In Our Own Back Yards Trivia Game | Where on Earth?

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Just a few miles from my home is a cathedral that boasts the tallest spire in Great Britain, the best surviving of the four original copies of the Magna Carta, and the largest cathedral close in Britain. Which cathedral is so close to my own backyard?

Answer: Salisbury Cathedral

The foundation stone for Salisbury Cathedral was laid on 28 April 1220 and follows solely the early English Gothic architectural style, with a spire that soars to 404 ft. However, owing to the high water table in the chosen location, the cathedral was built on only four feet of foundations. Amongst its other claims to fame, the Cathedral houses the world's oldest working clock (dating from 1386).

Salisbury Cathedral is the subject of a number of famous paintings by the artist Constable, from viewpoints at Long Bridge and the Water Meadows, and is also the subject of William Golding's 1964 novel "The Spire". I was perhaps fortunate to have had Golding (nicknamed 'Scruff' by us schoolboys) as my English tutor in the late 1950s!

(Question and additional information provided by moonraker2)

2. I live near a college in England which is considered to be one of the most famous public schools in the world. It is on the River Thames. Which might it be?

Answer: Eton College

Eton College, known generally as Eton, is considered to be one of the most famous public schools in the world. That's a bit of a misnomer really because it is a distinctly private school which was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. It was recorded by a historian to have produced more 'old-boys' with major influence than any other school in the world. It has turned out at least nineteen British Prime Ministers, including William Gladstone and David Cameron, royalty such as Princes William and Harry, the authors Aldous Huxley and George Orwell, the actor Hugh Laurie, Olympic rowing phenomena Matthew Pinsent, and many internationals. That is just a small list of the many notables who have been educated there.

(Question and additional information provided by Airmale)

3. Not so long ago, I lived in a small village on the most easterly point in Australia. Can you name this point?

Answer: Cape Byron

The small village, as it was then, is known as Byron Bay, and is located just at the bottom of the drive up to Cape Byron. Known for the breathtaking views from the point, its lighthouse, whale-watching, wild goats that roam free on the Cape, surfing, sunbathing, its rainforests, its friendly people, Byron Bay and its surrounds - it truly is one of the most beautiful places in Australia. Once a sleepy little fishing village and a refuge from hectic lifestyles elsewhere, the developers then discovered Byron Bay. It now resembles a three ring circus.

(Question and additional information provided by Creedy)

4. The Battle of Wilson's Creek was the first major Civil War conflict west of the Mississippi River. If you would like to tour the battlefield, we could be there in fifteen minutes. In which of these areas do I live?

Answer: Springfield, Missouri

Yes, the battlefield is "just down the road and around the bend" as we say here in the Ozarks region of Missouri. The Battle of Wilson's Creek took place in August of 1861, and involved over 5,000 Union troops and 12,000 Confederate troops. The victory went to the Confederates, and General Nathaniel Lyon was killed. He was the first Union general to be killed in combat.

(Question and additional information provided by unterkircher)

5. Not so long ago, a very talented writer lived in a small unassuming house in rural Hampshire, England. In this house, she created masterpieces such as "Emma" and "Pride and Prejudice". What is the name of the sleepy village where these major literary works were completed?

Answer: Chawton

The sleepy village of Chawton has not changed much since Jane Austen lived there during the early 1800s. The village lies in the South Downs National Park between Farnham and Winchester and consists of a manor house, village hall, church, pub, school, cricket green and museum. Chawton Cottage, a 17th century house and the former home of Austen, has been turned into the Jane Austen's House Museum and is visited by approximately 30,000 people each year.

(Question and additional information provided by Plodd)

6. The most south-westerly point in Europe is found in the Algarve, Portugal. It is known as?

Answer: Cape St. Vincent

Cape St. Vincent (Cabo Sao Vicente) is a popular tourist attraction, with a lighthouse on a rocky headland in Sagres. Legend says that after St. Vincent was martyred, ravens protected his body from vultures, until his followers moved it to what is now known as Cape St. Vincent.

(Question and additional information provided by veronicavee)

7. About 185 miles from my backyard is the easternmost town of the contiguous United States. It is known as what?

Answer: Lubec, Maine

The town of Lubec is the easternmost town on the continental United States. Lubec offers close to a hundred miles of coastline. Rugged coastlines, natural beauty and tranquility are all a part of my backyard: Maine.

(Question and additional information provided by jerico54)

8. In my backyard there are Red Devils! Not monsters, but a mighty football team in North West England. What is the name of the towering landmark football stadium that is home to these champions?

Answer: Old Trafford

Manchester United Football Club, the Red Devils, is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the English Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910. Manchester United has won the most titles in English football, including a record 19 league titles.

(Question and additional information provided by peewee2)

9. I live in the beautiful country of Canada which consists of ten provinces and three territories. My province is surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes. In my backyard in the winter, I can have more snow than you could ever think of due to something known as the Lake Effect. Can you tell me what province I live in?

Answer: Ontario

I have the honour of living in Hamilton, Ontario also know as "The Hammer" or "Steeltown". The first ever Tim Hortons Coffee Shop was founded in 1964 here and named after the hockey great Tim Horton. It now has over 3,000 restaurants all across Canada and abroad. Hamilton consists of an area in Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe. In the summer, its breathtaking view of the escarpment is a sight to behold. In the winter, Hamilton can experience some of the snowiest winters in Southern Ontario due to easterly winds blowing across Lake Ontario, especially the western end of the lake where Hamilton is situated.

(Question and additional information provided by Eastenders01)

10. Which emblematic Frank Gehry building, situated in the north of Spain, has appeared in a James Bond film and various music videos, and is guarded by a huge "Puppy"?

Answer: The Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

Opened in October 1997, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has attracted tourists from all over the world. The pre-title sequence of the 1999 James Bond film "The World Is Not Enough", starring Pierce Brosnan, was filmed in Bilbao and featured the museum. Music artists such as Simple Minds, with their song "Glitterball", and Mariah Carey, with her song "Sweetheart", both filmed videos there in 1998. The square at the entrance is dominated by "Puppy", a 12.4 m tall topiary sculpture of a white West Highland Terrier by Jeff Koons.

(Question and additional information provided by BasqueIron)

Source: Author Plodd

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Pagiedamon before going online.
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In Our Own Back Yards Trivia Quiz

The Scrambled Eggheads team takes a look at famous places near to where they live. Can you guess where they are from the clues given?

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