Big Ben named as Britain's favourite landmark

Britons' favourite landmark is Big Ben, a survey has revealed. Stonehenge took second place, just ahead of the London Eye.

The YouGov poll was commissioned by Faithful + Gould to mark the birthdate of engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, 9 April.

Four other London landmarks also made it into the top 10, which included no Welsh landmarks and only one from Scotland - Edinburgh Castle, in fourth place.

The other two places in the top 10 were claimed by the North of England, with Blackpool Tower named as Britons' fifth favourite landmark and the Angel of the North at number seven.

Manmade constructions were favoured over natural landmarks such as the White Cliffs of Dover or Ben Nevis, none of which made it into the top 10.

Construction industry insiders polled chose the London Eye as their favourite landmark, followed by the Angel of the North.

While Big Ben came out as the overall favourite, it was women who swung the vote, as British men preferred the Houses of Parliament.

Respondents were not always tied by regional loyalties. While Lancastrians preferred Blackpool Tower to Big Ben, their Yorkshire neighbours named the London Eye as their favourite landmark.

Donald Lawson, chief operating officer at Faithful + Gould, which is part of the Atkins group, said: “Like Brunel, people in Britain are extremely passionate about the buildings and structures around them. The poll really brings home the impact that the built environment has on has our nation's consciousness - buildings at their best can leave a legacy for generations to come.

"The Angel of the North is just one example of how new structures can have a big impact on how people feel about an area - it is great to see it has made the top 10.”