Historic English Villages Trivia Quiz

Answer: Wars of the Roses

This is considered to be the bloodiest battle ever to occur on English soil with over 20,000 casualties. As many as 80,000 men are believed to have fought which would have been approximately 1% of the country's population. The battle led to a rout of the Lancastrian Forces.

Answer: Little Walsingham

Little Walsingham was one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Medieval Europe. In 1061 Lady Richeldis, the owner of Walsingham Manor, had a vision in which she was taken, by the Virgin Mary, to the house in Nazareth where Gabriel announced the birth of Christ.

A reconstruction of the house was built in the village. Henry VIII destroyed the shrine in 1538, so ending the vllage's pilgrimage status. In 1931 the shrine was rebuilt and again became a focus for pilgrims.

Answer: Blenheim

Churchill became a national hero followng a number of victories over the French during the War of the Spanish Succession. Although Queen Anne agreed to pay for the house to be built she fell out with the Churchills who were forced into exile and the flow of money ceased. The Churchills returned to England on the death of the Queen in 1714 and had to fund the completion themselves.

Answer: Tolpuddle

In 1834 James Loveless, George Loveless, Thomas Standfield, John Standfield, James Hammet, and James Brine were accused of forming a trade union and taking an illegal oath. Charged under the Mutiny Act of 1797, the martyrs were found guilty and sentenced to seven years' transportation to the penal colonies of Australia and Tasmania (Van Dieman's Land).

Answer: Photography

Alhough others had captured images before, William Fox Talbot was the first to use anything like modern photographic techniques - using negatives. The world's oldest photographic negative is of a lattice window in Lacock Abbey taken by Fox Talbot.

Answer: Stamford Bridge

When Edward the Confessor left no direct heir, the English throne passed to Harold Godwinson of Wessex. Whilst another claimant, William of Normandy was assembling an invasion force, Harald Hardrada and Harold's brother Tostig invaded in the north. Harold marched his men 180 miles in just 4 days to meet the invaders at the village of Stamford Bridge by the River Derwent.

Although the battle ended the Viking threat forever, Harold's force was seriously depleted and after the long march south they were defeated at the Battle of Hastings

Answer: Thomas Hardy

Hardy was born in Higher Bockhampton on June 2nd 1840. He delighted in the countryside around him, which is later reflected in his novels. On his death his heart was buried next to the grave of his wife Emma at Stinsford Parish Church, whilst his body was interred in Westminster Abbey.

Answer: Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire

In the 1930s Arthur Mee wrote 'King's England', his guide to the country. Of the approximately 16,000 villages in England Mee positvely identified 24 villages where all the men that went off to fight in the Great War, returned. Further research has seen this number rise to 51.

Answer: Conkers

Ashton Conker Club organise this event on the second Sunday in October every year. The village green was used until 2009 when the venue was declared too small.

Answer: Eyam

In August 1665 the plague arrived in the house of tailor George Vicars probably in a parcel of damp cloth from London. As the plague took hold the villagers agreed with their rector, William Mompesson, that they should stay within the confines of the village to prevent the spread of disease. Food and other supplies were left outside the village.