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Etymology of place names
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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
I've just read that Brent, Penge, Thames and London are the handful of pre-Roman names still in use in the London area.
Croydon is from the Anglo-Saxon croeas deanas, later crogdene, which meant valley of the crocuses. Who'd have thought that for for Croydon?
Any that you know? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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LLANDUDNO llan is Welsh and usually relates to an area with a church ie dioces.
Tudno was a saint/christian who built churches....LLANDUDNO....the land of churches of tudno ( or thereabouts. Serious historians are welcome to correct ) |
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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"LLANDUDNO llan is Welsh and usually relates to an area with a church ie dioces.
Tudno was a saint/christian who built churches....LLANDUDNO....the land of churches of tudno ( or thereabouts. Serious historians are welcome to correct ) "
Thanks for that one. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I thought London was called something else, can't remember what
I'm getting this from The Book of London Place Names."
Oops sorry thought it was anywhere not just London.....interesting though. |
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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"I thought London was called something else, can't remember what
I'm getting this from The Book of London Place Names.
Oops sorry thought it was anywhere not just London.....interesting though."
It is anywhere. Seeing the book made me think about other places too. |
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By *yrdwomanWoman
over a year ago
Putting the 'cum' in Eboracum |
York used to be called Eboracum (thought to mean Place of the Yew Trees), and Jorvik (means Horse Bay). The Anglo Saxons called it Eoforwic, which means wild-boar town. Some things never change.  |
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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"York used to be called Eboracum (thought to mean Place of the Yew Trees), and Jorvik (means Horse Bay). The Anglo Saxons called it Eoforwic, which means wild-boar town. Some things never change. "
Wild-boar town - but what about Betty's?  |
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Brighton etymology:
Although the first known use of the name 'Brighton' was in 1660, it did not come into general use until the late eighteenth century and its official use dates only from 1810 when it was adopted by the town commissioners. 'Brighton' is in fact a contraction of the older 'Brighthelmston' which lasted into the 1850s and of which there are at least 44 known variations. In the Domesday Book Brighton was 'Bristelmestune', and other variations included 'Bredhemston', 'Brichelmston', 'Brighthampstead', 'Brighthelmsted', 'Brighthelnisted', 'Brighthempston', 'Brithelmeston', and 'Brogholmestune'.
It has been suggested that the original name could have been derived from two Saxon words, one meaning 'division' or 'valley', the other meaning 'stones': 'the stony valley', perhaps a reference to the large sarsen stones found in the Steine. However, the most widely accepted etymology is from 'Beorthelm' or 'Brithelm', a personal name not unusual among Anglo-Saxons, and 'tun', or homestead: thus 'Beorthelm's homestead' or possibly 'Beothelm's village'. This derivation has also been assigned to other villages, viz: Bricklehampton, Worcestershire; Brighthampton, Oxfordshire; and Brislington, Somerset. |
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By *yrdwomanWoman
over a year ago
Putting the 'cum' in Eboracum |
"York used to be called Eboracum (thought to mean Place of the Yew Trees), and Jorvik (means Horse Bay). The Anglo Saxons called it Eoforwic, which means wild-boar town. Some things never change.
Wild-boar town - but what about Betty's? "
Its carnage if they run out of Yorkshire Curd Tart, I know that!  |
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By *londeCazWoman
over a year ago
Arse End of the Universe, Cumbria |
"Cockermouth is at the mouth of the river Cocker. A lot of locals call it Knob in Gob anyway
But why is the river called the Cocker?"
It was discovered by an exploring spaniel in 1376...haven't a Scooby's actually  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Swindon is derived from swine don - meaning pig on the hill. It was a small settlement that bred pigs, up on the hill. Then Brunel came along with a railway bless him |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"LLANDUDNO llan is Welsh and usually relates to an area with a church ie dioces.
Tudno was a saint/christian who built churches....LLANDUDNO....the land of churches of tudno ( or thereabouts. Serious historians are welcome to correct ) "
all good from up here in the north 
llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
St mary's church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the church of saint Tysilio of the red cave
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By *utmegsMan
over a year ago
Closer than you think |
"York used to be called Eboracum (thought to mean Place of the Yew Trees), and Jorvik (means Horse Bay). The Anglo Saxons called it Eoforwic, which means wild-boar town. Some things never change.
Wild-boar town - but what about Betty's?
Its carnage if they run out of Yorkshire Curd Tart, I know that! "
Alan Bennett himself couldn't describe the scenes when they run out of fat rascals. |
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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"York used to be called Eboracum (thought to mean Place of the Yew Trees), and Jorvik (means Horse Bay). The Anglo Saxons called it Eoforwic, which means wild-boar town. Some things never change.
Wild-boar town - but what about Betty's?
Its carnage if they run out of Yorkshire Curd Tart, I know that!
Alan Bennett himself couldn't describe the scenes when they run out of fat rascals. "
I haven't had a Fat Rascal. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Possibly inhabited by earlier peoples, Doncaster is built on the site of a Roman fort, which was constructed in the 1st century AD at a crossing of the River Don. The commands of Antoninus Pius and Notitia Dignitatum called this fort Danum, from which the town derives the "Don-" (Old English: Donne) part of its name; "caster" (ceaster) an Old English adaptation of the Latin word Castra, meaning a military camp. The monk Nennius, in the 9th century, referred to it with the name "Caer Daun".[4] Doncaster was home to the Roman Crispinian horse garrison.
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By *utmegsMan
over a year ago
Closer than you think |
"York used to be called Eboracum (thought to mean Place of the Yew Trees), and Jorvik (means Horse Bay). The Anglo Saxons called it Eoforwic, which means wild-boar town. Some things never change. "
York also has one of my favourite street names: Whip ma whop ma gate. |
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By *yrdwomanWoman
over a year ago
Putting the 'cum' in Eboracum |
"York used to be called Eboracum (thought to mean Place of the Yew Trees), and Jorvik (means Horse Bay). The Anglo Saxons called it Eoforwic, which means wild-boar town. Some things never change.
Wild-boar town - but what about Betty's?
Its carnage if they run out of Yorkshire Curd Tart, I know that!
Alan Bennett himself couldn't describe the scenes when they run out of fat rascals.
I haven't had a Fat Rascal."
They're....underwhelming. |
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By *utmegsMan
over a year ago
Closer than you think |
"
Possibly inhabited by earlier peoples, Doncaster is built on the site of a Roman fort, which was constructed in the 1st century AD at a crossing of the River Don. The commands of Antoninus Pius and Notitia Dignitatum called this fort Danum, from which the town derives the "Don-" (Old English: Donne) part of its name; "caster" (ceaster) an Old English adaptation of the Latin word Castra, meaning a military camp. The monk Nennius, in the 9th century, referred to it with the name "Caer Daun".[4] Doncaster was home to the Roman Crispinian horse garrison.
"
I once spent a happy few months excavating the archaeology of Doncaster. Sadly, we barely scratched the surface of the Roman levels and had to make do with the medieval waterfront instead. |
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By *yrdwomanWoman
over a year ago
Putting the 'cum' in Eboracum |
"
Possibly inhabited by earlier peoples, Doncaster is built on the site of a Roman fort, which was constructed in the 1st century AD at a crossing of the River Don. The commands of Antoninus Pius and Notitia Dignitatum called this fort Danum, from which the town derives the "Don-" (Old English: Donne) part of its name; "caster" (ceaster) an Old English adaptation of the Latin word Castra, meaning a military camp. The monk Nennius, in the 9th century, referred to it with the name "Caer Daun".[4] Doncaster was home to the Roman Crispinian horse garrison.
I once spent a happy few months excavating the archaeology of Doncaster. Sadly, we barely scratched the surface of the Roman levels and had to make do with the medieval waterfront instead."
You can't dig a pond in York without unearthing some chariot or other and having to feed tea and biscuits to the Time Team crew. |
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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"
Possibly inhabited by earlier peoples, Doncaster is built on the site of a Roman fort, which was constructed in the 1st century AD at a crossing of the River Don. The commands of Antoninus Pius and Notitia Dignitatum called this fort Danum, from which the town derives the "Don-" (Old English: Donne) part of its name; "caster" (ceaster) an Old English adaptation of the Latin word Castra, meaning a military camp. The monk Nennius, in the 9th century, referred to it with the name "Caer Daun".[4] Doncaster was home to the Roman Crispinian horse garrison.
"
Folk really know their areas don't they?  |
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By *utmegsMan
over a year ago
Closer than you think |
"Its carnage if they run out of Yorkshire Curd Tart, I know that!
Alan Bennett himself couldn't describe the scenes when they run out of fat rascals.
I haven't had a Fat Rascal.
They're....underwhelming."
Heathen! Although I am partial to their curd tart at a push. |
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By *utmegsMan
over a year ago
Closer than you think |
"You can't dig a pond in York without unearthing some chariot or other and having to feed tea and biscuits to the Time Team crew."
No chariots in York although they did find one near Micklefield on the A1 a few years ago. And don't forget the ones from Wetwang Slack - another top notch place name. |
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By *utmegsMan
over a year ago
Closer than you think |
"York used to be called Eboracum
So is that where the yorkshire phrase 'ee by gum' comes from?"
For a moment there I thought a wormhole had opened up from the Mugabe thread, allowing a very old Yorkshire joke to escape. |
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"Cockermouth is at the mouth of the river Cocker. A lot of locals call it Knob in Gob anyway
But why is the river called the Cocker?
It was discovered by an exploring spaniel in 1376...haven't a Scooby's actually "
fooking hilarious |
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"First one to name Britain's original capital city gets a wink from me
Winchester"
Is this a clever trick question?
Winchester would have been capital of Wessex,then England. Capital of Britain was prob London |
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By *utmegsMan
over a year ago
Closer than you think |
"here in pontefract we have a pub named
the broken bridge cos in latin ponte
means bridge and fract means broken "
Spot on. Post mortem Patris pro Filio! as we Pomfetians often say to one another... not. (I'm not from Aberdeen in case anyone's wondeing) |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Colchester. There's a big plaque as you drive in x
That does ring a bell."
My aplogies..Colchester is the oldest recorded Town.
The oldest city in England is Newcastle upon Tyne. It was incorporated as a city in 1080 by the monarch. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Im originally from Tooting. Named after a pair of ladyboys were discovered there 
Do you want to borrow my bra to go with your pants?"
Are my moobs getting out of control? |
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By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago
Titz Towers, North Notts |
I studied this at Uni amongst other bits and bobs and place name etymology is a right swine to work out. You need to have a working knowledge of Latin, old Norse, old English and so on, depending on the area, the oldest maps or recorded names of places and an idea of what the geography was like in the area when the name came. |
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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago
Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound |
"I studied this at Uni amongst other bits and bobs and place name etymology is a right swine to work out. You need to have a working knowledge of Latin, old Norse, old English and so on, depending on the area, the oldest maps or recorded names of places and an idea of what the geography was like in the area when the name came. "
That's why I am grateful to the folk that do this for me and put it into a book.
It's also fascinating why each name survives and other newer forms, such as Latin replacements, survive.
I wonder if Newham is the most modern as it is literally the new ham when East and West Ham were shoved together in 1965 when the current London borough structure came into being? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Scarborough comes from Skarthi berg, or Skarthi's town/settlement. Skarthi is reported to have been a norseman who settled here way back when.
Having visited Norway on several occasions i find it fascinating the similarities between the place names. Words like "gate" meaning street comes from the Norwegian word "gaten" and the word "dale" is norwegian too. Also "foss" meaning waterfall, hence Falling Foss and High Force (foss). Very interesting thread, thanks OP. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Slough (pronounced sluff) is the name given to the crap that gathers on the inside of the bend of a river. The south Buckinghamshire town situated on the thames could not have a more appropriate name |
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"I've just read that Brent, Penge, Thames and London are the handful of pre-Roman names still in use in the London area.
Croydon is from the Anglo-Saxon croeas deanas, later crogdene, which meant valley of the crocuses. Who'd have thought that for for Croydon?
Any that you know?"
Look up the dirty ones.You wouldn't believe it.Cock Lane in the city is because it was a red light area(pre red lights) One had to be renamed from grope cunt lane,can't remember its modern name now.Like wise Pissing Alley in Clerkenwell is now called Passing Alley |
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London by Edward Rutherfurd is a very good historical story. It tells how places get their names. Houndsditch etc. Bernard Cornwalls' books often have a preface telling you the old names of the places used in his stories. Herein South East Essex a lot of the names are Norse. A good one is Bread and Cheese Hill. It means broad and sharp, named after a weapon... |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I've just read that Brent, Penge, Thames and London are the handful of pre-Roman names still in use in the London area.
Croydon is from the Anglo-Saxon croeas deanas, later crogdene, which meant valley of the crocuses. Who'd have thought that for for Croydon?
Any that you know?
Look up the dirty ones.You wouldn't believe it.Cock Lane in the city is because it was a red light area(pre red lights) One had to be renamed from grope cunt lane,can't remember its modern name now.Like wise Pissing Alley in Clerkenwell is now called Passing Alley"
grope cunt street is now known as grape street and runs down the back of the Shaftesbury theatre |
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"I've just read that Brent, Penge, Thames and London are the handful of pre-Roman names still in use in the London area.
Croydon is from the Anglo-Saxon croeas deanas, later crogdene, which meant valley of the crocuses. Who'd have thought that for for Croydon?
Any that you know?
Look up the dirty ones.You wouldn't believe it.Cock Lane in the city is because it was a red light area(pre red lights) One had to be renamed from grope cunt lane,can't remember its modern name now.Like wise Pissing Alley in Clerkenwell is now called Passing Alleygrope cunt street is now known as grape street and runs down the back of the Shaftesbury theatre"
Cheers for that |
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"LLANDUDNO llan is Welsh and usually relates to an area with a church ie dioces.
Tudno was a saint/christian who built churches....LLANDUDNO....the land of churches of tudno ( or thereabouts. Serious historians are welcome to correct ) all good from up here in the north
llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
St mary's church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the church of saint Tysilio of the red cave
"
Lovin that one !!! |
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