Where in England should you live? Cornwall? London? What about the Cotswolds? It’s a common thing to think where in England you should live. Introducing the ultimate where in England should I live quiz! For a small island, there is so much variation in England! From the rolling Cotswolds to the rocky Lake District, we’re a nation of contrasts. (And don’t even get me started on Scotland or Wales!)
What makes this quiz the ULTIMATE where in England should I live quiz is that it covers ALL 48 English counties. From the landscape to dialects, building styles to the weather – all English culture categories are covered! Take the quiz or read more about the categories below.
Enjoyed the quiz? Pin it!
If you enjoyed the quiz and you’re on Pinterest then feel free to pin it to one of your boards! It would be lovely to know what you all got so feel free to comment below and share where you got! For any of you wondering I got Devon (one of my favourite counties!). See below for more information on the categories.
Where In England Should You Live Categories
The where in England should I live quiz questions rank your personality across 15 English culture categories. There is no one English cultural identity – we’re different all over. Sure, there might be common clichés like drinking tea but there’s a lot of regional variation. For example, where in England should you live if you like mountains and sticky toffee pudding? See below.
English Regional Weather
It’s an English characteristic to talk endlessly about the weather. You can’t blame us – there’s a lot of variation! Though the weather is highly variable, there are some general patterns. The north west has a reputation for rain and the south east for warm summers. English regional climates are summarised below:
North East – Cool summers, cold winters, steady rain all year
South West – Warm summers, mild winters, heavy rain all year
North West – Cool summers, mild winters, heavy rain year-round
English Regional Houses
For such a small Island, Britain has a wonderful variety of building styles. The huge variety of regional architecture adds a certain charm and appeal to English regions. Traditionally, buildings were made with materials local to the region. As the rock beneath the surface changes so do the buildings, giving each region a distinct character. Below are some general patterns.
Limestone – The Cotswolds and East Midlands
Sandstone – Yorkshire and the North East
Slate – Cumbria and Cornwall
Black-and-white timber-framed – the West Midlands
Colour-washed timber-framed – East Anglia
Proximity to London
Brits have a love or hate relationship with London. Some love its culture, heritage and nightlife, while others find it built-up and crowded. One thing London does have is JOBS – generating 1/3 of the UK’s GDP. However, there are jobs all over England and the cost of living is far cheaper outside London. Just look at the variations in house prices across England in 2019.
North East – £112,489
East Midlands – £165,859
East of England – £247,988
North West – £139,708
South East – £259,953
South West – £215,614
West Midlands – £168,513
Yorkshire and The Humber – £144,126
English Regional Cakes
The Great British Bake Off is one of the UK’s top exports and there are tons of traditional cakes associated to particular regions of the UK. From the Bakewell Tart to sticky toffee pudding, it’s impossible not to love an English sweet. Take a look below at some regional cakes.
Lardy Cake – Wiltshire
Hot Cross Bun – Hertfordshire
Arctic role – Sussex
Chelsea Bun – London
Bakewell Tart – Derbyshire
Eccles Cake – Greater Manchester and Lancashire
Sticky Toffee Pudding – Cumbria
Fat Rascals – North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire
Singing Hinnies – County Durham, Northumberland
Cider Cake – Herefordshire
Plum Bread – Lincolnshire
English Regional Authors
One of England’s biggest exports is its literature. The novels of Jane Austen and Tolkien are world famous. The setting is key to a good story and the English landscape has inspired authors in its many varieties. The Brontës are synonymous with Yorkshire and Hardy with Dorset. Take a look at some other famous English authors and the areas they are associated with below.
Elizabeth Gaskell – Cheshire, Manchester, Lancashire
D.H. Lawrence – Herefordshire
J. R. R. Tolkein – Herefordshire
Thomas Hardy – Dorset, Somerset
Agatha Christie – Devon
Daphne Du Maurier – Cornwall
The Brontës – Yrokshire
Ann Cleeves – Northumberland
Jane Austen – Hampshire, Wiltshire
William Shakespeare – Warwickshire
Jane Austen – Hampshire, Wiltshire
Charles Dickens – London, Kent
English Regional TV Series
Even when we can’t get out much, we can enjoy a journey around the UK through TV series shot in beautiful locations. As with books, the setting is crucial to the storyline of a TV series. The landscape is often what makes a setting mysterious, romantic, scary or fun. Take a look at some English TV series and the locations they are shot (or set) below.
This is England – Nottinghamshire
The A Word – Cumbria
Downton Abbey – Yorkshire (set), Berkshire (filmed)
Sherlock – London
Granchester – Cambridgeshire
Poldark – Cornwall
Broadchurch – Dorset, Somerset
Vera – Northumberland
Midsomer Murders – Hampshire, Wiltshire
Peaky Blinders – the West Midlands
Grange Hill – Merseyside
English Regional Drinks
We English have a bit of a reputation for drinking. But who can blame us? We have some lovely local tipples! The craft beer and gin industry is huge and there are many regional varieties. The south east has many vineyards and Herefordshire’s is cider and perry. Below are some general links between alcoholic drinks and certain parts of England.
Beer – Derbyshire, Staffordshire (and all over!)
English Sparkling Wine – Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey
Cider – Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire
Perry – Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire
Tea – Yorkshire (and all over!)
English Regional Greetings
The English have many, many ways of saying hello! When it comes to the local dialects, sometimes even the people who live in the area don’t know exactly what their words and phrases mean! Below are some of the regional English dialect greetings.
Alright Babby – Birmingham (West Midlands)
Alreet Pet – Newcastle (Tyne and Wear)
Alright Cock – Greater Manchester
Eyup Chuck – Yorkshire and Lancashire
Alright La – Liverpool (Merseyside)
Hey Babes – Essex
Alright my Lover – Bristol, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall
English National Parks and AONBs
The UK has 10 national parks and 48 Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONBs). Our landscape attracts travellers from all over the world. The Cotswolds are famous for their dreamy wolds and the Lake District for its mountains. Below are some of the most famous national parks and AONBs featured in the quiz.
Chiltern Hills – Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire
Exmoor – Somerset, Devon
Cornwall AONB – Cornwall
South Downs – West Sussex, East Sussex
Lake District – Cumbria
Nortumberland Coast – Northumberland
Yorkshire Dales – West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, East Riding
Rutland Water – Rutland
Singing Hinnies – County Durham, Northumberland
Shropshire Hills – Shropshire
Norfolk Broads – Norfolk
English Regional Artists
England has produced some of the world’s greatest art. We have many internationally famous artists like David Hockney and Lowry. Many were inspired by the landscape and people around them. Below are some English artists and the regions that inspired some of their lives and artwork.
John Atkinson Grimshaw – London, Liverpool, Bristol, Newcastle, Hull
Henry Scott Tuke – Devon, Cornwall
William Morris – the Cotswolds
David Hockney – West Yorkshire
Turner – Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex
William Heaton Cooper – The Lake District
The Pitmen Painters – Northumberland, County Durham
L. S. Lowry – Greater Manchester, Lancashire
Arthur SPooner – Nottinghamshire
Stanley Spencer – The Chiltern Hills
Edward Burne-Jones – The West Midlands
English Stately Homes
England wouldn’t be England without its stately homes. The Treasure Houses of England are some of the finest. However, there are countless others owned by the National Trust and other organisations. Below are some of the stately homes featured in the quiz and their locations.
Petworth – West Sussex
Chatsworth – Derbyshire
Holkham Hall – Norfolk
Blenheim Palace – Oxfordshire
Longleat – Wiltshire
Castle Howard – North Yorkshire
Powis Castle – Powys
Alnwick Castle – Northumberland
Burghley House – Lincolnshire
Saltram – Devon
Sizergh Castle – Cumbria
English Cathedrals
Britain has 42 cathedrals, however not all of them are as grand as each other. Salisbury is famous for its spire and Westminster Abbey for its Royal connections. Below are the cathedrals featured in the quiz and their locations.
St Paul’s Cathedral – London
Wells Cathedral – Somerset
Lincoln Cathedral – Norfolk
Exeter Cathedral – Devon
Durham Cathedral – County Durham
Ely Cathedral – Cambridgeshire
Lichfield Cathedral – Staffordshire
York Cathedral – North Yorkshire
Winchester Cathedral -Hampshire
Canterbury Cathedral – Kent
Hereford Cathedral – Herefordshire
