How Much Do You Know About Sherborne?

The following quizzes are for those who like them easy and then for those who like them more challenging.

Answers at the bottom of each quiz.

The Easy Quiz

1. In which county is Sherborne located?
2. What famous historic building dominates the centre of Sherborne?
3. Sherborne Abbey is mainly built from which type of stone?
4. Which river runs close to Sherborne?
5. What would Sherborne require to become a city?
6. What famous institution in Sherborne did code breaker Alan Turing and Coldplay’s Chris Martin attend?
7. Sherborne lies close to the border of which neighbouring county?
8. Which century was Sherborne Abbey first founded in?
9. What road that connects London to Penzance runs through the town?
10. Is Sherborne located in North Dorset or West Dorset?
11. In 705 AD, Wessex was split between Sherborne and which southern city?
12. Which English monarch is associated with Sherborne Castle?
13. What type of building is Sherborne Castle today?
14. What is the main shopping street in Sherborne called?
15. Sherborne is part of which parliamentary constituency?
16. Which famous author once lived near Sherborne and wrote Tess of the d’Urbervilles?
17. Is Sherborne in a rural or urban setting?
18. What popular local events are held regularly in Sherborne Abbey?
19. Sherborne is part of which region of England?
20. What is the approximate population of Sherborne (to the nearest thousand)?

Answers

1. Dorset
2. Sherborne Abbey
3. Ham stone
4. The River Yeo
5. A cathedral and/or university
6. Sherborne School
7. Somerset
8. The 8th century
9. A30
10. North Dorset
11. Sherborne and Winchester
12. Sir Walter Raleigh (under Elizabeth I)
13. A historic house and gardens
14. Cheap Street
15. West Dorset
16. Thomas Hardy
17. Rural
18. Concerts and music events
19. South West England
20. About 10,000

The Hard Quiz

1. In what year was Sherborne Abbey originally founded?
2. Which saint is Sherborne Abbey dedicated to?
3. Under what king did Sherborne School first exist?
4. What architectural style predominates in Sherborne Abbey?
5. Which famous Tudor explorer helped build Sherborne Castle?
6. What name is given to the castle ruins near Sherborne Castle?
7. Which hill to the south of Sherborne offers views across the town?
8. Sherborne’s medieval almshouses are known by what name?
9. Which stone from a nearby village was widely used in Sherborne’s historic buildings?
10. What is the name of the old coaching inn on Cheap Street?
11. Which writer described Sherborne as “one of the most beautiful towns in England”?
12. Sherborne became part of Dorset after previously being in which Saxon kingdom?
13. What important educational institution was founded in Sherborne in 1899?
14. Which nearby railway line connects Sherborne to London Waterloo?
15. What annual street fair has Sherborne hosted for centuries?
16. What is the name of the medieval schoolroom linked to Sherborne School?
17. Sherborne’s town centre conservation area focuses on which historical period most strongly?
18. What feature of Sherborne Abbey was rebuilt after a major collapse in 1437?
19. What town twinning association with the European Union did Sherborne help to find?
20. The town was named scir burne by who?

Answers

1. AD 705
2. St Mary the Virgin
3. King Alfred
4. Gothic
5. Sir Walter Raleigh
6. The Old Castle
7. Castleton Hill
8. The Almshouses of St John the Baptist
9. Ham stone
10. The Eastbury Hotel (formerly a coaching inn)
11. John Betjeman
12. Wessex
13. Sherborne Girls
14. The West of England Main Line
15. Pack Monday Fair
16. The Abbot’s Hall
17. Medieval period
18. The tower (central tower)
19. Douzelage
20. The Saxons

How did you do?

36-40—Wizard

30-35—Good

Under 30—You should read more