Christopher Winn - I Never Knew That About Britain: The Quiz Book: Over 1000 questions and answers about our glorious isles

CHRISTOPHER WINN

ABOUT BRITAIN

ILLUSTRATIONS BY

Mai Osawa

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Published in 2009 by Ebury Press, an imprint of Ebury Publishing

A Random House Group Company

Text Christopher Winn 2009

Illustrations Mai Osawa 2009

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ISBN: 9780091933043

For Hyla, Jane and the boys the ultimate quizmasters

Now the boundary of Britain is revealed and everything unknown is held to be glorious. Tacitus

Having spent the last few years exploring the boundaries of Britain for the I Never Knew That series, I can only agree with Tacitus that Britain is glorious, known and unknown a land so packed with treasure and beauty, so blessed with blissful countryside, hills and hidden valleys, woods and waters, so enhanced with breathtaking and venerable architecture, castles, cathedrals, village churches, palaces, stately mansions, homely cottages of stone and wood, ingenious bridges and tunnels and innovations. Britain is vibrant and alive with the tales and poetry of heroes and lovers and scoundrels, of battles and of peace, of kings and queens, achievements and dreams, every kind of human drama and character.

There is still so much to see and absorb, so many surprises to make one gasp and shake the head with disbelief and wonder and joy, that I cannot claim to know all of Britain, or even most of Britain. There is always so much more of it to discover and that is its great joy; the realisation that it will never fail to delight, will always be a source of new experiences and excitements.

This quiz book is a chance to sum up and revisit what I have learned of Britain so far. I have collected so much knowledge and already forgotten so much, there is need to stop and take a breath. Deciding on the questions and researching the answers has allowed me to summon up many happy memories of pleasurable trips and explorations to all the corners of these islands, and I hope you will find the same pleasure in answering the questions as I had in compiling them.

Enriched and enhanced with Mai Osawas sublime and evocative illustrations, this book is designed as a fun and informative way to travel through Britain, to find out what you know of Britain and what you dont, to refresh the memory, to acquire entertaining new insights and anecdotes and maybe to dazzle friends and family with some remarkable facts about these majestic and beautiful countries. One point for each time someone says, I never knew that!.

1. What is Britains newest national park?
2. What kind of tree is sometimes known as a May tree?
3. Which Scottish king was born in Turnberry, Ayrshire, or Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire or possibly Writtle in Essex?
4. Which river does the longest railway tunnel wholly within Britain pass under?
5. A species of what kind of bird takes its name from Northumberland-born illustrator and wood engraver Thomas Bewick?
6. In what county town did Marconi set up the worlds first radio factory?
7. What language was Dolly Pentreath, who died in 1777, the last person known to have spoken?
8. What is the only English county name to contain five consonants in a row?
9. On what island is Holyhead?
10. Where in Scotland is it said to be so windy that when the wind drops everyone falls over?

1. What is the most westerly cathedral city in Britain?
2. What is unique about British stamps?
3. Who painted a portrait of Winston Churchill which, according to Churchill himself, made him look as if he was straining a stool?
4. What is the county town of Merioneth?
5. Which television situation comedy was filmed at the manor house in Cricket St Thomas in Somerset?
6. Which fishing port, site of Scotlands first lighthouse, was founded by Sir Alexander Fraser in 1546?
7. Which home was built for the first Briton to rise from a commoner to a Duke in one generation?
8. On which river does Canterbury stand?
9. Who wrote his seminal work while living at his mothers house in Kirkcaldy in Fife and observing workers at the local nail factory?
10. What was the first British car to sell a million?