Gloucestershire History Trivia Quiz

Answer: Chedworth

Chedworth itself is a village to the north of Cirencester, a major town known as Corinium in Roman times. The villa ranks as the largest to be found in England, and is located not far from the Fosse Way, an important Roman route running from Exeter (then Isca) to Lincoln (then Lindum Colonia).

The villa dates back to the second century, and has been in the care of the National Trust since 1924.

Answer: Gloucester

Gloucester was one of William's courts, and records show that he was there in December 1085 when he ordered the survey of all his lands, which became known as the Domesday Book. The speed at which the work was carried out is incredible, with the details being ready by the summer of 1086. William needed to raise money, and the survey's purpose was to establish who and where he could find it, via taxation.

Answer: Winchcombe

Located in the Cotswolds, the present buildings of Sudeley Castle date from the fifteenth century. The connection to Katherine Parr is via the husband she married after the death of Henry VIII, Thomas Seymour. Edward VI gave the castle to Thomas, his uncle (brother of Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry and mother of Edward) and Katherine was living there in 1548 while waiting to give birth.

She died shortly after the birth of her daughter, and her tomb can be seen in the chapel of the castle. Four queens have been at Sudeley - Katherine herself, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth I and the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey.

Answer: Tewkesbury

The wars between the houses of York and Lancaster for possession of the throne of England had been raging for some time. The Yorkist King Edward IV had deposed the Lancastrian king Henry VI, then been deposed himself before retaking the throne. The Battle of Tewkesbury involved Lancastrian forces intent on yet again taking back the throne, but they were defeated, with Edward, Prince of Wales, Henry's heir, either dying in the battle or being executed afterwards. Accounts vary, but he ended up dead either way.

This ended the Lancaster claim for several years, until Edward's death in 1483 led to renewed fighting and, eventually, the Tudor dynasty.

Answer: Cinderford

Compared to most of the places in the quiz, the town of Cinderford is relatively modern, growing up around the iron workings and coal mines of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The housing is reminiscent of that in South Wales, which is also a mining area although the mines are different, with most of the Gloucestershire mines being shallow. By the mid 1960s, large scale mining had finished.

Cinderford is the birthplace of Jimmy Young, who may be remembered by older British players, and the 1990s band EMF also came from the town.

Answer: Berkeley

Jenner was born in Berkeley, located between Gloucester and Bristol, in 1749 and received his initial training in medicine as an apprentice in the area. He then moved to London for three years to further his medical knowledge, returning to Berkeley in 1773. Jenner experimented with smallpox vaccines, building on the already known fact that milkmaids, who had suffered the milder cowpox, were immune from the deadly smallpox. His creation of an effective vaccine has saved innumerable lives, with smallpox being declared eradicated in 1980.

Berkeley is also the location of Berkeley Castle, where King Edward II met an untimely end in 1327.

Answer: Cheltenham

Although the town existed prior to the discovery of the spring, Cheltenham, or Cheltenham Spa as it is also known, really grew into a fashionable resort once the mineral waters were discovered. The town's reputation was enhanced when George III visited in 1788.

The Pittville Pump Room was opened in 1830 and visitors can still sample the waters by visiting the location - rather bigger than it sounds - in the early twenty-first century.

Answer: Bourton-on-the-Water

The name rather gives away the fact that Bourton is located on a river - the Windrush, which runs right through the centre of the village. Located in the Cotswolds, the area has evidence of being inhabited in Neolithic times, and Roman artefacts have also been found. Several bridges cross the river, to link both sides of the village, with the oldest dating from 1654.

The model village is a miniature version of Bourton-on-the-Water, including a small version of the model village itself. The village is a popular tourist destination.

Answer: Stow-on-the-Wold

The Civil War had been raging for some time, with the Parliamentarians gaining the upper hand. The remaining Royalist forces had been gathered together under the command of Sir Jacob Astley. They were engaged in battle on 21 March 1646 around a mile away from the town of Stow-on-the-Wold, by the Parliamentary forces led by Colonel Thomas Morgan. With the help of cavalry forces, led by Sir William Brereton, the Royalists were routed.

The fighting ended in Stow market place, with Astley surrendering to Morgan. With the destruction of his final army, Charles I himself surrendered soon after, in May 1646.

Answer: Filton

Located in South Gloucestershire, Filton is only five miles from Bristol city centre and is often thought of as being part of the city. Filton's association with the aircraft industry dates from 1910, although the airport was closed in 2012. The building of aircraft on the site began in World War I and continued during the Second World War, with various aircraft produced under the general name of Bristol.

The British Concordes were built on the site during the 1960s and 1970s, with all their maiden flights taking off from Filton.

The site is now home to the Aerospace Bristol museum, which includes the final Concorde to fly.