County Durham Trivia Quiz

Answer: River Tyne

The Browney is a tributary of the River Wear, that flows through Durham. The Wear, Tyne, and Tees all rise in The Pennines and flow into the North Sea. As it is hard to find a rhyme for The River Wear (pronounced weir), he had to sit on the banks of the River Tyne. North Sea Ferries to Norway, Germany and Holland leave from Newcastle upon Tyne. Roger Whittaker's "Durham Town (The Leavin')" was released in 1969.

Answer: Philadelphia

Philadelphia is the village that was home to the works. The buildings still exist (2007), but the mines have all gone. Cheddar is in Somerset, Wensleydale is in Lancashire, whilst Lymeswold was a marketing ploy for a soft cheese. Preserved examples of the Durham's mining railways can be found at Bowes Incline and on the Tanfield Railway.

Answer: Union/Political Meeting

This was the Area AGM of the National Union of Mine Workers. The pit villages would empty, and parade with their pit banners and brass bands, past the leader of the Labour Party onto Durham Race Course for political speeches and a fun fair. My wife's grandfather designed the banner for Murton Pit.

Answer: 140 paces per minute

60 paces is the Slow March - used in Trooping the Colour to display the flag, or to bring a coffin into church. 120 Paces is the normal quick march. At Waterloo Station they used to play marches over the tannoy to clear the
concourse during the rush hour. 140 paces is the fast pace. This is a relic from the Napoleonic Wars when they marched quickly around the battle field. The regiment no longer exists, but the Regimental Museum can be found in Durham.
There is a faster Italian regiment that runs complete with band.

Answer: The Pink Panther

In the 1963 film, "The Pink Panther", the subject was actually a diamond, that The Phantom (David Niven) was trying to steal. The 2006 "Pink Panther" film featured Steve Martin as Clouseau.

The Tourist Board market County Durham as the "Land of the Prince Bishops", however some locals now irreverently refer to it as Pink Panther Country. All Together now:-
"Durham
Durham
Durham Durham Durham Durham
Durhaaaaaaam
Durham Durham"

Answer: Nicholas Nickleby

Charles Dickens was staying at The Unicorn in Bowes where he witnessed the headmaster and boys of Shaw's Academy. The headmaster Mr William Shaw became Wackford Squeers, and pupil George Taylor became Smike. They are both buried in Bowes Churchyard. The school closed soon after the publication of the book. "The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby" was first published in 1839. "Tom Brown's School Days" was set in Rugby School.

Answer: A Religious Hermit

The Anker House is attached to St Mary's and St Cuthbert's Parish Church in Chester-Le-Street. A volunteer (an Anchorite) would be walled up inside a small house that was part of the church. There would be an opening facing the church altar, and the Anchorite would spend his remaining days in prayer & contemplation.

Answer: Cockroaches in your outside lavatory.

Andrew Elliot has written many humorous books in Pitmatic, and also re-written Bible stories in the dialect and set in the north East. Like the mines the dialect is fast disappearing. For something more serious I can recommend "Pitmatic; The talk of the North East Coalfield" by Bill Griffiths.

A famous traditional song of the area is the Lambton Worm:-

One Sunday morn young Lambton Went a-fishin' in the Wear; An' catched a fish upon his huek, He thowt leuk't varry queer, But whatt'n a kind a fish it was Young Lambton couldn't tell. He waddn't fash to carry it hyem, So he hoyed it in a well.

Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs, Aa'll tell ye aall and aaful story,
Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs, An' Aal tell ye 'bout the worm.

Noo Lambton felt inclined to gan An' fight in foreign wars. He joined a troop o' Knights that cared For neither wounds nor scars, An' off he went to Palestine Where queer things him befel, An' varry seun forgot aboot The queer worm i' the well.

Chorus

But the worm got fat an' growed an' growed, An' growed an aaful size; He'd greet big teeth, a greet big gob, An' greet big goggle eyes. An' when at neets he craaled aboot To pick up bits o'news, If he felt dry upon the road, He milked a dozen coos.

Chorus

This feorful worm wad often feed On calves an' lambs an' sheep, An' swally little bairns alive When they laid doon to sleep. An' when he'd eaten aal he cud An' he had has he's fill, He craaled away an' lapped his tail Seven times roond Pensher Hill.

Chorus

The news of this most aaful worm An' his queer gannins on Seun crossed the seas, gat to the ears Of brave an' bowld Sir John. So hyem he cam an' catched the beast An' cut 'im in three halves, An' that seun stopped he's eatin' bairns, An' sheep an' lambs and calves.

Chorus

So noo ye knaa hoo aall the folks On byeth sides of the Wear Lost lots o' sheep an' lots o' sleep An' lived in mortal feor. So let's hev one to brave Sir John That kept the bairns frae harm Saved coos an' calves by myekin' haalves O' the famis Lambton Worm

Chorus

Noo lads, Aa'll haad me gob, That's aall Aa knaa aboot the story Of Sir John's clivvor job Wi' the aaful Lambton Worm!

Answer: Jimmy Carter

It was Jimmy Carter who visited in May 1977 whilst James Callaghan was P.M. George Bush Jr. visited Tony Blair's Sedgefield home in November 2003. Josiah Bartlett is a fictional president, whilst John Tyler was the American Whig President between 1841 and 1845.

Answer: Penshaw Hill

Beacon Hill, Pow Hill, Waldridge Fell are all Country Parks in County Durham.
On the top of Penshaw Hill can be found the Londonderry Monument. The monument to Lord Londonderry is a replica a Grecian Temple, and dominates the skyline of East Durham. He owned many mines on the Coast. The memorial was paid for by public subscription and built in 1845. Penshaw Hill is now owned by the National Trust, and according to local legend is the home of a serpentine monster, The Lambton Worm.