English Cathedrals Trivia Quiz – Names, Facts and Surprises

This English cathedrals trivia quiz covers Canterbury, York Minster, St Paul's, Salisbury, Durham, Ely and Lincoln. Ten questions bring names, facts and surprises from England's great cathedrals and their history.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Canterbury
Which archbishop was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170?
Salisbury
Which cathedral has England's tallest spire?
London
Who designed St Paul's Cathedral after the Great Fire of 1666?
Durham
Durham Cathedral is a famous example of which style?
Ely
Ely Cathedral is nicknamed what?
Lincoln
Lincoln Cathedral was once the tallest building in the world until when?
Whispers
Which cathedral has a famous Whispering Gallery?
Wells
Wells Cathedral is famous for which unusual feature?
Coventry
Which cathedral was rebuilt beside its bombed ruins after 1940?
Liverpool
Which is the largest cathedral in Britain?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Which archbishop was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170?
Answer: Thomas Becket
Becket's death made Canterbury a major pilgrimage site, as in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
Q2: Which cathedral has England's tallest spire?
Answer: Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury's spire is about 123 meters tall, and the cathedral holds one of four original copies of Magna Carta.
Q3: Who designed St Paul's Cathedral after the Great Fire of 1666?
Answer: Sir Christopher Wren
Wren's dome survived the Blitz and became a symbol of London's resilience.
Q4: Durham Cathedral is a famous example of which style?
Answer: Norman (Romanesque)
Durham is a UNESCO site and holds the shrine of St. Cuthbert.
Q5: Ely Cathedral is nicknamed what?
Answer: The Ship of the Fens
It rises above flat fenland and has a unique octagonal lantern tower.
Q6: Lincoln Cathedral was once the tallest building in the world until when?
Answer: 1548
Its central spire collapsed in 1548, ending its record of more than 200 years.
Q7: Which cathedral has a famous Whispering Gallery?
Answer: St Paul's
A whisper against the wall can be heard on the opposite side of the dome.
Q8: Wells Cathedral is famous for which unusual feature?
Answer: Scissor arches
The arches were added in the 1300s to stop the tower from sinking.
Q9: Which cathedral was rebuilt beside its bombed ruins after 1940?
Answer: Coventry Cathedral
The new cathedral, consecrated in 1962, is a symbol of reconciliation.
Q10: Which is the largest cathedral in Britain?
Answer: Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool's Anglican cathedral was finished in 1978.

English Cathedrals Trivia Quiz – Stone Prayers

England's cathedrals are among the greatest buildings of the Middle Ages. Many were begun by the Normans after 1066 and expanded in Gothic style, with pointed arches, flying buttresses and huge stained-glass windows.

Each cathedral has its own story. Canterbury became a pilgrimage center after Becket's murder, Salisbury was built quickly in one style and St Paul's rose from the ashes of the Great Fire with Wren's dome.

Cathedrals remain active places of worship and also host concerts, exhibitions and tours. They hold treasures like Magna Carta, medieval clocks and libraries and attract millions of visitors each year.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is for history fans and travelers exploring England's cathedrals.

Who was murdered at Canterbury
Which spire is tallest
Who designed St Paul's
What Ely's nickname is
Which cathedral is largest

Did You Know?

Wells has one of the oldest working clocks.
Hereford holds the Mappa Mundi.
Exeter has the longest Gothic vault.
Winchester holds Jane Austen's grave.
Gloucester's cloisters appear in Harry Potter.