COTSWOLDS Past Paper Out Of London

Question 1

Name the industry which brought prosperity to the Cotswolds in the 14th century.

Answer 1

The wool industry

Question 2

Name the village where the Cotswold Olympicks takes place.

Answer 2

Chipping Campden

Event address: DOVER’S HILL Weston Subedge, Chipping Campden GL55 6UW

The Cotswold Olimpick Games is an annual public celebration of games and sports now held on the Friday after Spring Bank Holiday near Chipping Campden, in the Cotswolds of England.

Question 3

What are ‘wolds’?

Answer 3

A piece of high, open, uncultivated land or moor.

Question 4

What type of limestone predominates in the Cotswolds?

Answer 4

The Cotswold hills are made of Oolitic limestone, a type of limestone made up of small round grains. These formed in shallow, warm waters

Question 5

Name the Queen of England who died in Sudeley Castle.

Answer 5

Queen Katherine Parr

Question 6

Who bought Hidcote in 1907?

Answer 6

Lawrence Johnston on behalf of his mother, Mrs Gertrude Winthrop (she had re-married)

At the auction in July 1907, the bidding reached £6,500, at which point it was withdrawn from sale. Three weeks later, Lawrence Johnston, acting on behalf of his socialite mother Gertrude Winthrop, agreed to purchase the estate for £7,200.

Question 7

Name the river in Bourton on the Water.

Answer 7

River Windrush

Bourton-on-the-Water is a popular destination with gently flowing River Windrush running through the centre of the village and crossed by attractive little bridges.

Question 8

Which Cotswolds town still holds gypsy horse fairs twice a year?

Answer 8

Stow-on-the-Wold

The Stow Gipsy Fair is held twice a year - in May and October - and dates back to 1476, when a Charter was granted for it to be held.

Question 9

Which Cotswolds town was a centre for the Arts and Crafts movement in the early 20th century?

Answer 9

Chipping Campden

This small Cotswold town also has strong links to the Arts & Crafts era and The Guild of Handicraft – an offshoot that promoted communal living and profit sharing through the production of metalwork. In 1902 C.R Ashbee moved his workshop to the Old Saw Mill on Sheep Street

Question 10

Chipping Campden has a memorial garden to which gardener?

Answer 10

Ernest Henry (‘Chinese’) Wilson, one of the great plant hunters and collectors of the early 20th century

Question 11

Name the town which is known as the ‘Capital of the Cotswolds’.

Answer 11

Cirencester, known as the Capital of the Cotswolds, is a lovely market town with a fascinating history where you will receive a warm welcome. Cirencester, known as ‘Corinium’, was founded by the Romans and was for several centuries a prosperous Roman town, the second largest in Roman Britain after London.

Question 12

Name the hotel in Broadway in which Oliver Cromwell stayed during the English Civil War.

Answer 12

The Lygon Arms is steeped in history. It is intriguing to think that, during the Civil War, King Charles I conferred with his confidants here and at a later date Oliver Cromwell actually slept at The Inn. Formerly The White Hart and privately owned since 1532

Question 13

Name King Charles’ country home in Gloucestershire.

Answer 13

Highgrove House is the family residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. It lies southwest of Tetbury in Gloucestershire, England. Built in the late 18th century, Highgrove and its estate were owned by various families until it was purchased in 1980 by the Duchy of Cornwall from Maurice Macmillan.

Question 14

In which town is the Corinium Museum located?

Answer 14

Cirencester, the ‘Capital of the Cotswolds’

Question 15

The A429 follows the line of which Roman road?

Answer 15

Fosse Way

Question 16

What do the initials AONB mean?

Answer 16

An area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) is land protected by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act).

Question 17

Name TWO counties in the Cotswolds area.

Answer 17

It lies across the boundaries of several English counties: mainly Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, and parts of Wiltshire, Somerset, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire. The highest point is Cleeve Hill at 1,083 ft (330 m), just east of Cheltenham

Question 18

What town is referred to as the gateway to the Cotswolds?

Answer 18

Burford is a town on the River Windrush, in the Cotswold hills, in the West Oxfordshire district of Oxfordshire, England. It is often referred to as the ‘gateway’ to the Cotswolds.

Question 19

Name the organisation responsible for the Market Hall in Chipping Campden.

Answer 19

The National Trust’s Market Hall, Gloucestershire, is an outstanding 400-year-old Cotswold market hall

Question 20

The King’s Men stone circle, the Whispering Knights and the King Stone make up which ancient monument?

Answer 20

The Rollright Stones are a complex of three Neolithic and Bronze Age megalithic monuments near the village of Long Compton, on the borders of Oxfordshire and Warwickshire.

Question 21

Name the famous author born in Chipping Sodbury, Yate.

Answer 21

J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter fantasy series, was born in 1965 at the Chipping Sodbury Maternity Hospital (later the Chipping Sodbury Memorial Day Centre), on Station Road, Yate. Until the age of four, she lived with her parents in Sundridge Park, Yate

Question 22

What are the summer opening times for Hidcote Manor?

Answer 22

Hidcote is open 10am-5pm with last admission at 4pm.

Question 23

What annual event is held on the August Bank holiday in Bourton-on-the-Water?

Answer 23

The world famous event of Football in the River takes place in Bourton on the Water every August Bank Holiday. The match usually kicks off around 4pm. The event sees two teams from Bourton Rovers Football Club play football in the River Windrush which flows through Bourton.

Question 24

What is a “ture”?

Answer 24

There are a number of small alleyways, known as ‘tures’, around Stow-on-the-Wold. The ture adjacent to The Talbot leads to Sheep Street. In medieval times Sheep Street would have been pasture land used to pen sheep and livestock on market days, ready for sale in the square.

Question 25

Which day is farmer’s market day from October to March in Stow-on-the-Wold?

Answer 25

The second Thursday of every month from October to March, or the second and last Thursday from April to September, to stock up on an array of fine local produce at its bustling farmers' market

Question 26

Where can coaches drop off in Bourton-on-the-Water?

Answer 26

A temporary arrangement, expected to launch by Easter 2025, will allow coaches to pick up and drop off passengers in a designated on-street parking bay on Meadow Way, near the junction with Station Road. Visitors can walk into the village via The Avenue and onto the High Street. This initiative aims to reduce congestion while a long-term solution is developed. Mini-buses will continue to have parking access at Station Road Car Park.

Question 27

Dover’s Hill is associated with which sporting activity?

Answer 27

The Cotswold Olimpicks games is a unique continuation of early rural sporting events dating back centuries, combining informal amateur sporting events for competitors with general entertainment and activities for visitors. The games begin with the traditional marching of bands and the firing of cannons. Rustic activities like shin-kicking, tug-of-war, running and wrestling are all hotly contested for.

Question 28

What does Oolitic mean?

Answer 28

Limestone consisting of a mass of rounded grains (ooliths) made up of concentric layers

Question 29

Give ONE reason for the decline of the wool industry in the Cotswolds.

Answer 29

The wool trade became the weaving trade. In the 18th century cloth manufacture was concentrated in the steeper Stroud valleys, in the southern Cotswolds, where there was plenty of waterpower. Then cheaper imports from the Far East flooded into Britain from the early 1960’s

Question 30

Who created Hidcote Manor gardens?

Answer 30

Beautifully crafted by the American flora-fanatic Lawrence Johnston, Hidcote was the first property taken over by the Trust because of its stunning garden alone in 1948.

Question 31

Which Cotswolds village was described as the “most beautiful village in England” by William Morris?

Answer 31

Bibury is a charming Cotswold village just a short drive along country roads from "The Capital of the Cotswolds", Cirencester in Gloucestershire. William Morris (1834-96) described Bibury as "the most beautiful village in England".

Question 32

Which famous garden was created by Major Lawrence Johnston?

Answer 32

Hidcote is a world-famous Arts and Crafts-inspired garden nestled in a North Cotswold hamlet, created by passionate plantsman and talented designer, Major Lawrence Johnston

Question 33

Name the artistic movement which was influenced by William Morris.

Answer 33

A key figure in the Arts & Crafts Movement, Morris championed a principle of handmade production that didn't chime with the Victorian era's focus on industrial 'progress'.

Question 34

What collective name is given to the Cotswolds churches?

Answer 34

The great ‘wool’ churches are some of the best examples of Perpendicular architecture in England

Question 35

Name the Cotswolds town close to Blenheim Palace.

Answer 35

Woodstock

Question 36

Name the two stone circles and the monolith close to Long Compton.

Answer 36

The Rollright Stones: The three monuments, now known as the King's Men and the Whispering Knights in Oxfordshire and the King Stone in Warwickshire, are distinct in their design and purpose.

Question 37

What does the word “Slaughter” mean in place names?

Answer 37

Upper and Lower Slaughter - the slightly macabre name comes from the Old English for 'muddy place' - are linked by the tiny River Eye, a tributary to the River Windrush.

Question 38

Name ONE sport which is played in the “Cotswold Olimpicks”.

Answer 38

Events have included; the tug of war gymkhana, shin-kicking dwile flonking motorcycle scrambling judo piano smashing morris dancing.

Question 39

Which village is known as “the Venice of the Cotswolds”?

Answer 39

Bourton-on-the-Water at the heart of the Cotswolds, is famed for its five stone bridges. Dating from between 1654 and 1911, the bridges are constructed from local Cotswold stone and give the village its byname of 'Venice of the Cotswolds'.

Question 40

In which century was The Battle of Tewkesbury fought?

Answer 40

The Battle of Tewkesbury, which took place on Saturday 4 May 1471, was one of the most decisive battles of the Wars of the Roses in England.

Question 41

The village of Bampton featured in which award-winning TV drama series?

Answer 41

Downton Abbry

Question 42

Name the bird of prey which was reintroduced to this area after near extinction in Britain, which can usually be seen along the M40.

Answer 42

Red Kites

Question 43

Name the church where designer William Morris was buried in 1896.

Answer 43

St. George's Churchyard Kelmscott, West Oxfordshire District, Oxfordshire, England

Question 44

What does the word ‘Chipping‘ mean in place names?

Answer 44

Market Chipping is a prefix used in a number of place names in England, probably derived from ceapen, an Old English word meaning 'market', although the meaning may alternatively derive from (or via) the medieval English word chepynge, meaning 'long market square'. It was sometimes historically spelled Chepying.

Question 45

Name the river which flows through both Burford and Bourton-on-the-water.

Answer 45

River Windrush

Question 46

Which old English word meaning ‘market’ is found in several Cotswold town and village place names?

Answer 46

The term "Chipping" is derived from the Old English word "ceping," which means market. This name prefix is commonly found in towns across the Cotswolds and other parts of England, indicating their historical importance as market towns.

Question 47

Name the radical group whose members were imprisoned by Cromwell’s soldiers in Burford.

Answer 47

The Levellers were a group of radical thinkers, whose views challenged Parliament's control during the English Civil War.

Question 48

Name the children’s author who is associated with Stanway.

Answer 48

J. M. Barrie After the First World War, Barrie sometimes stayed at Stanway House near the village of Stanway in Gloucestershire

Question 49

What long-distance footpath winds 103 miles through the region?

Answer 49

The Cotswolds Way Also: The Cotswolds National Landscape boasts two National Trails – the Cotswold Way and the start of the Thames Path

Question 50

Name the highest town in the Cotswolds.

Answer 50

Stow on the Wold At nearly 800ft, Stow is the highest of the Cotswold towns, located on the Roman Fosse Way and at the point where several roads meet, hence an important trading centre.

Question 51

Name ONE celebrity with a home in or near Chipping Norton.

Answer 51

Patrick Stewart Rory Bremmer Ben Kingsley

Question 52

What name is given to the tombs with semi-circular tops, which are found only in Cotswold churchyards?

Answer 52

Bale tombs A special feature of the Cotswolds is the bale tombs which is a chest tomb with a semicircular capping stone, originally said to represent a wool bale but more likely to represent a funeral pall cloth which covered the bier.

Question 53

In which Cotswold village did the painter John Singer Sargent paint ‘Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose’?

Answer 53

Broadway This painting is set in a garden in the Cotswolds village of Broadway, where John Singer Sargent stayed in the summer of 1885.

Question 54

Name the English king who passed the ‘Act for Burying in Woollen’ / ‘Wool Burial Act’.

Answer 54

Charles II, 1677 & 1678: An Act for burying in Woollen. Statutes of the Realm: Volume 5, 1625-80.

Question 55

Name the town where three Levellers were executed on Oliver Cromwell’s orders in May 1649.

Answer 55

Burford On 17 May 1649, three soldiers were executed on Oliver Cromwell's orders in Burford churchyard, Oxfordshire. They were Levellers, with beliefs in civil rights and religious tolerance.

Question 56

Name the first National Trust property that was acquired purely for its garden.

Answer 56

Hidcote In 1948 Lawrence Johnston gifted Hidcote, now a Grade I listed garden, to the National Trust, becoming the first garden-only property in the Trust's care. Using contemporary photographs and accounts to guide our vision, we continue to care for it for future generations to enjoy.

Question 57

What special characteristic of Hidcote Manor Garden was a ‘first in garden design’?

Answer 57

The Tapestry Hedge Hedges form garden room enclosures, including the tapestry hedge Johnston planted. Among the first of its kind, it incorporates a variety of plants instead of a single species.

Question 58

Name the leading figure in the art world who leased Kelmscott Manor in the 1870s.

Answer 58

William Morris From 1871, Morris rented the rural retreat of Kelmscott Manor, Oxfordshire, while also retaining a main home in London

Question 59

Near which Cotswold town did the last battle of the English Civil War take place in 1646?

Answer 59

Stow on the Wold In the early morning of 21 March 1646 the last battle of the first Civil War took place in Gloucestershire, north of the town of Stow on the Wold.

Question 60

Many stone walls in the Cotswolds are made without mortar. What is the term for this building method?

Answer 60

Dry stone walls are walls that are made without the use of mortar or cement. They have been used as boundaries throughout Britain for centuries, and are a particularly important and attractive feature of the Cotswolds National Landscape. These walls are very much a part of what makes the area special.

Question 61

What is the name of Princess Anne’s country home in Gloucestershire?

Answer 61

Gatcombe Park Gatcombe Park is a country house between the villages of Minchinhampton (to which it belongs) and Avening in Gloucestershire, England. Originally constructed in the 1770s, it was rebuilt from 1820 by George Basevi for the economist David Ricardo. Since 1976 it has been the country home of Anne, Princess Royal. Gatcombe is a Grade II* listed building. Parts of the grounds open for events, including horse trials and craft fairs.

Question 62

Name ONE of the quarry-owning families from the Burford area who worked for Sir Christopher Wren on St Paul’s Cathedral.

Answer 62

Strongs Kempsters Beauchamps Three dynasties of stonemasons emerging from quarries in the Burford area, the Strongs, Kempsters and Beauchamps, rose to national stature as Wren's mason-contractors in post- Fire London.

Question 63

What was manufactured in Witney up until 2002?

Answer 63

Blankets

Question 64

Name a Roman villa in the Cotswolds.

Answer 64

Chedworth Roman Villa North Leigh Roman Villa Cirencester Roman amphitheatre

Question 65

Name TWO major medieval parish churches in the Cotswolds

Answer 65

a) Church of St John the Baptist in Burford, Oxfordshire. The current building was started in the 12th century. The current configuration of the building was completed by the 15th century as a Wool church. b) St Edward's Church is a medieval-built Church of England parish church, serving Stow-on-the-Wold ('Stow'), Gloucestershire.

Question 66

Where were 300 Levellers imprisoned in 1649 by Colonel Fairfax?

Answer 66

Burford Church Three hundred and forty Levellers were captured and imprisoned in Burford Church for the best part of a week. Finally, after much hesitation, Cromwell selected four alleged ringleaders for execution, leaving the others still in suspense. These were Cornet Dene, Cornet Thompson, Private Church and Corporal Perkins. (Cornet Dene received a last minute pardon) Before the executions the whole body of Levellers were ordered to a position where the executions could easily be seen, some being placed on the roof of the church for this purpose.

Question 67

Who was the designer of Rousham Garden?

Answer 67

William Kent One of England's most important gardens, Rousham represents the first phase of English landscape design and remains almost as its designer William Kent left it.

Question 68

What does the name ‘Cotswolds’ mean?

Answer 68

There are two main explanations for the word ‘Cotswold’. The first and most commonly accepted meaning is ‘sheep enclosure’ (cot) and ‘rolling hills’ (wold) so ‘sheep enclosure in rolling hills’. The second comes from the 12th Century word ‘Codesuualt’ or ‘Cods wold’ where ‘Cod’ was a personal name in Medieval times and so the name came to mean ‘Cod’s high and open land’.

Question 69

What is a Cotswolds Lion?

Answer 69

A sheep

Question 70

What is oolithic limestone made of?

Answer 70

Oolitic limestone is made up of small spheres called ooiliths that are stuck together by lime mud. They form when calcium carbonate is deposited on the surface of sand grains rolled (by waves) around on a shallow sea floor

Question 71

In which town can you find the Hobbit (or Tolkien) door?

Answer 71

The north porch of St. Edward's Church in Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire, is home to a wooden door which looks like something from a fairy story

Question 72

Who gave the thatched pavilion to Stanway Cricket Club in Broadway? (first name not required)

Answer 72

J M Barrie

Question 73

Name two Cotswolds towns with good examples of wool churches

Answer 73

Examples include: St. James’ Church in Chipping Campden, which features a tall tower and exquisite stonework. St. John the Baptist in Burford, known for its detailed carvings and monuments. These churches symbolize the economic and cultural vitality of the Cotswolds during the Middle Ages. Stow on the Wold

Question 74

Which landscape designer laid out the gardens at Broadway Tower and park in the 18th century?

Answer 74

Lancelot “Capability” Brown

Question 75

Who owns Hidcote Manor today?

Answer 75

The National Trust