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Modern English Place Names Trivia Quiz

Most English places have old names (Domesday Book and all that). Here's some rather more recent ones - can you tell me what are their origins?

A multiple-choice quiz by Baloo55th. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
Baloo55th

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
142,668

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Very Difficult

Avg Score
6 / 15

Plays
2202

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Starting with my home town - Southport Hint

Named by Dr Barton at a party

It's a seaside resort south of a port (Preston)

It's a port south of Preston

It was built by John South

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Question 2 of 15

2. Peterlee Hint

To commemorate the Peterloo Massacre

The centre of town is a field below the church of St Peter the Great

Meadows belonging to a farmer called Peters

After a Trade Union Leader

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Question 3 of 15

3. Nelson Hint

After a farmer (Alfred Nelson) who built the first mill in Nelson

After a local wrestler (the originator of the full and half nelson)

From a public house called The Lord Nelson Hotel

A local politician, Sir Bevis Nelson, built the town

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Question 4 of 15

4. Fleetwood Hint

From a Liverpool family who owned land there

The fishing fleet used wooden boats

It was a wood by the Fleet Brook

After a Staffordshire family who owned land there

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Question 5 of 15

5. Hassocks (in Sussex) Hint

From a field with clumps of tufty grass

The land was owned by Sir Belcarrog Hassock

St Ildesfryd's Church was famous for its knitted hassock covers

Hassock was the first developer's mother's maiden name

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Question 6 of 15

6. Peacehaven - to commemorate the end of: Hint

World War II

World War I

The Boer War

The Crimean War

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Question 7 of 15

7. Saltaire Hint

Built on former salt marshes

Built by Sir Titus Salt by the River Aire

Built to house salt mine workers

Built to house redundant sailors ('salts')

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Question 8 of 15

8. Port Sunlight Hint

Built by the Sunlight Society (who believed in open spaces)

Named after a brand of soap

A translation of the Welsh Porth Haul (favourite holiday place of the developer)

Built by the Sunlight Society (who were somewhat puritanical in religion)

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Question 9 of 15

9. Charlestown Hint

After Charles Rashleigh

Founded by Prince Charles Edward Stuart

After Prince Charles

After Sir Charles Townley-Dashiel

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Question 10 of 15

10. Branksome (Dorset) Hint

From a field name - reedy meadow

After a house named Branksome in Scott's 'Lay of the Last Minstrel'

A modern shortening of the old Berantisacombe

From B(enjamin) RANK (and) SOns, of MElton, the builders

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Question 11 of 15

11. Ben Rhydding Hint

A clearing belonging to someone called Ben

Named after a local medieval poet

A Trade Union Leader

From a novel by Scott

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Question 12 of 15

12. Camden Town Hint

Originally just Camden, but Town was added when it grew

From the Earl of Camden

The Town was added to distinguish it from Camden Upsworth not far away

Named for the factory producing Camden Tablets

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Question 13 of 15

13. Ambergate (Derbyshire) Hint

The local roadstone made roads look amber (gate = road)

After a tollgate by the River Amber

After Amber de Courcey, favourite daughter of the local landowner

There were amber mines in the area

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Question 14 of 15

14. Ironbridge Hint

From the iron bridge built there

From Errant Bridge (local farming family)

Corruption of earlier Heron Bridge

Bridge over the Erun Brook

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Question 15 of 15

15. Telford Hint

After Thomas Telford, the Scottish civil engineer

After Terence ('Tel') Ford, the planner of the new town

From a ford on the River Telph

The developer's name was Telfer but Telford sounded more real

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Most Recent Scores

Sep 27 2024 : piet: 15/15
Sep 19 2024 : NETTLES1960: 4/15

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Starting with my home town - Southport

Answer: Named by Dr Barton at a party

The party, at 'Duke' Sutton's place (the first hotel in 'Southport'), was to celebrate the victory at the Battle of the Nile. The very tiny river that flows underneath the centre of town is the Nile. (Guess why?) The original name was South Hawes (= sand dunes).

This was south of North Meols (= sand dunes). Don't ask. As lads, my mates and I used to build dams across the River Nile. There's not many can say they've stopped the flow of the River Nile...

2. Peterlee

Answer: After a Trade Union Leader

Peter Lee died in 1935. The Peterloo Massacre took place in Manchester - the -loo bit was added (from Waterloo) rather like -gate was added to things much later (from Watergate). Strange coincidence that.

3. Nelson

Answer: From a public house called The Lord Nelson Hotel

Quite a few English places are named after pubs - watch out for another Baloo quiz. Remind me if I forget to do it. Then again, don't if you aren't interested...

4. Fleetwood

Answer: After a Staffordshire family who owned land there

The Fleetwoods were also connected with Southport through marriage with the Heskeths - giving the Fleetwood-Heskeths. Fleetwood was founded in 1836 near to Rossall.

5. Hassocks (in Sussex)

Answer: From a field with clumps of tufty grass

St Ildesfryd and Sir Belcarrog both sound so unlikely that they could be real! Sorry, no.

6. Peacehaven - to commemorate the end of:

Answer: World War I

Yes. Well. Didn't end all wars, did it? Founded in 1919 by Charles Neville, although the foundation stone wasn't laid until 1936. Just in time, really....

7. Saltaire

Answer: Built by Sir Titus Salt by the River Aire

Bit obvious - too obvious? They don't have many salt marshes up in the Pennines where Saltaire is. It's sort of a part of Bradford now. Sir Titus was a good mill owner who looked after his workers, and built decent housing for them.

8. Port Sunlight

Answer: Named after a brand of soap

Not many places in the world named after a soap. Sunlight Soap was the foundation of the Lever Brothers fortunes - the village was built for workers at their factory in the Wirral.

9. Charlestown

Answer: After Charles Rashleigh

Founded in 1800 - which rules both princes out. Charles Rashleigh was a local squire (of Menabilly).

10. Branksome (Dorset)

Answer: After a house named Branksome in Scott's 'Lay of the Last Minstrel'

OK, you try inventing these things! Mind you, finding out WHO named Branksome isn't easy - and I haven't managed it yet!. The original place in Scotland was Branxholm, the seat of Sir Walter's ancestors for some time. It was referred to as Branksome in 'The Lay of the Last Minstrel' - a more poetic spelling.

11. Ben Rhydding

Answer: A clearing belonging to someone called Ben

First recorded in 1858 - unless you know something I don't! It used to have a hydropathic establishment, it's got a railway station and it's got quite a lot of sporting clubs. Not a lot more I can say, really. As hard to research as Branksome.

12. Camden Town

Answer: From the Earl of Camden

Founded in 1795, and named for the Earl who had died in 1794. Camden NJ is also named for this Earl, who supported the American colonists. I think his title came from Chipping Campden, but lost the P somewhere along the line. Can't find why Camden Tablets are called that. OK, that's your homework for tonight sorted out...

13. Ambergate (Derbyshire)

Answer: After a tollgate by the River Amber

Sooo obvious, really. Admit it, you don't trust me when I give an easy one. No amber mines in Derbyshire. Go on, get digging and prove me wrong! Joseph Whitworth had his first job as an apprentice at his uncle's mill in Ambergate. Who? Only the inventor of standardised threads for nuts and bolts, the micrometer and other things that revolutionised engineering.

14. Ironbridge

Answer: From the iron bridge built there

Built in 1779 as a sort of advertisement for what he could do with iron, by 'Iron Mad' John Wilkinson. He even made an iron coffin for himself!

15. Telford

Answer: After Thomas Telford, the Scottish civil engineer

Thomas Telford (1757-1834) was born in Westerkirk, Dumfries. Telford is a fairly new New Town centred on Oakengates, Wellington, etc, in Shropshire. Wilkinson might have been a better choice as Ironbridge is part of Telford now, but Telford sounds more like a place, I suppose.

Source: Author Baloo55th

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