How well do you know North East England? Test your North East knowledge with our latest North East quiz.

1. Where did the Victoria Hall disaster that claimed the lives of 183 children through crushing at a music hall event take place?

2. Where would you now find the Cale Cross, a former market cross that once stood on the Newcastle Quayside?

3. Which  small town was the North East birthplace of the legendary Liverpool Football club manager Bob Paisley?

4. What is the historic estate village of Raby Castle that once gave its name to a medieval shire?

5. What famous North East business was established at number 5 Market Place, South Shields in 1894?

6. In which Durham village will you find a manor house of the 1670s, and an Old Hall of the early 1600s alongside a substantial village green where there is a sculpture commemorating a footballing feat?

7. Which alcoholic drink was invented by Lieutenant Colonel James Porter in 1927?

8. Which area of Durham City is thought to have a name that means ‘swan island’?

9. Kielder Water reservoir is situated in the valley of which North East river?

10. Name the Middlesbrough-born songwriter, whose creations include Fool (If You Think It’s Over), Let’s Dance, On the Beach, The Road to Hell and Driving Home for Christmas

11. What was the name of the Sunderland songwriter who wrote the Christmas song Little Donkey?

12. Which impressive National Trust property in Northumberland built by Sir John Vanburgh suffered from disastrous fires in 1752 and 1822 that leaves much of the building an empty shell to this day.

13. What is situated near Bishop Auckland and described as one of the largest ancient monuments and one of Britain’s most important early industrial landscapes with traces of early medieval mining, medieval field boundaries and evidence of Iron Age farming settlements?

14. Which North East river changes its name about half way along its course after passing the site of Bewick Mill?

15. Born in 1959 what is the real name and stage name of the Leeds-born and Darlington raised comedian who formed a unique partnership with a Middlesbrough-born comedian.

16. What is the Wrekendyke and which North East place was named from it during the nineteenth century?

17. Killhope Wheel museum in Upper Weardale is dedicated to which important North East industry?

18. What are Megstone, Elbow, Wideopens, Goldstone, The Bush, Glororum Shad, Gun Rock, Brownsman, Callers, Crumstone, Fang, North and South Wamses, Roddam and Green, Big and Little Harcar, Nameless Rock, Blue Caps and Longstone?

19. The prominent cone-shipped building of 1787 at Lemington in Newcastle was a former works used in the manufacture of what kind of product?

20. What is the name of the famous North East born actor and comedian who was a former pupil of Durham Chorister School near Durham Cathedral?

21. Which rugged North East castle, now a National Trust property, was converted from a castle into a private residence by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens?

22. Oswin, a King and saint of Deira is reputedly buried at which North Eastern coastal location?

23. Which North East town was once used as the film set for the TV series Supergran?

24. Where in the North East will you find the Old Low Light, New Low Light, Old High Light and New High Light?

25. At what North East park might you find Neptune in the middle of a lake, a folly in the form of a medieval tower and a temple of Minerva?

26. Dainty Dinah was the brand name for sweets and toffees once produced in which North East town?

27. What is the name of the Billingham-born actor who played the title role in the 2000 film Billy Elliot?

28. What was the name of the British Prime Minister who was born at Windlestone Hall in County Durham?

29. For which famous anthem was the songwriter Geordie Ridley (pictured) principally remembered?

 

30. Which North East waterfall can be found in a little valley near Bellingham in North Tynedale where it cascades with “sudden dash and bound and splash, with rout and shout and roar and din”?

31. What horrific event, the worst of its kind in North East history happened on the morning of Thursday, January 16, 1862?

32. What is the alternative name for St Mary’s Island near Whitley Bay?

33. The Dickens novel Master Humphrey’s Clock was inspired by a clock maker working in which North East town?

34. Which sheep-like breed of dog takes its name from a Northumbrian mining town?

35. What lies just offshore from the coastal village of Amble and takes its name from Amble’s river?

36. Football manager Sir Bobby Robson MBE was born in the Durham mining village of Sacriston but in which neighbouring village did he grow up?

37. What is the title of the man depicted on the statue in the centre of the market place in Durham City and which North East town and coal port was he famous for building?

38. Which North East family associated with Blagdon Hall near Cramlington were closely associated with the development of the town and port of Blyth?

39. Which noted US politician whose ancestors took their name from Roddam in Northumberland also has ancestral connections to the Stanley area of County Durham?

40. Jeremiah Dixon of Cockfield in County Durham gave his name to which border in the United States that subsequently gave its name to which kind of music?

Answers below

 

 

Answers

1. Sunderland, near Mowbray Park.
2. On the edge of the Blagdon Hall estate.
3. Hetton-le-Hole.
4. Staindrop, there was a once a district called Staindropshire.
5. J. Barbour & Sons.
6. West Auckland.
7. Newcastle Brown Ale.
8. Elvet.
9. The North Tyne, North Tynedale.
10. Chris Rea.
11. Eric Boswell.
12. Seaton Delaval Hall.
13. Cockfield Fell.
14. The River Breamish becomes the River Till at the site of Bewick Mill.
15. Vic Reeves (real name Jim Moir) who formed a comedy double act with Middlesbrough’s Bob Mortimer.
16. Wrekendyke is the name of a Roman road from which the name of Wrekenton was created.
17. Lead mining.
18. They are all names for the individual islands and rocks that form the Farne Islands.
19. Glass.
20. Rowan Atkinson.
21. Lindisfarne Castle.
22. Tynemouth Priory.
23. Tynemouth.
24. North Shields.
25. Hardwick Park, Hardwick Hall near Sedgefield.
26. Chester-le-Street.
27. Jamie Bell.
28. Sir Anthony Eden.
29. The Blaydon Races.
30. Hareshaw Linn.
31. The Hartley Colliery Disaster (Hester Pit).
32. Bate Island.
33. Barnard Castle.
34. Bedlington Terrier.
35. Coquet Island.
36. Langley Park.
37. Marquess of Londoderry. Seaham Harbour.
38. Ridley / White Ridley.
39. Hilary Clinton.
40. The Mason-Dixie line which gave rise to the name Dixieland and Dixieland Jazz.