dumfries House is mentioned in a test question for people trying to gain UK residency.

People taking the Life in the UK test are asked who the designer of Dumfries House, Cumnock was.

Ex London Wasps and Italy rugby player, Andrea Masi generated some controversy on social media when he revealed that those seeking indefinite leave to remain in the UK are expected to know the answer to random questions.

Masi, who had been practicing for his own test to remain in the UK is expected to have a knowledge of things such as; in which decade the satirical magazine Punch was published, when the Emancipation Act was signed, when Vaisakhi is celebrated, by which year did the English rule an area around Dublin called the Pale and What county is ‘Maiden Castle’ in?

The ex rugby player and now coach at the Wasps Academy, posted details of his test up on Twitter and received much sympathy from other users on the site. He has received over 3,400 comments and 797 retweets to date.

Andrew Wilson tweeted: “I’m Scottish and not British, they can stick this test where the sun doesn’t shine.....and, oh, 33 per cent scored, which I’m very proud of and it proves I’m not British.”

Some commentators questioned whether most people who live close to Dumfries House would even know who the designer was, let alone those who live outwith the area.

Simon Brooke tweeted South of Scotland MSP Emma Harper saying: “As someone who has lived for forty years within 25 miles of Dumfries, doing that test was the first time I even knew that there was a ‘Dumfries House’. As MSP for the area, did you?”

Harper responded saying: “yes, that was one of the ones I got correct. It’s in Ayrshire. But I cannot see how knowing that is important for ‘life in the UK’.

Masi failed his test, getting eight answers wrong in the process. The test costs £50 for each attempt and people can take as many attempts as they like to pass it.