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London: 2000 Years of History Trivia Quiz

A look at London's past.

A multiple-choice quiz by Flapjack44. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Flapjack44

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
64,013

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
8 / 15

Plays
6009

Awards
Editor's Choice

Last 3 plays: golfmom08 (13/15), Jdoerr (7/15), Guest 81 (15/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. The Romans called the London area Londinium, where does this name stem from? Hint

The name of the first nobleman to settle there

It sounded nice

It means 'forded river'

An earlier name given to the area by the Celts.

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Question 2 of 15

2. The Romans made two invasions of southeast England which resulted in Roman soldiers reaching the Central London area twice.

True

False

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Question 3 of 15

3. The London of about AD200 was surrounded by approximately how many miles of defensive walls? Hint

It had no walls

3 miles

100 miles

500 miles

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Question 4 of 15

4. The hospital of St Bartholomew ('Barts') was established after Henry I's court jester had a dream. True or False?

True

False

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Question 5 of 15

5. In what year did the Black Death, which killed approximately 30,000 of London's inhabitants, start? Hint

1066

1348

1854

1666

6. The fate of the two young princes in the Tower of London is the subject of much speculation with the unproved assumption of Tudor historians (that Richard III murdered the children) getting the most coverage...but what were names of the young princes? Hint

Charles and Richard

Henry and Richard

Henry and Charles

Edward and Richard

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Question 7 of 15

7. During the reign of Mary I, what was Smithfield notorious for? Hint

Executions

Butchery

Red Light District

Ironmongery

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Question 8 of 15

8. What was 'To God and the Bridge'? Hint

A toast made at the coronation of a new monarch

A bequest made in city merchant's wills

A play on at Drury Lane Theatre

A soldier's rallying cry

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Question 9 of 15

9. Inigo Jones, a famous Londoner, was a trend-setting gardener. True or False?

True

False

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Question 10 of 15

10. Where was Charles I executed? Hint

On the floor in Parliament

Banqueting Hall on Whitehall

On a barge on the Thames

He wasn't executed, he was murdered in secret

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Question 11 of 15

11. Women appeared for the first time on London theatre stages in 1660?

True

False

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Question 12 of 15

12. What 'began at Pudding Lane and ended at Pie Corner'? Hint

The first pub crawl

Great Plague

Great Fire

Lord Mayor's Parade

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Question 13 of 15

13. How many 'police' did London have in 1750? Hint

800

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Question 14 of 15

14. The average age of mortality for the London working classes in the mid 1800s was twenty two. True or False?

True

False

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Question 15 of 15

15. How many Londoners did the Blitz kill? Hint

9,500

50,400

150

4,900

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 02 2024 : golfmom08: 13/15
Nov 17 2024 : Jdoerr: 7/15
Nov 06 2024 : Guest 81: 15/15
Oct 22 2024 : Guest 90: 6/15
Oct 22 2024 : Guest 86: 12/15
Oct 22 2024 : Guest 101: 5/15

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Romans called the London area Londinium, where does this name stem from?

Answer: An earlier name given to the area by the Celts.

The earlier name was Londinion although opinion is mixed as to whether there was any significant pre-Roman settlement in the area.

2. The Romans made two invasions of southeast England which resulted in Roman soldiers reaching the Central London area twice.

Answer: True

Julius Caesar launched an unsuccessful invasion in 54BC and then another attempt was made in AD43 during the reign of Claudius. Some historians state there is insufficient evidence to believe the first invasion got as far inland as the Central London area.

3. The London of about AD200 was surrounded by approximately how many miles of defensive walls?

Answer: 3 miles

The wall would have shielded the settlement on three sides (north, east and west), with the Thames to the south being breached only by a drawbridge of some description.

4. The hospital of St Bartholomew ('Barts') was established after Henry I's court jester had a dream. True or False?

Answer: True

The jester was called Rahere and vowed to establish a hospital for the poor if he was able to pull through an illness picked up while on a pilgrimage to Rome.

5. In what year did the Black Death, which killed approximately 30,000 of London's inhabitants, start?

Answer: 1348

The worst of the plague was over after a year. The bubonic plague was a constant threat to the close packed and unhygienic city with the next major outbreak (The Great Plague) three centuries later in 1665.

Answer: Edward and Richard

The concept of Richard III as being hump-backed is also thought to be a Tudor invention, made necessary by the fact that the Tudor dynasty removed Richard III from the throne by force and therefore needed to legitimise their presence.

7. During the reign of Mary I, what was Smithfield notorious for?

Answer: Executions

On one particular day seven Protestants were burned at the stake for heresy.

8. What was 'To God and the Bridge'?

Answer: A bequest made in city merchant's wills

The old London Bridge and all subsequent city traffic bridges have been funded by these early bequests, These bequests were made by merchants and other citizens in response to requests by the Church. Seen as an act of piety, the Church saw bridge building as important way to assist the community.

9. Inigo Jones, a famous Londoner, was a trend-setting gardener. True or False?

Answer: False

He was in fact an architect heavily influenced by Italian art and architecture.

10. Where was Charles I executed?

Answer: Banqueting Hall on Whitehall

The beheading took place on a balcony of the Hall after a four day trial at which a number of the jury did not attend for fear of being part of an exercise which ended with the death of a King.

11. Women appeared for the first time on London theatre stages in 1660?

Answer: True

The first performance by a woman on the stage was during Charles II's reign and the actress was Margaret Hughes playing Desdemona.

12. What 'began at Pudding Lane and ended at Pie Corner'?

Answer: Great Fire

The Great Fire in 1666 in fact helped to see off the last of the Great Plague which had been raging in the City since the previous year.

13. How many 'police' did London have in 1750?

Answer: 6

Some sources give the number as eight rather than six. The formation of the Metropolitan Police was another seventy years away when Sir Robert Peel's thousand strong force took to the streets.

14. The average age of mortality for the London working classes in the mid 1800s was twenty two. True or False?

Answer: True

Smallpox and cholera exacted a terrible toll on the population of the London slums. The 1848 cholera epidemic killed nearly 13,000, which in an age of engineering and modernisation, caused great scandal and resulted in the sewerage system being built, large chunks of which are still in use today.

15. How many Londoners did the Blitz kill?

Answer: 9,500

The German bombing lasted fifty seven nights and resulted in massive devastation of the city.

Source: Author Flapjack44

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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