How much do you know about these legendary English people and places? Take our quiz

Do any of this lot look familiar? Photograph: Mike Harrington/© Historic England.English Heritage Trust

1. How much does the biggest “sarsen” (stone) at Stonehenge weigh?

   1. Five tonnes.

   2. Thirty tonnes.

   3. One kilotonne.

2. When was the last time Dover Castle was in use during wartime?

   1. The cold war.

   2. First world war.

   3. The Battle of Dover.

3. Queen Victoria briefly kept a pretty unusual pet at Osborne, her summer home with Prince Albert on the Isle of Wight. Who was it?

   1. Blanket the macaque.

   2. Charlie the cheetah.

   3. Gwola the elephant.

4. Who was conceived in Cornwall’s Tintagel Castle and allegedly still haunts its hallways?

   1. King Arthur.

   2. King Richard II.

   3. Merlin.

5. How long did it take to build Hadrian’s Wall?

   1. Sixty years.

   2. Six years.

   3. Six months.

6. Whitby Abbey inspired one famous English writer. Who was it?

   1. Charles Dickens.

   2. Arthur Conan Doyle.

   3. Bram Stoker.

7. Where did the 1066 Battle of Hastings take place?

   1. Hastings.

   2. Battle.

   3. Rye.

8. Who was imprisoned in the Isle of Wight’s Carisbrooke Castle?

   1. Charles I.

   2. Henry II.

   3. James II.

9. When is the best time to visit Northumberland’s Lindisfarne Priory?

   1. Midsummer.

   2. Early morning.

   3. Low tide.

10. What is Richborough fort, in Kent, famous for?

    1. It has absolutely tons of ghosts.

    2. It was the site of the first Roman invasion.

    3. It’s got the strongest fortifications in the country.

Solutions

1:B - The biggest sarsen at Stonehenge, the Heel Stone, weighs about 30 tonnes., 2:A - In the early 1960s, the government selected Dover Castle as one of 12 regional seats of government, to be occupied in the event of nuclear war. It was decommissioned in the 1980s., 3:C - Queen Victoria was presented with an elephant called Gwola at Osborne. She kept him for a few days, but then gave him to London Zoo., 4:A - According to legend, King Arthur was conceived at Tintagel Castle and hasn’t yet moved on., 5:B - It took 15,000 men about six years to complete Hadrian’s Wall, which is pretty impressive., 6:C - Bram Stoker found the spooky town of Whitby, and particularly the abbey, inspiring when writing Dracula., 7:B - The Battle of Hastings didn’t take place in Hastings, but in the nearby town of Battle – in fact Battle Abbey was built on the site., 8:A - Charles I was imprisoned in Carisbrooke Castle after his defeat in the English civil war., 9:C - Low tide is actually the only time you can visit Lindisfarne Priory, accessed as it is across the causeway to Holy Island, so make sure to check the tide times!, 10:B - Richborough Roman fort is known for being the site where the Roman invaders landed in AD43. Although it’s now inland, it was then an island just off the coast.

Scores

1. 10 and above.

   You’re a true English heritage legend. Get you – you really know your sarsen from your sarcina (Roman marching pack). You’re clearly a fully paid-up member of the English Heritage fanclub, and who can blame you? There are hundreds of interesting sites to visit, and even more ghosts and legendary figures waiting to meet you. Of course, we’re sure you know all about them already.

2. 9 and above.

   You’re a true English heritage legend. Get you – you really know your sarsen from your sarcina (Roman marching pack). You’re clearly a fully paid-up member of the English Heritage fanclub, and who can blame you? There are hundreds of interesting sites to visit, and even more ghosts and legendary figures waiting to meet you. Of course, we’re sure you know all about them already.

3. 8 and above.

   You’re a true English heritage legend. Get you – you really know your sarsen from your sarcina (Roman marching pack). You’re clearly a fully paid-up member of the English Heritage fanclub, and who can blame you? There are hundreds of interesting sites to visit, and even more ghosts and legendary figures waiting to meet you. Of course, we’re sure you know all about them already.

4. 7 and above.

   Brush up on your English heritage. You might think you know about English heritage and history, and to be fair, you aren’t totally in the dark. Still, there’s always more to learn, and tons of places both online and in real life to discover. You’ll be full of legendary knowledge in no time.

5. 6 and above.

   Brush up on your English heritage. You might think you know about English heritage and history, and to be fair, you aren’t totally in the dark. Still, there’s always more to learn, and tons of places both online and in real life to discover. You’ll be full of legendary knowledge in no time.

6. 5 and above.

   Brush up on your English heritage. You might think you know about English heritage and history, and to be fair, you aren’t totally in the dark. Still, there’s always more to learn, and tons of places both online and in real life to discover. You’ll be full of legendary knowledge in no time.

7. 4 and above.

   Brush up on your English heritage. You might think you know about English heritage and history, and to be fair, you aren’t totally in the dark. Still, there’s always more to learn, and tons of places both online and in real life to discover. You’ll be full of legendary knowledge in no time.

8. 3 and above.

   Not so legendary. Have you ever even been to Stonehenge? Those numbers are slightly alarming. Don’t worry – there are hundreds of historic sites you can check out in England, where you can also brush up on all that knowledge you’re missing out on. Grab an English Heritage membership and try again.

9. 2 and above.

   Not so legendary. Have you ever even been to Stonehenge? Those numbers are slightly alarming. Don’t worry – there are hundreds of historic sites you can check out in England, where you can also brush up on all that knowledge you’re missing out on. Grab an English Heritage membership and try again.

10. 0 and above.

    Not so legendary. Have you ever even been to Stonehenge? Those numbers are slightly alarming. Don’t worry – there are hundreds of historic sites you can check out in England, where you can also brush up on all that knowledge you’re missing out on. Grab an English Heritage membership and try again.

11. 1 and above.

    Not so legendary. Have you ever even been to Stonehenge? Those numbers are slightly alarming. Don’t worry – there are hundreds of historic sites you can check out in England, where you can also brush up on all that knowledge you’re missing out on. Grab an English Heritage membership and try again.

English Heritage is for everyone and has something for everybody – so find your special place today