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Monday, 5 August, 2002, 14:50 GMT 15:50 UK
What are the seven wonders of Britain?
The House of Commons and Big Ben have topped a poll to find the seven wonders of Britain.

Wiltshire's prehistoric landmark Stonehenge also features in the list alongside the London Eye and Cornwall's Eden Project.

Seven Wonders of Britain
Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
Stonehenge
Windsor Castle
Eden Project
York Minster
Hadrian's Wall
London Eye
The survey, commissioned by the Yellow Pages telephone directory, asked more than 2,500 adults from across the country to select must-see tourist attractions to be the UK's answer to the original seven wonders of the world.

Most controversial on the list is the London Eye, which many consider to be a blunder rather than a wonder.

Do you agree with the list? What would be your seven wonders of Britain? What would your seven blunders of Britain consist of?


This Talking Point has now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.


I'd also like to add Stanstead airport

David Sherrit, Scotland
The poor old Dome gets it in the neck again. Having visited it I was impressed and saw it as a potential wonder. Again the London Eye is an impressive piece of engineering. I'd also like to add Stanstead airport - one of my favourite jumping points for travel. Why not?
David Sherrit, Scotland

The biggest blunder has to be the Tricorn Centre in Portsmouth which though recognised as the ugliest monstrosity ever built is still standing in a dilapidated form.
Patrick, UK

The Eden Project is my favourite wonder. It's entertaining, cool, educational, caters for all ages and it's a miracle it was finished, but the people stuck with it and it's grand.
Carole, England


A marvellous construction

Mrs Mac, Cornwall
Goonhilly Earth Satellite Station, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary - a marvellous construction. Not too far from Eden, if you're down this way.
Mrs Mac, Cornwall

The best: The Iron Bridge, Wenlock Priory, Tintern Abbey, York Minster. The worst: Cribbs Causeway, Merry Hill (or Hell) as it is known locally and the Dome.
Jean, England

Perhaps the biggest "wonder" of this country is how we ended up in the mess we are in!
PM, UK

Interesting that most people who have criticised the all English choices have chosen natural wonders in the other parts of the UK. It's supposed to be about man-made wonders. I don't think anyone built the Scottish Highlands!
James King, England

To James King: There are a number of wonderful structures worthy of inclusion from outside England. Caernavon Castle, Edinburgh Castle, Forth Rail Bridge, Millenium Stadium, Portmeirion, Harlech Castle, Britannia Bridge, Beaumaris Castle, Skara Brae and Eilean Donan Castle. Although agreeing with many of the choices, it's a shame that the wonderful sites outside England were ignored.
David, Wales


I un-propose the Ferris wheel that some forgotten circus left behind opposite the Houses of Parliament

Roland Marslin, UK
I propose Abraham Darby's Ironbridge - it was the forerunner of all of today's civil engineering wonders. And I un-propose the Ferris wheel that some forgotten circus left behind opposite the Houses of Parliament.
Roland Marslin, UK

No 1 greatest wonder? The Eden Project without question! Absolute genius, the whole thing. As for the worst - the Dome!
David Glanville, Bath, UK


The lattice woodwork blends with the trees and fields

Andy Hine, England
Without doubt I propose Megafobia in Oakwood, Pembrokeshire, Wales. It's a rational wooden roller coaster and looks like a work of art as the lattice woodwork blends with the trees and fields of the Welsh countryside. It also gives pleasure to millions of people and will be around for decades!
Andy Hine, England

The Tower of London. For sheer weight of history, no other building comes close.
Rebecca, Brit in Sweden

I'd put Scotland's top ten against the English any day!
1. Glen Coe
2. Cuillen Mountains
3. Torridon
4. Loch Lomond
5. Loch Ness
6. Edinburgh
7. Glen Etive
8. Roslyn Chapel
9. Forth Rail bridge
10.Scotlands endless castles

Beat that!
Dave Smith, Scotland

1. Boddingtons brewery
2. Old Trafford

No others.
Matt, UK, living in US

I would propose Snowdonia national park for its beautiful mountains and lakes, and Portmeirion village as an example of a man-made feature perfectly complementing the landscape.
Marcie, England

The biggest wonder of Britain must be to ask why people commission such stupid surveys.
Ron, England


Some of the finest architectural sights in Europe

Shaun McGall, Somerset, UK
I would propose the city of Bath. Designated by Unesco as a world heritage site, Bath presents some of the finest architectural sights in Europe, such as the Roman Baths and Pump Room, the Royal Crescent, Pulteney Bridge and the Circus.
Shaun McGall, Somerset, UK

One must assume that Yellow Pages didn't travel too far out of England for their survey to find these wonders of 'Britain'. Although I am proud to be English, I am very disappointed to see that there are no wonders in any other British country in this list.
Andy Collis, England

For sheer grandeur and tranquillity, it's got to be Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire, one of the few World Heritage sites in this country. Coming in a close second must be the Yorkshire Dales for their breathtaking majesty and sense of natural antiquity. Oh, of course not forgetting the Lords Pavilion, sheer class!
Paul Woodland, UK

Wonders of Britain? For a start weren't they all English? What about the likes of the Giant's Causeway and the Scottish Highlands? I mean the London Eye? They are joking I assume. None of the most beautiful things in Britain are on that list. Famous? Yes. Wonders? Not a chance.
M. Gibson, Aberdeen, UK

The Houses of Parliament are one of the seven wonders of the UK in my opinion. As for blunders, I think the contents of this building would not be far from the top ten.
Jean-Pierre, UK, living in France

How about Spaghetti Junction and the new Severn Bridge, and of course the most amazing technological achievement of them all, the Channel Tunnel!?!
Alistair James, England


The grotty visitor centre next door must be the biggest blunder!

Peter, UK
If Stonehenge is one of the wonders of Britain then the grotty visitor centre next door must be the biggest blunder! And as for putting a main road just yards away from the stones! Please can we sort Stonehenge out ASAP?
Peter, UK

Windsor Castle? It wouldn't even make my list of top castles in Britain. Having been on the London Eye at sunset, I can't think of a better way to see the city of London. Remember the Parisians hated the Eiffel Tower at first... For my suggestion, Edinburgh Castle. Simply magnificent.
Andy, Scotland

Best:
1. The view from Mam Tor
2. The upper Pennines, around the Roman Wall
3. Durham Cathedral
4. Lincoln Cathedral and Castle
5. Victoria Pier, Lerwick
6. A698, Barnard Castle to Alston
7. King's College chapel, Cambridge

Worst:
1. All the retail parks on the edge of towns, especially Cribbs Causeway in Bristol
2. Every new town: Basildon, Harlow, Peterborough townships
3. The Angel of the North
4. Heathrow airport
5. Winchester bypass
6. All of London. Everything inside the M25
7. The Channel Tunnel
Bob Harvey, Lincs, UK

As a Bristolian I endorse Bob Harvey's nomination of Cribbs Causeway Retail Park as a blunder. Other follies in this area include -
1. Clevedon Pier (The Victorian one didn't last, why rebuild it?)
2. Portishead's urban sprawl (thousands of houses and only three roads out).
3. Tesco's Nailsea store (rhymes with eyesore).
4. M5 from the M4 to Weston-Super-Mare (Why so many hills when it could have followed the valley? Judging by the numbers it's very popular with motorists on Bank Holidays and during the summer, you could spend all day there!)
5. Gordano Service area - why not have two, one each side of the motorway?
6. Ashton Gate and the Memorial Ground football stadia. Bristol deserves better facilities (don't mention the quality of the soccer teams).
Jenni, Bristol, England


The Lake District and Scottish Highlands

Steve T, England
What about natural wonders? Along with Stonehenge, I would say Land's End, the view from Portsdown Hill over Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight, the Lake District and Scottish Highlands are more than worthy contenders. Too much emphasis is put on attractions that entertain, rather than those that provide true beauty to the eye.
Steve T, England

Um, I could be wrong, but I reckon someone had to have built Stonehenge.
Stuart, England

One of the seven wonders would be Sunderland AFC's Stadium of Light. Blunders? St James's Park would obviously be a contender...
Robert Crosby, Nottingham, UK

My choice reflecting Britain's architectural and industrial history would be... Canterbury Cathedral, Lost Gardens of Heligan (Cornwall), Dover Castle, National Railway Museum, York, Snowdon from the top, Bodiam Castle, Kennet and Avon Canal. You can spend a day at each one unlike some of the others e.g. Stonehenge.
Anthony, England

I propose the Forth Rail Bridge. A fabulous, useful, Scottish monument. As for blunders, need I say more than Dome?
Neil, Scotland

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