Southern England Trivia

1. What is the county town of the Isle of Wight?

From Quiz Last Wights

Answer: Newport

Newport is the principle town of the Isle of Wight and is often referred to as its capital. It is located in the centre of the island and has fine examples of Victorian and Georgian architecture. The largest town on the island is Ryde.

From Quiz A Passage to Hampshire

Answer: Portsmouth

The Spinnaker Tower is a significant landmark in southern England, pinpointing the location of the city of Portsmouth from miles away. It is 170m (560 feet) high and stands on the edge of Portsmouth Harbour, within the Gunwharf Quays shopping and entertainment development. There are three observation decks (one with a suitably scary glass floor), the highest of which is 110m (360 feet) up. On a clear day it is possible to see along the coast from the New Forest in the west to Selsey Bill (in West Sussex) to the east. The name of the tower derives from the fact that it looks a bit like a large sail, an apt choice of design given Portsmouth's longstanding naval and maritime heritage. Although Portsmouth and Southampton are no longer considered part of Hampshire for administrative purposes, they remain within the borders of the ceremonial county. The city of Winchester is Hampshire's administrative centre or 'county town', while the city of Chichester serves the same function for the neighbouring county of West Sussex.

From Quiz The Historic County of Wiltshire

Answer: Moonrakers

The legend originates from when a Government Revenue Officer came across smugglers who were trying to retrieve contraband barrels of brandy from where they had hidden them in a village pond. They were using long rakes. When asked by the Revenue Man what they were doing, they replied they were trying to rake a large cheese from the pond. The Revenue Man rode off laughing, seeing it was simply a reflection of the moon, and assumed they were simply ignorant country yokels! But we all know who were the most imaginative on this occasion.

From Quiz The County of Buckinghamshire

Answer: 7

The historic county of Buckinghamshire borders seven other counties: Middlesex, Surrey, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. The border with Surrey is only a few miles long.

From Quiz More about Dorset

Answer: Brownsea Island

The camp took place in 1907 on the largest of the eight islands in Poole Harbour. Long, Furzey and Green are three of the other islands in Poole Harbour.

From Quiz All About Dorset

Answer: Corfe Castle

Corfe Castle was built in 978AD and stood for over 600 years. It was ruined in 1646AD by Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil War when it was betrayed by a member of its own Garrison.

From Quiz Wiltshire

Answer: Trowbridge

Trowbridge was only a village at the time of the doomsday book and is situated on the river Bliss; it is believed it was being farmed long before this though. In the 13th century Trowbridge developed a clothing industry - there were 15 factories at one time, the last closing in 1982. Many companies opened in the wind down period: Airsprung Furniture Group, Ushers Brewing and Bowyers Pie Making are among just some of them

From Quiz High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England

Answer: The Wye

High Wycombe got its name from the River Wye and the word "combe" (the old English word for valley). The River Wey runs through the county of Surrey. The Isis and Cherwell (pronounced Charwell) meet in the county of Oxfordshire. Outside of the county's borders the Isis is known as the famous River Thames. (Information from www.britainexpress.com)

From Quiz Beautiful Dorset - Yer Tiz!

Answer: The Tolpuddle Martyrs

Following huge countryside protests at the sentence, they were pardoned and returned to England two years later. All but James Hemmett later emigrated to Canada to escape the publicity. A Tolpuddle Martyrs Rally is held each year in Tolpuddle in the third week-end in July - a festival in their memory.

From Quiz Abingdon, Oxfordshire

Answer: Henry VIII

The Abbey was established in the 7th century. It was destroyed by the Danes in the 9th century and re-established in the 10th century. People from the town looted it in the 14th century, before its final destruction in the 16th century as part of Henry VIII's fight to take power from the church.

From Quiz Hampshire and Wight for Visitors

Answer: The Solent

The Solent, thanks to the Isle of Wight, is sheltered and benefits from 'double tides'. This has led to the growth of maritime cities such as Portsmouth and Southampton, in Hampshire and led to the first hovercraft tests taking place in Cowes (Isle of Wight), while at Hayling Island in Hampshire, windsurfing is said to have been invented.

From Quiz Oxford- The 'City of Dreaming Spires'

Answer: Isis

Oxford is situated on a gravel terrace between the Isis and the smaller River Cherwell. The city is about 50 miles west-northwest from London and has about 100,000 inhabitants

From Quiz The New City, Milton Keynes

Answer: Bucks & Bucks. & Buckinghamshire

During the English Civil War (1642-1649), Buckinghamshire was devoutly Parliamentarian. The county MP of the time, John Hampden, was a prominent leader in the opposition against Charles I.

From Quiz The City Of Oxford

Answer: Paddington

First Great Western and Thames Trains run regular services to and through Oxford. Trains also run on the Chiltern Line from Marylebone

From Quiz Portsmouth, UK

Answer: Hampshire

It's on the south coast of the county.

From Quiz Last Wights

Answer: Osborne House

As a child Queen Victoria spent holidays on the Isle of Wight and when she was queen she had Osbourne House built as a summer home and rural retreat where she could relax. She died in the house on the 22nd January 1901.

From Quiz A Passage to Hampshire

Answer: South Downs

The South Downs National Park was only given the designation in 2010, some 59 years after the first National Parks in England and Wales were created; although the idea for it was first put forward in the 1920s. It mainly consists of a chalk downland ridge that roughly follows the south coast of England from the famous cliffs of Beachy Head in the east, to the city of Winchester in the west - a distance of about 90 miles (or 145 km). About a third of the area of the National Park falls within the boundary of the county of Hampshire. Despite its name, the New Forest is actually ancient woodland. The 'new' part dates back to 1079 when William the Conqueror turned it into a royal deer hunting area. His son King William II (known as William Rufus because of his red hair) was killed while hunting in the forest in 1100. The supposed site of William's death is marked by the Rufus Stone, although since the stone was put up about 650 years later the chance of it actually marking the right spot is probably pretty slim. Dartmoor National Park is in Devon; Exmoor National Park straddles Devon and Somerset; and the Broads are located in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk.

From Quiz The County of Buckinghamshire

Answer: Aylesbury

Although the county is named after Buckingham, Aylesbury became the county town in the sixteenth century. Other than Aylesbury's more central location, one possible reason for this was Henry VIII's desire to please Anne Boleyn's father, Thomas Boleyn who was a prominent landowner in the town. Incidentally, High Wycombe, Milton Keynes and Slough are all larger than Aylesbury.

From Quiz More about Dorset

Answer: Monkeyworld

Some of my favourite places to take my little girl - Putlake at Langton Matravers, Farmer Palmer's at Organford. The Otter and Owl Centre is in the New Forest over the border in Hampshire. Monkeyworld is an Ape rescue centre, set up in 1987 to care for abused chimps and rehabilitate them.

From Quiz All About Dorset

Answer: Dorchester

There is evidence of settlements around the Dorchester area dating back to prehistoric times. You can still see the remains of the walls built by the Romans when they were in Britain. Dorchester became Dorset's county town in 1305 and is mentioned in Daniel Defoe's 18th century book "Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain"

From Quiz Do You Know the Isle of Wight?

Answer: Newport

Newport was apparently named Newport when people sailed up the River Medina to the centre of the Island and built a port there, hence 'New-Port'. There is also a Roman Villa here which was discovered in 1926.

From Quiz Dorset

Answer: T.E. Lawrence

T E Lawrence (1888-1935) known as "Lawrence of Arabia", was killed in a motorbike accident near his Clouds Hill home. He was buried at Moreton near by. the National Trust now manage his cottage and it's open to the public. All the other people were also born in Dorset. Thomas Hardy 1840 - 1928. Novelist, poet and dramatist Anthony Blunt Born 1907-1983 - Art historian and Soviet spy John Le Carre Born 1931 - English novelist

From Quiz Wiltshire

Answer: Salisbury

The original Cathedral was at Old Sarum. 1075 New Cathedral started on Salisbury Water Meadows. The Foundation Stone was laid by Bishop Poore. Britain's tallest spire (123m/404ft) was built between AD1310-1333 adding another 6,500 tons.

From Quiz High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England

Answer: Benjamin Disraeli

Hughenden Manor is a three-story red-brick Gothicised Georgian house. It is now run by the National Trust and is a popular tourist attraction. Disraeli acquired the manor in 1847 and lived there with his wife, Mary-Ann until he died in 1881. (Information from www.britainexpress.co.uk)

From Quiz Beautiful Dorset - Yer Tiz!

Answer: Grockles

This is not a derogatory term: Grockles (and their money) are always welcome. The term seems to be applied to visitors in many English seaside resorts.

From Quiz Abingdon, Oxfordshire

Answer: The Thames

The Thames flows from its source in the Cotswolds 346 Kilometres until it passes through London before flowing into the sea. The Tay and the Clyde are both in Scotland and the Tyne is in the north of England, where it flows through Newcastle.

From Quiz Hampshire and Wight for Visitors

Answer: The Needles

Other than the scenic stacks, the west of the island known to the Romans as 'Vectis' offers the attractively multicoloured sands of Alum Bay, and a Tudor castle in the resort of Yarmouth. In the centre of the island lies the capital of Newport, and the Norman fortress of Carisbrooke Castle.

From Quiz Oxford- The 'City of Dreaming Spires'

Answer: Sea coast

A glance at any map will reveal this. This central location was Oxford's strategic importance and attracted scholarly clerics from the Early Middle Ages onwards.

From Quiz Oxford - city and university

Answer: John Radcliffe & Radcliffe

John Radcliffe gave his name to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington and the Radcliffe Infirmary in Summertown.

From Quiz Last Wights

Answer: Vectis

The Isle of Wight was conquered by the Vespasian, the future emperor of the Roman Empire. It was a peaceful surrender and the Roman occupants appeared to have lived peacefully with the local inhabitants. There is evidence that at least seven Roman villas existed on the island. Two of these villas exist today and are open to the public. These are called Newport Roman Villa and Brading Roman Villa.

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Last Updated Nov 16 2024 5:46 AM

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