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  1. #1
    Occasionally, just very occasionally, needs an umbrella!
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    Default Cathedrals of the British Isles!!

    Another competition to get you visiting places around the British Isles! I was given this by an elderly aunt who wanted me to find the answers for her so that she could impress her local Mothers' Union; she decided against entering in the end because she couldn't bring herself to cheat!
    I enjoyed it, and hope you will too. Bo Peep has kindly offered a prize - a copy of the CD 'The One Stop Web Site List - UK'. Fifty questions, answers to me by PM by 24 August. To avoid this being too long, I'll post the first twenty five questions here - closely followed by the rest on the next post!


    Each of these clues describes a cathedral in the British Isles; some may not be classed as cathedrals now, but were once.

    1 This cathedral ought to be “ship shape”; from the top of the tower, you can see that Great Britain certainly is!
    2 The hornblower here is definitely not Captain Horatio, RN.
    3 There’s only been half a cathedral in this border city since Cromwell’s men knocked down most of the nave in 1645.
    4 This cathedral includes a French saint in its dedication; the choristers attend an internationally famous music school.
    5 Where the Bishop’s swans used to ring a bell when they wanted feeding!
    6 Don’t forget your waders here if it is raining on 15 July!
    7 We are in the wet in this Irish diocese, but at least there is somewhere to cross.
    8 This cathedral is used as a sign of good insurance.
    9 The local saint sounds like a foreigner, and the cats aren’t all there in the sexist diocese.
    10 This former priory was the cathedral for most of north west England from 1542 to 1847.
    11 Look up – 404 feet, to be exact!
    12 A nickname of the RC cathedral here might imply that American Indians have Irish ancestry!
    13 Two great northern saints are buried at opposite ends of this huge cathedral of the Prince-Bishops.
    14 The earlier cathedral was destroyed by a great fire; it had a spire taller than number 11!
    15 Jenny Geddes threw her stool at the Dean here when he read from the Book of Common Prayer.
    16 Services here are constantly interrupted by the noise of passing trains. In the time of Elizabeth I, only the laughter from Shakespeare’s theatre disturbed the peace – but this church was not a cathedral then.
    17 Built partly from the remains of a Roman town, this cathedral and city commemorate the earliest English martyr.
    18 No black puddings here, but there was the tomb of a saintly English king in the now ruined abbey.
    19 There’s an imp in the choir of this cathedral, which once had a spire taller than either number 11 or number 14!
    20 Its “Air” is famous, but the shorter version of the city’s name is deemed more politically correct these days!
    21 The seat of the Primate of England – but not all of it!
    22 Goldsmith’s Vicar could have been promoted by now!
    23 “There was a young man of Bengal” – not so much a clue, more a sort of poem!
    24 Crowds watched the spire of this cathedral lowered into place by helicopter where centuries earlier Peeping Tom caught a glimpse of a famous bare-back rider.
    25 Charles Dickens lived here – but Charlotte Bronte had obviously heard of it too!

  2. #2
    Occasionally, just very occasionally, needs an umbrella!
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    and to continue ....

    26 This seaport has only had an Anglican cathedral since 1927.
    27 A tiny village on a tiny island, this small former cathedral is the burial place of many kings.
    28 Another small city on its own “Isle”, but no longer surrounded by water. This is where tawdriness originated.
    29 The regimental chapel here has a screen of officers’ swords, made from stainless steel of course.
    30 The three spires of this cathedral are known as the “Ladies of the Vale”.
    31 Three spires here too, on England’s only 19th century cathedral.
    32 Many cathedrals are dedicated to St Peter; in this case the city is too!
    33 Seat of both the Roman Catholic and the Anglican Primates of All Ireland.
    34 A Lake District author set her tailor in a house just off the cathedral close; the doctor got wet on his only visit!
    35 “Let ….. flourish by the preaching of the word” is the motto of this city, whose first archbishop was Blackadder – honestly!
    36 The parish church of this northern city and port, dedicated to the patron saint of sailors and children, became a cathedral in 1882.
    37 The cathedral organist’s dog fell into the river, inspiring one of Elgar’s Enigma Variations.
    38 A city with a strong smell of fish (and probably oil!); it has three cathedrals, all different denominations.
    39 This Anglican cathedral, dedicated in 1961, has a gilded angel on the tower as a weather vane.
    40 The locals call it Llanelwy, but the English usually know this small city by the name of its first bishop.
    41 The only city in the British Isles with two Anglican cathedrals – no, it is not London!
    42 One of the most famous churches in Britain was only a cathedral from 1541 to 1550; there is a local Roman Catholic cathedral though!
    43 One of the biggest cities in England only gained an Anglican bishop in 1905 when the small parish church became a cathedral.
    44 Irish city where cats are noted for fighting!
    45 This ancient county town was home to a fictional detective monk, and now has a Roman Catholic cathedral.
    46 Northern city, noted for the wool trade, became the seat of a diocese in 1919 when the parish church became a cathedral.
    47 The Earl Marshall lives in the castle near here, close to the Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to one of his ancestors.
    48 The most northerly cathedral in Britain is dedicated to the local Earl, who died from a splitting headache in 1116.
    49 A sixteenth century bishop, named for the town of his birth, founded a famous grammar school noted for wise owls; he is buried in his own cathedral.
    50 Is this Scottish Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to the local football club?

  3. #3
    Super Moderator Sue Mackay's Avatar
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    What a super comp! I got all cocky because I knew the first one straight off, but it didn't take me long to realise I'd need to start hitting the reference books! A great alternative to the Olympics.
    Sue Mackay
    Insanity is hereditary - you get it from your kids

  4. #4
    Jan1954
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    Ooh! I love Cathedrals! I shall spend some very happy time working my way through this list.

    Thank you, Barbara!

  5. #5
    Super Moderator Sue Mackay's Avatar
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    Have just spent a happy hour getting most of them. There are a couple of stinkers which I will leave for another day. It has been fascinating. To my shame, though I knew the answer to 35 because of the motto (it is after all my home city ) I had no idea about Blackadder Of course when I was sitting in the Blackadder Aisle in the Cathedral every school Founders' Day (founded by two brothers hence apostrophe after the s - I did learn some things at school!) Rowan Atkinson probably hadn't even been born
    Last edited by Sue Mackay; 11-08-2008 at 7:42 PM. Reason: correcting embarrassing typo
    Sue Mackay
    Insanity is hereditary - you get it from your kids

  6. #6
    Jan1954
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    Well, I know that I have at least one correct - I was baptised and confirmed there! My mother wanted me to get married there as well, but it was rather too "grand" as far as Mr P was concerned...

  7. #7
    Marie C..
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    Default Cathedrals of the British Isles

    Thought I knew all about English cathedrals! This proves I know virtually nothing.... enjoying finding out though!(My father would have zipped through this lot in moments!)
    Marie

  8. #8
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
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    Fat lot of good googling for number 26. The second 'answer' is a reference to the actual question.
    Great quiz though Barbara. Thank you.
    But in future if I moan that a quiz is hard just remind me about this one. It's a and a .
    Pam

  9. #9
    Super Moderator Sue Mackay's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pam Downes View Post
    Fat lot of good googling for number 26. The second 'answer' is a reference to the actual question.
    Several of the questions came up on Google within an hour of Barbara posting the competition!

    Persevere with the Googling - oh, and it helps if you do the occasional cryptic crossword (says she, who was far from confident about a couple of the answers

    Can't believe just how much I didn't know about British cathedrals!
    Sue Mackay
    Insanity is hereditary - you get it from your kids

  10. #10
    Jan1954
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    Why is it that work gets in the way of doing things that I enjoy?

    Just having a go at a few questions at a time each evening - and having a thoroughly lovely time!

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