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Quiz about Lighthouses of England and Wales

Lighthouses of England and Wales Quiz

Lighthouses were once the guardians of the sea and still invoke our interest in their history and architecture. England and Wales, with their extensive coastlines, have their share of fascinating lighthouses.

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

Author
pshelton

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
282,248

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
8 / 15

Plays
453

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Trinity House is the authority over lighthouses in England and Wales. When was this body formed? Hint

1514, by charter from Henry VIII

1802, by Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson

1415, by request of the Lord Admiral

1722, by the First Sea Lord

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Question 2 of 15

2. Which lighthouse is featured on the opening credits of the children's program "Fraggle Rock"? Hint

Bow Creek in London

Portland Bill

St. Anthony's in Cornwall

Wolf Rock in Cornwall

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Question 3 of 15

3. Cornwall's most recently constructed lighthouse was built in response to the sinking of a Spanish ship on 22 October 1963. Which one is it? Hint

Tregoze

Tatter Do

Tater Du

Penzance Point

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Question 4 of 15

4. Located in a natural preserve, which lighthouse is the smallest, highest and deepest lighthouse in Britain and was attacked by German aircraft in World War II? Hint

Longstone in Northumberland

Berry Head in Devon

Souter in South Tyneside

Bishop Rock in Scilly

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Question 5 of 15

5. Which lighthouse has had four different structures, three of which were destroyed respectively in 1703, 1755 and 1877? Hint

Leasowe in Merseyside

Portland Bill in Dorset

Eddystone Light near Plymouth

Bishop Rock in Scilly

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Question 6 of 15

6. Which of the following is London's only lighthouse and is situated in the Docklands? Hint

Battersea

Trinity Buoy Wharf

Canary Wharf

Isle of Dogs

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Question 7 of 15

7. Which is the second oldest lighthouse in Britain and was built by a man in reparation for scavenging a shipwreck? Hint

Peninnis Head in Scilly

Small's in Wales

St. Catherine's Point on the Isle of Wight

Souter in South Tyneside

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Question 8 of 15

8. Which is Britain's oldest brick-built lighthouse, the first keeper being a woman? Hint

Royal Sovereign in Sussex

Wolf Rock in Cornwall

Leasowe in Merseyside

Kingswear in Devon

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Question 9 of 15

9. Which of the choices is not only the oldest working lighthouse in East Anglia but is the only independently operated one in Britain? Hint

Great Yarmouth in Norfolk

Happisburgh in Norfolk

Cromer in Norfolk

Southwold in Suffolk

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Question 10 of 15

10. Longstone Lighthouse was the scene of a famous marine rescue in 1838 by the keeper and his young daughter. Who was this young woman? Hint

Grace Cromer

Grace Darling

Grace Sweet

Grace Heveningham

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Question 11 of 15

11. Which lighthouse is listed in the "Guinness Book of Records" as the smallest island with a building on it? Hint

Bishop Rock on Scilly

Belle Tout in Sussex

Staple Island in Northumberland

Coquet Island off the coast of Northumberland

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Question 12 of 15

12. Which was the first lighthouse to use alternating current electricity and has a nearby foghorn that is the loudest in Britain? Hint

Coquet Island near Northumberland

Lizard in Cornwall

Scarborough in Yorkshire

Souter in South Tyneside

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Question 13 of 15

13. Occupied by German soldiers in World War II, which photogenic lighthouse performed a more recent service with the 1995 rescue of a French ship? Hint

Pendeen in Cornwall

Hartland Point in Devon

Trevose Head

La Corbiere, St. Brelade on Jersey

14. Which lighthouse was involved in the first documented use of a message-in-a-bottle and also had macabre occurrence in 1801 which changed the rules for lighthouse service to require three instead of two men in attendance? Hint

The Needles on the Isle of Wight

Smalls near St. David's, Wales

South Foreland in Kent

Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire

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Question 15 of 15

15. What is the oldest lighthouse in Britain? Hint

Roman lighthouse at Dover

Roman lighthouse at Great Yarmouth

Saxon lighthouse at Rye

Norman lighthouse at Hastings

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Trinity House is the authority over lighthouses in England and Wales. When was this body formed?

Answer: 1514, by charter from Henry VIII

Named for the church that was adjacent to the dockyard, Trinity House is also responsible for radar beacons, fog horns, lightships and other navigational aids for England, Wales, Jersey and Gibraltar.

2. Which lighthouse is featured on the opening credits of the children's program "Fraggle Rock"?

Answer: St. Anthony's in Cornwall

St. Anthony's lighthouse was built in 1835 and lies at Falmouth Harbor in Cornwall. Its primary function was to assist vessels in navigating the nearby Manacle rocks.

3. Cornwall's most recently constructed lighthouse was built in response to the sinking of a Spanish ship on 22 October 1963. Which one is it?

Answer: Tater Du

The "Juan Ferrer" sank at Boscawen point in 1963 with 11 persons lost at sea. The lighthouse was completed in 1965 and has protected this area since that time.

4. Located in a natural preserve, which lighthouse is the smallest, highest and deepest lighthouse in Britain and was attacked by German aircraft in World War II?

Answer: Berry Head in Devon

Berry Head is at the heart of an unusual natural area that features a number of endangered species of animals and plants. German fighter planes strafed the lighthouse in 1942 leaving only minor damage from bullets. If the spectacular natural surroundings were not enough, there are the ruins of an Iron Age fort nearby.

5. Which lighthouse has had four different structures, three of which were destroyed respectively in 1703, 1755 and 1877?

Answer: Eddystone Light near Plymouth

The first lighthouse at Eddystone was built in 1698 by Henry Winstanley. He was so confident in the sturdiness of his work that he was determined to be in the tower during a storm on 27 November 1703. After the storm subsided, the tower and Winstanley had completely vanished.

The second lighthouse, called Rudyard's, built in 1709, was consumed by fire 2 December 1755. The 94 year old keeper died of lead poisoning from contact with the melting ceiling while fighting the fire. The third building, Smeaton's, built in 1759 became very unstable and was dismantled in 1877.

The current and fourth lighthouse, Douglass's, was erected in 1882.

6. Which of the following is London's only lighthouse and is situated in the Docklands?

Answer: Trinity Buoy Wharf

Trinity Buoy Wharf lighthouse was built in 1864 and was once used for lighting trials. No longer functioning as a lighthouse, it houses a fine arts studio.

7. Which is the second oldest lighthouse in Britain and was built by a man in reparation for scavenging a shipwreck?

Answer: St. Catherine's Point on the Isle of Wight

St. Catherine's is on the southernmost point of the Isle of Wight. It was built in 1323 by Walter de Godeton who was threatened with excommunication if he did not perform this act of penance for his part in looting a shipwreck.

8. Which is Britain's oldest brick-built lighthouse, the first keeper being a woman?

Answer: Leasowe in Merseyside

Leasowe began operating in 1908 with Mrs Williams as the keeper. In 1961, the world's first hovercraft operated between this area and Wales.

9. Which of the choices is not only the oldest working lighthouse in East Anglia but is the only independently operated one in Britain?

Answer: Happisburgh in Norfolk

The lighthouse was built in 1790. After Trinity House planned to close this lighthouse to reduce redundancy, the local villagers petitioned to prevent the closure and formed the Happisburgh Lighthouse Trust which now operates this structure.

10. Longstone Lighthouse was the scene of a famous marine rescue in 1838 by the keeper and his young daughter. Who was this young woman?

Answer: Grace Darling

This lighthouse in the Farne Islands, Northumberland was built in 1826. When the "Forfarshire" wrecked on Harker rock 7 September 1838, Grace and her father William Darling, the lighthouse keeper, braved the storm and rescued the passengers and crew. The 23 year old woman became a national heroine for her feat. Grace Darling was born 24 November 1815 and died, unmarried, 20 October 1842 of tuberculosis.

11. Which lighthouse is listed in the "Guinness Book of Records" as the smallest island with a building on it?

Answer: Bishop Rock on Scilly

The Scilly islands are a small chain off the southwest coast of England and are remarkable for their beautiful scenery and temperate climate. The original Bishop Rock light was built in 1847 but collapsed before it could be finished. The current lighthouse was built in 1858.

12. Which was the first lighthouse to use alternating current electricity and has a nearby foghorn that is the loudest in Britain?

Answer: Souter in South Tyneside

Souter was built in 1871 and has been featured on Britain's "Most Haunted" T.V. series.

13. Occupied by German soldiers in World War II, which photogenic lighthouse performed a more recent service with the 1995 rescue of a French ship?

Answer: La Corbiere, St. Brelade on Jersey

17 April 1995, all 307 passengers and crew of a stranded French ship were rescued. The Jersey islands were occupied by German forces during World War II as was La Corbiere. Built in 1874, the lighthouse is one of the most photographed landmarks on Jersey and appears on the Jersey pound note.

Answer: Smalls near St. David's, Wales

When this lighthouse was built in 1776, the builder, Henry Whiteside, and some of his crew were stranded. They put a message in a bottle which made its way to shore and help was sent. In 1801, after the accidental death of one of the keepers, the other feared that he might be accused of murder if he put the body into the sea so he secured the coffin to the side of the structure.

When the service boat arrived months later, they found that the unfortunate man had gone mad and the rules were changed requiring at least 3 attendants to prevent a similar occurrence in the future.

15. What is the oldest lighthouse in Britain?

Answer: Roman lighthouse at Dover

The Romans built two lighthouses at Dover (called Dubris at that time) before 183 C.E. Both were called Pharos and only one now survives. It was used as a bell tower by the adjacent church of St. Mary-in-Castro, which was built in Saxon times.

Source: Author pshelton

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