London Past Papers St Paul’s Cathedral

Question 1

What time is Evensong on a weekday?

Answer 1

Every day at 5pm (3pm on Sunday)

Question 2

Name the present Bishop of London.

Answer 2

Dame Sarah Mullally DBE

The Right Reverend and Right HonourableDame Sarah Mullally DBEis the current Bishop of London.

Question 3

In which year was the foundation stone of the cathedral laid?

Answer 3

1675, by Sir Christopher Wren

Question 4

Name the architect who designed the portico for the west front of Old St Paul’s in the 1630s.

Answer 4

Inigo Jones

Question 5

What is the subject of the spandrel mosaics below the Whispering Gallery?

Answer 5

Four Prophets; Isaiah (1864), Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel
And
Four Evangelists; Matthew (1866), Mark, Luke and John

In the 8 spandrels of the Crossing mosaics of Four Prophets and Four Evangelists. Commissioned in 1864-5 but not completed until c1891. Executed by Salviatti and Co. Daniel

Question 6

Where is the entrance into the cathedral for wheelchair users?

Answer 6

The new North Transept entrancehas ramped access, and this is the recommended entrance for wheelchair users and people requiring step-free access. The entrance leads directly onto the Cathedral floor.

Question 7

Which Pre-Raphaelite artist painted The Light of the World?

Answer 7

William Holman Hunt

This famous painting, which hangs in the Side Chapel, is the original byWilliam Holman Hunt, painted in 1853. The Light of the World was begun when Holman Hunt was in his early twenties, and took a number of years to complete.

Question 8

Where in the cathedral is Henry Moore’s sculpture Mother and Child: Hood 1983?

Answer 8

Minor Canons’ Aisle

Moore made the sculpture specifically for its location inthe Minor Canons’ Aisle. The work presents three stages of motherhood: conception, gestation and parenting. These gradually reveal themselves as you walk around the sculpture.

Question 9

Who is the current Dean of St Paul’s?

Answer 9

Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett

The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett was appointed Dean of St Paul’s in September 2022 and oversees a growing schedule of services and special events.

Question 10

Which artist created the video installation in the South Quire Aisle?

Answer 10

artist Bill Viola

These two affecting large-scale video installations were created by internationally acclaimed artistBill Viola.

Question 11

In 2005 which organisation moved their chapel from the Priory Church of St Bartholomew to the crypt of St Paul’s?

Answer 11

St Bartholomew the Great?

The Priory Church served as thechapelof theImperial Society of Knights Bachelorbefore the establishment of the Society’s permanent chapel inSt Paul’s Cathedralin 2005.

Question 12

Which Dean refounded St Paul’s School in the 16th century?

Answer 12

St Paul’s School was founded byJohn Colet, Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral. Colet’s father was Sir Henry Colet, twice Lord Mayor of London.

Question 13

Where will you find a memorial to Lord Kitchener?

Answer 13

The Chapel of All Souls

The chapel which occupies the space at the base of the north-west tower was dedicated in 1925 to the memory of Field-Marshal Lord Kitchener, who had died off the coast of Orkney in 1916. Through him, it honours all the fallen of the First World War.

Question 14

Who rebuilt the great organ in the 1870s?

Answer 14

The 27-stop, three-manual, no-pedal instrument was placed on a screen in the Quire. The organ remained relatively unaltered until, in the 1870s, Henry ‘Father’ Willis transformed it into an essentially new instrument.

Question 15

138 men, severely injured in World War One, made something intricate and beautiful which is currently on display in the cathedral. What is it?

Answer 15

St Paul’s Cathedral WW1 Altar Frontal

Currently on display at St Paul’s Cathedral is a beautifully embroidered altar frontal that was made in 1918-19 by wounded and disabled servicemen as part of their rehabilitation.

Question 16

Who carved the statue of Queen Anne that stands outside St Paul’s Cathedral?

Answer 16

Artist Richard Claude Belt and Louis-Auguste Malempré, afterFrancis Bird.

The statue is a copy of a 1712 sculpture byFrancis BirdinCarrara marblewhich formerly stood at the same location.
Richard Claude Beltwas commissioned in 1885 to create a replacement statue from Sicilian marble, supplied by theCorporation of Londonat a cost of £1,800. Belt was imprisoned for obtaining money by false pretences in March 1886, andLouis-Auguste Malemprécompleted the sculpture.

Question 17

How many organs are there in the Cathedral?

Answer 17

The Cathedral hasfourorgans in total – our spectacularGrand Organ, its cousin the ‘Willis on Wheels’, the Continuo ‘Chamber’ Organ and the OBE Chapel Organ.

Question 18

Which royal couple got married in Old St Paul’s Cathedral on 14th November 1501?

Answer 18

Arthur Prince of Wales and Katherine of Aragon

Question 19

Name Bill Viola’s work, installed in the North Quire aisle in September 2016?

Answer 19

Mary

Question 20

Which former Dean wrote ‘No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent’?

Answer 20

John Donne

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”John Donne, poet and former Dean of St Paul’s, was born on this day, 1572. His imposing statue in the Cathedral is the only one to survive, unscathed, from theGreat Fire of 1666.

Question 21

Who designed the mosaics in the quire?

Answer 21

William Blake Richmond

By the end of the Nineteenth Century,William Blake Richmondhad been identified as the artist whom the cathedral decoration committee wished to commission to design mosaics for the Quire (where the choir sits in the chancel of the church).

Question 22

What is last entry time for visiting St Paul’s?

Answer 22

4pm

Last entry for sightseeing is usually at 4pmwith sightseeing ending 30 minutes after the last entry time.

Question 23

Whose was the only complete
funeral effigy to survive the Great
Fire of London?

Answer 23

The effigy ofJohn Donnein the Dean’s Aisle is a rare relic of the Great Fire of London of 1666, surviving the flames intact. Scorch marks at its base bear witness to the flames’ fury.

Question 24

In December 2017, members of the
royal family came to the Cathedral to attend the commemoration of a
recent tragic event. What was it?

Answer 24

A memorial service was held at St Paul’s Cathedral on Thursday morning to honourthe 71 victims who died in the Grenfell Tower firein west London.

Question 25

Which famous Vice-President attended the opening of the American Memorial Chapel?

Answer 25

Pedestal reads: "This chapel commemorates the common sacrifices of the British and American peoples during the Second World War and especially those American service men whose names are recorded in its Roll of Honour. This tablet was unveiled by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II on 26 November 1958 in the presence of Richard M. Nixon the Vice President of the United States of America."

Question 26

What time does the Cathedral open for sightseeing?

Answer 26

On most days, doors open at 8.30am on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 10am on Wednesdays.

Question 27

To what important position has the Right Reverend Sarah Mallally been appointed?

Answer 27

The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE was installed as the 133rd Bishop of London at St Paul's Cathedral on 12th May 2018. Bishop Sarah sits in the House of Lords as one of the Lords Spirituals, having been introduced on 24th May 2018.

Question 28

By which name is the Chapel of St Faith more usually known?

Answer 28

The OBE Chapel, also known as St Faith's Chapel, was originally a parish church attached to the old Cathedral destroyed in the Great Fire of London.

Question 29

Name the London artist whose two white crosses have been displayed in the Nave since 2014.

Answer 29

Gerry Judah The crosses recall the white crosses of war cemeteries across Europe.

Question 30

What is the name of the bell that strikes the hours at the Cathedral?

Answer 30

Great Tom Great Tom strikes the hours and is tolled manually to mark the deaths of senior members of the Royal Family or (should they die in office) the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, the Dean of St Paul's, the Lord Mayor of London or the Prime Minister.

Question 31

In which year was the first St Paul’s Cathedral dedicated?

Answer 31

604 604: St Paul's is consecratedIn 595, Pope Gregory the Great chose the monk Augustine to lead a mission from Rome to convert the pagan Anglo-Saxons to the Christian faith.

Question 32

In which architectural style is the current St Paul’s Cathedral built?

Answer 32

English Baroque style Its dedication in honour of Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. The present structure, which was completed in 1710, is a Grade I listed building that was designed in the English Baroque style by Sir Christopher Wren.

Question 33

Name the artist who painted the scenes from the life of St Paul inside the dome.

Answer 33

Sir James Thornhill (1675/76 - 1734) Soon after completing the painted hall at Greenwich, Thornhill was awarded the commission to decorate the dome of St Paul's Cathedral.

Question 34

By what name is the American Memorial Chapel also known?

Answer 34

The Chapel is also known as the Jesus Chapel, as the space was known prior to World War II. In a case behind the High Altar is an illuminated book of remembrance: the American Roll of Honour, presented by General Eisenhower in 1951, in which their 28,000 names are inscribed.

Question 35

Name the British bank which helped fund the cleaning of the interior of St Paul’s in the 1980s.

Answer 35

The fundraising committee is far from its £40 million target, but has been able to pay for all interior renovation thanks to a £10.8 million donation from banker Robin Fleming and his family. The cleaning of the South Transept is now complete.

Question 36

In which city were the mosaics made, which are located under the dome?

Answer 36

The mosaics are by Antonio Salviati (1816-1890), the founder of a glass making and mosaic company based at Murano near Venice, who installed mosaics in a large number of churches and cathedrals in Great Britain.

Question 37

Where exactly is the statue of John Wesley located?

Answer 37

The statue of John Wesley, St Paul's Churchyard is an outdoor bronze sculpture depicting the theologian, cleric and co-founder of the religious movement known as Methodism, John Wesley. The statue is located northwest corner of St Paul's Churchyard, London, England, and was erected in 1988. It was cast from a sculpture created by Samuel Manning and his son between 1825 and 1849.

Question 38

The monument to the Duke of Wellington shows him riding his horse. Name the horse.

Answer 38

The Wellington memorial by Alfred Stevens stands on the north side of the nave and has on top a statue of Wellington astride his horse "Copenhagen". Although the equestrian figure was planned at the outset, objections to the notion of having a horse in the church prevented its installation until 1912. The horse and rider are by John Tweed. The Duke is buried in the crypt.

Question 39

For whom was Nelson’s sarcophagus originally made?

Answer 39

Cardinal Wolsey [Nelson's tomb] 'This sarcophagus was originally intended for Cardinal Wolsey, but presented by his present Majesty George 3rd to entomb the body of Horatio Viscount Nelson, situated in the vault under the dome of St Paul's Cathedral, London'

Question 40

There are three galleries under and around the dome. The lowest is the Whispering gallery. Name the other TWO.

Answer 40

(i) Stone Gallery (ii) Golden Gallery Inside the dome, frescoed with trompe-l'oeil paintings by James Thornhill, there are three distinct spaces, called galleries or loggias: the Whispering Gallery, named for the fact that if you speak a word near the wall, you can hear it from anywhere; ascending 119 steps leads to the Stone Gallery, which surrounds the base of the dome; another 152 steel steps finally lead to the Golden Gallery. 

Question 41

Name the monarch whose statue stands outside the west end of the Cathedral.

Answer 41

Queen Anne

Question 42

Which Biblical story is told in the pediment on the West Front?

Answer 42

The Conversion of St Paul by Francis Bird

Question 43

Name the bishop who established the first St Paul’s Cathedral in 604.

Answer 43

Mellitus Bede records that in AD 604 Augustine of Canterbury consecrated Mellitus as the first bishop to the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Saxons and their king, Sæberht.

Question 44

On Lord Leighton’s monument, the Spirit of Sculpture holds a replica of which of Leighton’s sculptures?

Answer 44

The spirit of sculpture holds a miniature replica of Leighton's The Sluggard in her hand.

Question 45

With which item in the Cathedral do we associate Father Schmidt?

Answer 45

The organ, in its original form was made in the mid 1690's by the man usually called 'Father' Smith, but whose real name was Bernard Schmidt, and who moved to Charles II's London from Halle in Germany.

Question 46

From what sort of stone is Henry Moore’s sculpture Mother and Child made?

Answer 46

Marble

Question 47

How many names (to the nearest 1,000) are recorded in the Roll of Honour in the American Memorial Chapel?

Answer 47

28,000

Question 48

Name the TWO “moving image” installations by Bill Viola, in the North and South Quire aisles.

Answer 48

(i) Mary (ii) Martyrs Bill Viola said: “The two themes of Mary and Martyrs symbolise some of the profound mysteries of human existence.

Question 49

What is the subject of the mosaics in the three saucer-domes of the choir?

Answer 49

From east to west, the saucer domes show: The Creation of the Birds, The Creation of the Fishes and The Creation of the Beasts. Each of the creatures can be identified as a particular species, including a peacock, an eel and even a cat!

Question 50

Started in 2008, how much (to the nearest million) did the cleaning of the interior and exterior of the cathedral cost?

Answer 50

St Paul's Cathedral has completed its £40m restoration project. The St Paul's Cathedral programme of cleaning and repair took 15 years and is one of the largest restoration projects ever undertaken in the UK.

Question 51

The female figures around the base of the statue of Queen Anne represent England (Britannia) and three other countries. Name TWO of the other countries.

Answer 51

(i) Britannia (ii) France (iii) America (iv) Ireland The 4 female figures around the base represent: Britannia, France, America, Ireland. It was during Queen Anne's reign that the rebuilding of St Paul's, after the 1666 Great Fire, was completed. The original statue was erected in 1712, an integral part of the design.

Question 52

Which group of people made the mosaic floor surrounding the Duke of Wellington’s tomb?

Answer 52

The floor around the tombs of Horatio Nelson and the Duke of Wellington are a mosaic made by women prisoners at Woking Gaol in the 19th century.

Question 53

Name the former poet and scholar who became Dean in 1621.

Answer 53

John Donne

Question 54

Name the bell in the South West (Clock) Tower.

Answer 54

Great Paul Housed in the south west tower, Great Paul is the largest bell in the UK in current use, weighing in at an incredible 16.75 imperial tons.

Question 55

Name (i) the Artist and (ii) the Title of the painting known as the “Sermon in a frame”.

Answer 55

The Light of the World by William Holman Hunt

Question 56

Who designed the mosaics in the quarter domes over the quire?

Answer 56

William Blake Richmond?

Question 57

Why is the Prussian banner no longer displayed at the Duke of Wellington’s tomb?

Answer 57

Wellington's casket was decorated with banners which were made for his funeral procession. Originally, there was one from Prussia, which was removed during World War I and never reinstated. In the procession, the "Great Banner" was carried by General Sir James Charles Chatterton of the 4th Dragoon Guards on the orders of Queen Victoria.

Question 58

At what time is Evensong on Saturdays?

Answer 58

5pm

Question 59

What was Paul’s Cross?

Answer 59

Paul's Cross (alternative spellings – "Powles Crosse") was a preaching cross and open-air pulpit in St Paul's Churchyard, the grounds of Old St Paul's Cathedral, City of London. It was the most important public pulpit in Tudor and early Stuart England, and many of the most important statements on the political and religious changes brought by the Reformation were made public from here.

Question 60

Whose statue is on top of the baldacchino over the high altar?

Answer 60

The high alter and baldacchino (canopy over an altar) were installed in 1958 to replace those destroyed by bomb damage during the Second World War. At the top of the baldacchino are gilded statues of Jesus and angels.

Question 61

How will St Paul’s choir change in 2025?

Answer 61

St Paul’s Cathedral to admit girls to choir for first time in 900 years First girls will join in 2025 after boarding school facilities have been expanded St Paul’s Cathedral is to admit girls to its internationally renowned choir, breaking a tradition stretching back 900 years. The move comes 31 years after Salisbury became the first Anglican cathedral in England to permanently offer girls places in its choir. Many others, including York Minster, Durham and Exeter, have followed suit.

Question 62

Which internal feature of the Cathedral appears in several Harry Potter films?

Answer 62

The spiral Geometric Staircase appeared in two Harry Potter movies. The West Steps have welcomed both Sherlock Holmes and Mary Poppins Returns. The roof and side of the building were scaled by Tom Cruise during Mission Impossible 6. The Cathedral Floor, Geometric Staircase and Whispering Gallery saw dramatic scenes with master criminal Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant) in Paddington 2. The Nave and Quire appeared in Wonka, with added giraffes! 

Question 63

On which night during the Blitz, was a famous photograph taken of St. Paul’s Cathedral, surrounded by fire and smoke?

Answer 63

St Paul's Survives is a photograph taken in London during the night air raid of 29–30 December 1940, the 114th night of the Blitz of World War II. It shows St Paul's Cathedral, illuminated by fires and surrounded by the smoke of burning buildings.