produced in the High Middle Ages in the city of Lincoln (now in the region of East Midlands). The colour (first mentioned in writing in 1510) was created by overdyeing blue cloth (dyed with woad) with yellow weld or dyer's broom.

Often worn by foresters, cloth dyed in Lincoln green has long been associated with the clothing worn by the legendary outlaw Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Lincoln green is also mentioned in Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales", Sir Walter Scott's "Ivanhoe", and William Makepeace Thackeray's "Vanity Fair". The short-lived Lincolnshire Yeomanry, a voluntary cavalry unit active in the years 1901-1921, wore uniforms in Lincoln green.

Called Lindum Colonia by the Romans, Lincoln is located in the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire, in central-eastern England. In the Middle Ages, it was one of England's wealthiest towns due to its production of high-quality woollen cloth. Lincoln's Gothic cathedral, built between 1185 and 1311, became the tallest building in the world when its central spire was completed, and held on to this record for over 200 years - until the spire collapsed in 1548.

Also called "Balmorals", Oxfords are shoes with closed lacing - that is, with shoelace eyelets attached under the vamp (the upper front part of the shoe). Similar shoe types, such as Derbys or bluchers, have eyelets sewn on top of the vamp (open lacing). Oxfords originally were formal shoes made of leather, but now they are manufactured in a variety of styles and materials. They are derived from a half-boot with side slits called "Oxonian", initially worn by students at Oxford University, which became popular in the 19th century when the wearing of trousers rather than breeches became widespread.

Classic black Oxfords (such as the one in the photo) are considered among the most formal of men's dress shoes; they usually have heels of around 2.50-3.80 cm (1-1.50 in). The addition of broguing (decorative perforations) along the toe cap, the sides, or the upper length of the shoe is quite common. In more recent times, Oxfords have also become a popular shoe choice for women - especially those who care about style and comfort in equal measure.

The county town and only city of the ceremonial county of Oxfordshire, Oxford is the seat of the oldest university in the English-speaking world, founded in 1096. Located about 90 km (56 mi) west of London, on the rivers Thames and Cherwell, it is also famous for its architecture - boasting buildings in every style from Anglo-Saxon to contemporary. Not surprisingly, Oxford is also a major tourist destination.

Named after the historic city in Somerset (South-West England), Bath buns are among the many delicious varieties of sweet buns that can be found in England - the perfect accompaniment to a nice cup of tea. These round-shaped buns are made with a milk-based yeast dough, sprinkled with crushed sugar cubes after baking. Sometimes a lump of sugar is enclosed in the dough; currants, raisins or candied peel can also be added.

The original recipe, however, was even richer, using a rich, brioche-like dough that was covered in sugar-coated caraway seeds. The recipe is traditionally attributed to 18th-century physician William Oliver, who treated patients visiting Bath's famed Roman baths. However, when he realized the buns were too fattening, he created the much less decadent Bath Oliver crackers. Bath buns are mentioned by notable Bath resident Jane Austen in a letter dating from 1801. Bath is also the home of another delectable bread, the Sally Lunn bun.

A World Heritage Site since 1987, Bath lies in the valley of the River Avon. It is Somerset's largest city, famous since antiquity for its hot springs. The Romans, who built the famous baths (part of which survive to this day), named it Aquae Sulis. The city is also known for its magnificent Georgian architecture and the imposing Bath Abbey, built in the early 16th century in the Gothic style. Bath is one of England's most popular tourist destinations, welcoming over six million visitors every year.