England: All about Merseyside Quiz

Answer: It is entirely constructed from non-combustible materials

Opened in 1846, the Royal Albert Dock is constructed of stone, cast iron and brick. This meant that its warehouses were fireproof, a huge advantage particularly at the time of construction. It was designed by English Civil Engineer, Jesse Hartley (1780-1860), who also designed Liverpool's Gothic Revival clock tower, Victoria Tower, which is a Grade II listed building. The dock has five warehouses and is the largest single collection of Grade I listed buildings in the UK. The complex was officially designated a "Royal" title via Queen Elizabeth II in 2018.

Royal Albert Dock is home to several museums, including the Beatles Story, the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the International Slavery Museum and the Tate Liverpool.

During the Second World War, the dock was used by the British Atlantic fleet as a base. The dock closed in 1972 and lay dilapidated for almost a decade before being renovated.

Answer: Cheshire

The River Mersey gets its name from the Anglo-Saxon "mǣres" (which means "of a boundary") and "ēa" (which means "a river"). For hundreds of years, land lying north of the River Mersey belonged to Lancashire, and the land lying south of the Mersey belonged to Cheshire. Merseyside was created as a metropolitan county in 1974, and the boundaries were subsequently redrawn. The entire Wirral Peninsula was transferred to the new county of Merseyside, an area that had been historically part for Cheshire for centuries.

Merseyside does border Lancashire, but Lancashire lies north. Merseyside also shares a border with Greater Manchester, but Greater Manchester lies east. Across the Dee Estuary to the southwest lies the Welsh county of Flintshire.

Answer: Formby

Formby gets its name from the Old Norse word "Fornebei," which means "Forni's village" or "old settlement. This indicates that Formby was originally settled by the Vikings in around 960 AD.

Formby is the main red squirrel reserve in Merseyside. Its pinewood forests and impressive coastline make it a good habitat for the squirrels. The main threat to the UK's red squirrel population is the North American grey squirrel, which is larger and carries the squirrel pox virus, which is harmless to grey squirrels, but fatal to red ones.

Formby acts as a sanctuary for red squirrels against grey ones, as red squirrels are more suited to living in coniferous pine forest than their grey counterparts. The area is also home to rare wildlife such as the natterjack toad and sand lizard. The natterjack toads in the area can be heard from up to a mile away in the spring time as they engage in mating season, earning the toad the nickname the "Bootle Organ" locally.

Formby was the location of the UK's first ever lifeboat station, which was erected in around 1776. Formby was once also known for its asparagus production due to the town's sandy soil. There are several rumours about the asparagus being served to the first class boarders of the HMS Titanic.

Answer: Fort Perch Rock

Known as the "Little Gibraltar of the Mersey," Fort Perch Rock was constructed at the mouth of the Mersey Estuary in the 1820s following the Napoleonic Wars in order to defend the Port of Liverpool. It is constructed of red sandstone and once had 18 guns.

The walls of Fort Perch Rock are around 10 feet (3 m) thick and were painted green during the Second World War to disguise it as a lawn to mislead German bombers.

In 1914 during the First World War, a Norwegian ship was observed sailing in a prohibited area. Major Charles Luga commanded a warning shot, which flew high over the ship and landed in the sandhills in Hightown. This angered a local resident who took the shell to Merseyside Defence HQ and demanded an explanation. This was later displayed by the army in one of their bars with a plaque reading "A present from New Brighton."

Fort Perch Rock is now a popular tourist attraction and museum.

Answer: Cilla Black

Unveiled in 2017, the bronze, life-sized statue of English television presenter, entertainer and singer, Cilla Black (born Priscilla Maria Veronica White in Vauxhall, Liverpool in 1943, died in Estepona, Costa del Sol, Spain in 2015).

The statue was commissioned by Cilla Black's three sons, Robert, Ben, and Jack, and gifted to Liverpool as a thank you to the city for their support after their mother's death. Outside the Cavern Club on Mathew Street was chosen as the statue's location as this was where Cilla Black began her singing career, when she worked there in the cloakroom.

Cilla is depicted in the statue as a young, vibrant singer in 1960s fashion, standing atop her number one single of 1968, "You're my World" although the younger generations in Britain tend to remember Cilla Black as an older television presenter of dating shows, such as "Blind Date."

Answer: Birkenhead Priory

Constructed by 1150, Birkenhead Priory is located in Priory Street in the industrial port town of Birkenhead, Merseyside. The priory was visited in the 13th century by King Edward I while he was planning his military campaigns, due to the building's strategic location near both the Irish Sea and the Welsh border.

In 1318, King Edward II gave the monks at Birkenhead Priory permission to operate a ferry service across the River Mersey to Liverpool. British band Gerry and the Pacemakers, would sing about the service in their 1964 song "Ferry Cross the Mersey."

Birkenhead Priory survived King Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in 1536 as it was adapted into an Anglican church, and remains consecrated as such in modern times. Birkenhead's first member of parliament, John Laird (1805-1874) is buried in the priory's grounds.

Answer: Billinge Hill

Known locally as the "Billinge Lump," Billinge Hill stands at around 590 feet (180 m) high and is located in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside. The hill is designated as a "Marilyn" which is any British Isles hill exceeding a height of 150m (492 feet).

1788, a beacon tower was erected at the summit. The beacon was once used to spread crucial news, such as an invading Spanish Armada. It is said that on a clear day, views of Snowdonia in Wales, Liverpool Docks, the Peak District and Blackpool Tower are available on the hill.

The side of Billinge Hill features a disused quarry, the infill of which is used to collect methane, which generates electricity for approximately 1,000 houses.

Answer: Church of St Luke

Constructed by 1832, the Church of St Luke had a Perpendicular Gothic Revival style. It was equipped with a cast-iron bell frame, believed to be the first of its kind at the time of construction. It stands on Bold Street, Liverpool. The former Anglican church was nicknamed the "Doctor's Church" due to its proximity to Rodney Street, where many doctors at the time lived.

The Church of St Luke was severely damaged in 1941 during the Liverpool Blitz. On May 6, 1941, it was hit by a bomb. This resulted in a fire that blazed for days and the church's clock froze at 3:36 AM, a sombre reminder of the time of destruction.

The church was reopened to the public in 2007 and stands as a memorial to the victims of the Second World War. The grounds feature two memorial statues: the Irish Famine Memorial and the "All Together Now" statue, which memorialises the unexpected Christmas Truce football match of the First World War between British and German soldiers.

Answer: Prescot

Prescot is an industrial historic market town and is famous for its history of clockmaking. It is also known for being home to one of the narrowest streets in Britain, with Stone Street only spreading just 26 inches wide at its south end.

The Lancashire Watch Company was founded in Prescot in 1889. It was a company that aimed to incorporate an updated, centralised, modern factory system in their watchmaking industry. This was an attempt to compete with the efficient and mass produced Swiss and American watches. Previously, the company had utilised traditional cottage workshops, where specialists worked at home in their workshops producing individual parts. The Lancashire Watch Company would ultimately struggle to compete with its Swiss and American competition, closing down in 1911 after being in business for only 21 years.

The Lancashire Watch Company's main warehouse was a distinguished, triangular building on Eccleston Street, coined locally as the "Flatiron House" because of its peculiar shape. The company's main factory on Albany Road was utilised as an army barracks during the First World War for the the 17th Battalion, King's (Liverpool) Regiment. This Grade II listed building has been renovated into apartments in modern times.

Answer: St Helens

St Helens is widely regarded as the birthplace of modern glass. The Pilkington glass company was established in St Helens in 1826, and invented the float glass process, the method which created the universal standard for flat, high quality glass.

Sir Alastair Pilkington was a distant cousin of the company's original family and in 1952, he had the idea of floating molten glass atop of molten tin in order to produce a flat, fire polished sheet of glass. This eliminated the need for the expensive process of polishing and grinding the glass. This method is now utilised in 90% of the production of flat glass globally.

A historic Pilkington works area was chosen as a backdrop for scenes of the British historical crime drama, "Peaky Blinders." St Helens is also home to the Carr Mill Dam, which at 55 acres, is the largest inland body of water in Merseyside. St Helens is also known for its successful rugby team, the St Helens R.F.C. (The Saints), which has won the Rugby Super League championship many times.

Answer: Southport

Opened in 1860, Southport Pier is around 3,635 feet (1,108 m) long, the second-longest pier in Britain, second only to Southend Pier in Essex. It was constructed using James Brunlees' "jetting" process, where a strong water jet sunk hollow cast iron piles into the sand. The pier is now a Grade II listed structure.

Upon opening, the pier's length was around 3,600 feet (1,100 m). In 1868, the pier was extended to a length of around 4,380 feet (1,340 m). Storms and fires throughout the centuries have shortened the pier to its current length.

During the Second World War, Southport Pier was closed to the public and instead used to set up searchlights for detecting enemy aircraft.

Southport Pier's pavilion (opened in 1902) saw a young, up and coming Charlie Chaplain perform there in 1906.

Answer: Newton-le-Willows

Newton-le-Willows is a market town located in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, Merseyside. The town is situated almost exactly midway between Liverpool and Manchester, located around 15 miles away from each city.

Opened in 1830, the Sankey Viaduct is referred to locally as the "Nine Arches" due to its nine, semi-circular arches, each of which have a span of around 50 feet (15 m). It was designed by renowned British civil engineer, George Stephenson. Stretching between Liverpool and Manchester, it was the world's first inter-city passenger railway, and the world's earliest major railway viaduct. It is a Grade I listed structure.

Constructed of yellow sandstone and red brick, Sankey Viaduct crosses Sankey canal, which was opened in 1757 as the first industrial canal of England. A challenge in engineering, the viaduct provided enough clearance for ships sailing in the canal below. The viaduct was constructed to give the ships a minimum clearance of 60 feet (18 m).

Answer: West Kirkby

The coastal town of West Kirkby gets its name from the Old Norse word "Kirkjubyr" which means "village with a church" with the "West" being added to distinguish the town from Wallasey, regarded as the "other Kirkby" on the Wirral Peninsula.

Situated at the mouth of the Dee Estuary, the Hilbre Islands consist of three uninhabited islands, Little Eye, Middle Eye, and Hilbre Island. The islands are inaccessible from the mainland for five hours out of every twelve hours. The islands consist of red Bunter sandstone dating back around 220 million years in the Triassic period. The rock has examples of preserved ancient Chirotherium footprints.

The Hilbre Islands are home to a significant population of Atlantic grey seals. Migrating birds also make use of the islands, including the oystercatcher, knot, dunlin, curlew, turnstone, sanderling, Leach's storm petrel, whimbrel, willow warbler, etc.

The islands were not always uninhabited by humans. They were a busy trading area in the 16th century, but this ceased when the river silted.

Answer: Liverpool

Goodison Park was opened in 1892, the first English stadium to be constructed with the sole purpose of hosting football matches. In 1913, Goodison Park became the first football league venue to be visited by a reigning monarch, King George V and Queen Mary.

Until 2025, Goodison Park was the home ground of English football team, Everton F.C. (who moved to the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Vauxhall, Liverpool) for over 130 years.

Answer: Greasby

Located in the centre of the Wirral Peninsula, Greasby features one of the oldest confirmed archaeological discoveries in Britain. Excavations in the 1980s yielded a discovery of pits, fireplaces and 12,000 stone tools. These were carbon-dated to the Mesolithic period, around 8,500 BC. This predates England's infamous Stonehenge by several millennia.

Greasby has been the home of many cultures throughout history, including the Cornavii tribe of the Celtics, the Saxons, the Romans and the Vikings. Greasby features Grade II listed buildings, such as Greasby Old Hall. Greasby Old Hall is a sandstone house constructed in the 17th century, and features hiding places in hollow stone walls, thought to be for the concealment of Catholic priests during religious persecution of the 17th century.

In the early 20th century, Greasby was a small village with around 290 people residing in it. It has grown substantially since the Second World War to become the large, suburban village it is today.

Answer: Royal Liver Building

Constructed in Liverpool in 1911, the Royal Liver Building is 322 feet (98 m) high and is regarded as Britain's first skyscraper. The building features two 18 feet (5.5 m) tall copper Liver Bird statues, named "Bertie and Bella." Bella, the statue looking out to sea, is said to protect sailors arriving at port. Bertie, the statue looking inland, is said to protect the people of the city. Legend says that if the two birds were ever to fly away, Liverpool would no longer exist.

The Royal Liver Building is reported to have been spared during the Liverpool Blitz of the Second World War due to German Luftwaffe pilots using its distinctive silhouette as a point of reference when they were flying over the area.

In 1961, the Royal Liver Building was surpassed as the tallest building in Britain upon completion of the Shell Centre in London. It remained the tallest building in Liverpool until 1965, upon construction of the Radio City Tower (St. John's Beacon).

Answer: Storeton Quarry

Storeton Quarry was in operation from the Roman times until the quarry was filled in the 1920s. Storeton Quarry produced distinctive, creamy sandstone which was used as the cladding for the Empire State Building. This would be the quarry's last major job before its closure. Stone from Storeton Quarry was also used in the construction of Birkenhead Town Hall, Sankey viaduct, Lever House and Liverpool Lime Street station.

The site of Storeton Quarry is covered by 30 acres of woodland known as Storeton woods.

Answer: Speke Hall

Situated in Liverpool on the banks of the River Mersey, Speke Hall is a Tudor Manor house and a Grade I listed building. It was constructed between 1530-1598 on the orders of the devout Catholic Norris family.

Speke Hall's inner courtyard is home to Adam and Eve, two yew trees estimated to be at least 500 years old. The earliest recording of the trees is from 1712. Yew trees are a dioecious species, meaning that trees are either male or female. The male tree, Adam, is speculated to be around 1,000 years old due to its ring count. The trees are traditionally cited to be dreamcatchers, preventing evil spirits from accessing the grounds of Speke Hall.

Answer: Knowsley Hall

Approved as a Grade II* listed building since 1953, Knowsley Hall has been owned by the Stanley family, the Earls of Derby, since 1385. The Stanley family often became heavily involved with politics, with The 14th Earl of Derby acting as Prime Minister to Queen Victoria three times. The 16th Earl of Derby became the Governor General of Canada, and would establish and donate the Stanley Cup to Canada's hockey teams, as his family were keen hockey fans.

Knowsley Hall's gardens cover around 2,500 acres and is encompassed by a 9.5 miles (15 km) long stone wall. The hall is still in possession of the Earls and Countesses of Derby, and is only open to be toured by the public for one week every year.

Answer: Lawnmowers

Opened in 1991, the British Lawnmower Museum was established by Brian Radam, who was experienced in the machines due to his family's business, Lawnmowerworld. He is considered an expert on the history and mechanics of lawnmowers.

The British Lawnmower Museum's most popular exhibit is the selection of lawnmowers owned by famous people. This includes the lawnmowers of Brian May of Queen, Princess Diana, Paul, O'Grady, Lee Mack, Eric Morecambe and King Charles III when he was the Prince of Wales. The museum also displays the world's first solar powered lawnmower.