LONDON (AFP) - Britons are losing their grip on reality, according to a poll out Monday which showed that nearly a quarter think Winston Churchill was a myth while the majority reckon Sherlock Holmes was real.

The survey found that 47 percent thought the 12th century English king Richard the Lionheart was a myth.

And 23 percent thought World War II prime minister Churchill was made up. The same percentage thought Crimean War nurse Florence Nightingale did not actually exist.

Three percent thought Charles Dickens, one of Britain's most famous writers, is a work of fiction himself.

Indian political leader Mahatma Gandhi and Battle of Waterloo victor the Duke of Wellington also appeared in the top 10 of people thought to be myths.

Meanwhile, 58 percent thought Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Holmes actually existed; 33 percent thought the same of W. E. Johns' fictional pilot and adventurer Biggles.

UKTV Gold television surveyed 3,000 people

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080204/od_afp/britainpeoplehistoryoffbeat

That is kind of sad.

I still have flash backs of coming out of my mums Vagina.

and they complain when American's don't realize that Europe isn't a country.

On an alternate note, this is old news and an old thread that was up a solid month or so ago, but I can't be bothered to find the link to it.

It's hard to believe 58% of people thought Sherlock Holmes actually existed.

But do they believe the lunar landing was a hoax?

edit

It seems most likely they just didn't know who people were.  Rather than 23% genuinely believing Churchill was made up, etc.  Though it is still pretty sad however you look at it.

Kids, be cool and stay in school and dont do drug-ski-doodle-berries

 hahahaha nicely done, sir.