FabSwingers.com forum: The Inception Of Place Names

By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

Good folks: I’ve always found this rather fascinating.

Do you know how your town so came to be called?

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By *eaAndBiscuit1989Man
over a year ago

Burnley

Tread carefully if you're from Blackburn

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Tread carefully if you're from Blackburn

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

There’s a place in the Bronx called Gun Hill Road. I was visiting my Nan who used to live there and asked one of the people working in her shop why it’s called that. And he looked at me dead in the eyes and said ‘why d’ya think?’

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By *or7Man
over a year ago

bath

Where i was born and brought up 'meeting place by the bridge'

Where I live pretty straightforward, after the baths!

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

High Wycombe: This is an interesting one as at first glance the name Wycombe would appear to be derived from the river Wye (which runs through it) and the old English word for a wooded valley, namely, ‘Combe’.

However, it was listed as early as 799 AD as ‘Wichama’ and is thus more likely to be a plural combination of the Old English ‘Wic’ and ‘ham’ which roughly translate as, ‘dwellings’ and ‘village’ respectively.

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By *inger_SnapWoman
over a year ago

Hampshire/Dorset

It's the Mouth of a Port

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By *aizyWoman
over a year ago

west midlands

I think it has something to do with Saxons and a tree, I could be wrong about the tree tho.

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By *lder.Woman
over a year ago

Not Local

All place names are something to do with rivers and bridges or churches I reckon

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

"All place names are something to do with rivers and bridges or churches I reckon

Welcome back

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By *udandBryanCouple
over a year ago

Boston

We have a real interest in medieval place names (our town is named after a saint who supposedly preached here).

Many medieval towns had a Gropecunt Lane - many have been changed to Grape Lane, though there's still a Grope Lane in Shrewsbury.

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By *eroLondonMan
over a year ago

Mayfair

It was famous for having a colourful Fair the first week of the month of May, where all the landed gentry, upmarket hoi polloi and downtrodden socialites assembled.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We all blame the Romans here.

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By *ranny-CrumpetWoman
over a year ago

Crumpet Castle

Lyerpole = Pool of muddy water

Lyferpwl = Confluence

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By *ose-tinted GlassesMan
over a year ago

Glasgow / London

"All place names are something to do with rivers and bridges or churches I reckon

Or hills.

I like that Pendleton and Torpenhow are both basically ‘hill hill hill’

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By *ealMissShadyWoman
over a year ago

St Albans/ North Welsh Borders

I love history and love learning about stuff like this

My town is named after St Oswald who was killed by King Penda a Mercian in the battle of Maserfield....A raven took his severed arm and dropped it, in that spot a well appeared, which is still there to this day, there's also memorial at the site

Oswalds body was nailed to a tree as a mock to the crucifixion (Oswald was Christian, Penda was Pagan) hence the name (Oswestry) in Welsh Oswestry is Croesoswallt ( Oswalds Cross)

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

Here’s an odd one: Scratch Arse Ware is an area of beautiful sloping limestone hills in Dorset.

'Ware', it transpires, is an old English term for rough grazing pasture.

As to the first bit of the name though…..

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By *lder.Woman
over a year ago

Not Local

"Here’s an odd one: Scratch Arse Ware is an area of beautiful sloping limestone hills in Dorset.

'Ware', it transpires, is an old English term for rough grazing pasture.

As to the first bit of the name though…..

Full of nettles I bet

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

Contrary to how it may sound, the rather charmingly named village of Fingringhoe derives its name not from the masturbatory habits of ladies of loose moral virtue.

In fact, a ‘hoe’ (in old English) actually denotes a jutting out piece of land whilst the ‘finger’ aspect describes an elongated finger-like land extension.

‘Ing’ traditionally describes, ‘peoples’ thus the full name translates something along the lines of:

‘The people living on the land jutting out (into the river).’

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

"Here’s an odd one: Scratch Arse Ware is an area of beautiful sloping limestone hills in Dorset.

'Ware', it transpires, is an old English term for rough grazing pasture.

As to the first bit of the name though…..

Full of nettles I bet

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

"I love history and love learning about stuff like this

Oswalds body was nailed to a tree as a mock to the crucifixion (Oswald was Christian, Penda was Pagan) hence the name (Oswestry) in Welsh Oswestry is Croesoswallt ( Oswalds Cross)

I love it especially wherein folklore and myth intertwine with history and provide us with our modern day customs (and in this instance, place names)

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By *ehindHerEyesCouple
over a year ago

SomewhereOnlyWeKnow

Around the 8th century when Danish invaders arrived and the settlement became known as "Kori's by" – Kori's settlement. The settlement was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Corbei" and eventually became known what it is now.

Tinder

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By *lder.Woman
over a year ago

Not Local

"I love history and love learning about stuff like this

Oswalds body was nailed to a tree as a mock to the crucifixion (Oswald was Christian, Penda was Pagan) hence the name (Oswestry) in Welsh Oswestry is Croesoswallt ( Oswalds Cross)

I love it especially wherein folklore and myth intertwine with history and provide us with our modern day customs (and in this instance, place names)

Aww heck, dont get me into myths and folklore too, my absolutely most favourite wormhole to fall down

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By *eroLondonMan
over a year ago

Mayfair

"Around the 8th century when Danish invaders arrived and the settlement became known as "Kori's by" – Kori's settlement. The settlement was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Corbei" and eventually became known what it is now.

Tinder "

•

She's talking about Watford, dear gentlefolk. And who can blame her for being so proud of that erstwhile upmarket settlement of the South-East?

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By *ealMissShadyWoman
over a year ago

St Albans/ North Welsh Borders

"I love history and love learning about stuff like this

Oswalds body was nailed to a tree as a mock to the crucifixion (Oswald was Christian, Penda was Pagan) hence the name (Oswestry) in Welsh Oswestry is Croesoswallt ( Oswalds Cross)

I love it especially wherein folklore and myth intertwine with history and provide us with our modern day customs (and in this instance, place names)

Aww heck, dont get me into myths and folklore too, my absolutely most favourite wormhole to fall down

Aww you would love my area! We have a village called Whittington, said to be the home of Dick Whittington, there is a Castle in the middle of the village which housed the Holy Grail.

The village next to that is called Babbinswood (babies in the wood) whether it's connected to the folklore I don't know, I can't find any reference to it

And the near the road into Oswestry is one of the UK's oldest hill forts, its said that it was the birthplace of Guinevere

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By *lder.Woman
over a year ago

Not Local

"I love history and love learning about stuff like this

Oswalds body was nailed to a tree as a mock to the crucifixion (Oswald was Christian, Penda was Pagan) hence the name (Oswestry) in Welsh Oswestry is Croesoswallt ( Oswalds Cross)

I love it especially wherein folklore and myth intertwine with history and provide us with our modern day customs (and in this instance, place names)

Aww heck, dont get me into myths and folklore too, my absolutely most favourite wormhole to fall down

Aww you would love my area! We have a village called Whittington, said to be the home of Dick Whittington, there is a Castle in the middle of the village which housed the Holy Grail.

The village next to that is called Babbinswood (babies in the wood) whether it's connected to the folklore I don't know, I can't find any reference to it

And the near the road into Oswestry is one of the UK's oldest hill forts, its said that it was the birthplace of Guinevere

I think I have been to Whittington castle for a plant fair. I normally try to root around in a local bookshop for their folklore story books in all the places I go. I will have to come back there

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By *ehindHerEyesCouple
over a year ago

SomewhereOnlyWeKnow

Tinder

•

She's talking about Watford, dear gentlefolk. And who can blame her for being so proud of that erstwhile upmarket settlement of the South-East?

Tinder

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"homestead by the sea", an Anglo Saxon name

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Tread carefully if you're from Blackburn

The town were the river Brun runs through and thus means “meadow by the River Brun".

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By *abioMan
over a year ago

Newcastle and Gateshead

Just as well “El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora, Reina de los Angeles del Rio Porciuncula” is basically known as LA now…….

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Hahaha now I seriously found my tribe - kinky and nerdy!! Love it x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Hahaha now I seriously found my tribe - kinky and nerdy!! Love it x"

Plenty of nerds on here I promise- LLAP _\\//

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By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago

Titz Towers, North Notts

The key books on this are by Margaret Gelling.

However, it's a real minefield to study yourself.

Depending upon location, you need to know some late Roman Latin, old Welsh, Old English, Old Danish/Norse, have access to the earliest spellings (ideally on a charter) and a thorough knowledge of the geography of the place back when it was named.

I did some work on this at Uni

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

"The key books on this are by Margaret Gelling.

However, it's a real minefield to study yourself.

I did some work on this at Uni

It is admittedly a bit of an etymological nightmare and is often rendered even more exasperating by scholarly disputes as regards the origins and indeed, the intrinsic meaning of the words utilised in the composition of the said place designations

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By *uke_silverMan
over a year ago

London

My maternal grandparents lived in a place whose name translates to "paper town" in English. It derived its name from the paper factory in which the majority of the population worked.

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

Here’s another rather humorous one:

Shitterton (a hamlet in Bere Regis, Dorset) derives its name from and is comprised of two words, namely, ‘Scitere’ - an Old English word denoting a sewer or a stream used as an open sewer and ‘Ton’ - a town.

Thus, ‘The town by the sewer.’

(And apparently a shit hole to boot)

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

"High Wycombe: This is an interesting one as at first glance the name Wycombe would appear to be derived from the river Wye (which runs through it) and the old English word for a wooded valley, namely, ‘Combe’.

Big it up for yours and my home town!!!

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

Big it up for yours and my home town!!!

And the mighty synth pioneering legend, Howard Jones

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By *stellaWoman
over a year ago

London

Big it up for yours and my home town!!!

And the mighty synth pioneering legend, Howard Jones

And the awesome Chair Museum!

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By *lynJMan
over a year ago

Morden

From Wikipedia: Morden may be derived from the Common Brittonic words Mawr (great or large) and Dun (fort), or possibly "The Town on the Moor".

Faversham: The metal workers village.

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By *eronicaExplorerWoman
over a year ago

London

Place where cane lake grows, used to knit baskets.

“Cane Lake Place” in Mapudungun

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By *illy IdolMan
over a year ago

Midlands

After the Romans had gone and the Anglo-Saxons settled here the town of Leicester was founded and named after the River Soar (then called Leire) and "cester" meaning the Roman ruins.

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By *ickshawedCouple
over a year ago

Wolverhampton

In 985 Lady Wulfruna was granted a charter to set up a settlement. It was known as Wulfrun Heatun. Over the years the name changed to Wolverhampton.

But to Viking lovers we also have areas called Wednesfield and Tettenhall that are part of Wolverhampton. The vikings would have called it Wodensfield, and Tettenhall was simply a place where Tetten had his hall (home). A famous battle happened around there, it even featured in The Last Kingdom

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

Next we come to the delightfully named town of, wait for it good folks..….

Twatt(!) which is located on the Orkney Islands of Scotland.

The name is derived from an Old Norse word meaning 'small parcel of land'

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By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago

Titz Towers, North Notts

Also, James Campbell has written a good essay on Bede's use of Roman places names in his history of the English Church, showing how deliberate he was in picking a name to go with.

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By *ealMissShadyWoman
over a year ago

St Albans/ North Welsh Borders

"I love history and love learning about stuff like this

Oswalds body was nailed to a tree as a mock to the crucifixion (Oswald was Christian, Penda was Pagan) hence the name (Oswestry) in Welsh Oswestry is Croesoswallt ( Oswalds Cross)

I love it especially wherein folklore and myth intertwine with history and provide us with our modern day customs (and in this instance, place names)

Aww heck, dont get me into myths and folklore too, my absolutely most favourite wormhole to fall down

Aww you would love my area! We have a village called Whittington, said to be the home of Dick Whittington, there is a Castle in the middle of the village which housed the Holy Grail.

The village next to that is called Babbinswood (babies in the wood) whether it's connected to the folklore I don't know, I can't find any reference to it

And the near the road into Oswestry is one of the UK's oldest hill forts, its said that it was the birthplace of Guinevere

I think I have been to Whittington castle for a plant fair. I normally try to root around in a local bookshop for their folklore story books in all the places I go. I will have to come back there

It's pretty isn't it! Yes!! We have a lovely little bookshop which also doubles as a coffee shop. I would love to show you x

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

Ahhhh….the glorious and proudly named, Penistone.

Breaking the name down unveils the words, ‘Penn’ (Celtic for ‘Hill’) and ‘Tun’ - a farm or village.

There is some debate amongst historians however, that the ‘Pen’ may actually simply refer to the geographical location of the said town, I.e in the foothills of the Pennines.

Either way, Penistone…...the phonetics and indeed, the resulting evoked visuals are blooming magnificent, right?

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By *batMan
over a year ago

Alicante, Spain. (Sometimes in Wales)

A lot of Welsh place names are very literal.

Two from Llanberis pass I like,

Cwm Beudy Mawr

Cwm Hetiau

The first is Big Cowshed Valley (Wonder why they called it that?)

The second means Hats Valley.

Apparently in Victorian times, when the open carriage trains were going up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) ladies hats would blow off and into the valley. Enterprising young men would search them out and return them for a reward.

I love languages!!

Gbat

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By *ndycoinsMan
over a year ago

Whaley Bridge,Nr Buxton,

A settlement or enclosure marked by Bucstones,boulders placed in such a way that they rock when touched,(middle English meaning).As a Roman Spa town it's original name is Aqua Arnementia(waters of Arnementia).Arnementia was a goddess in Romano-British religion.Her shrine was Buxton.

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By *eronicaExplorerWoman
over a year ago

London

"Next we come to the delightfully named town of, wait for it good folks..….

Twatt(!) which is located on the Orkney Islands of Scotland.

The name is derived from an Old Norse word meaning 'small parcel of land'

I have been there. Beautiful

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By *ndycoinsMan
over a year ago

Whaley Bridge,Nr Buxton,

Nome,Alaska,named after a cartographer misread/misunderstood Name?

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By *rRiosMan
over a year ago

dublin

A Spanish village with a name that translates to “Camp Kill Jews” has finally officially changed its name to Castrillo Mota de Judios, or “Jews' Hill Camp.” Residents of Castrillo Matajudios first voted to change the name last year, with 29 of the village's 57 inhabitants voting in favor of the change.22 Jun 2015

There is also two place names with exclamation marks in their name. Westward Ho! in England which is got to do with boat taxis back in the day and Saint-Louis-du-Ha!-Ha! In Canada which is got to do with the French “le haha” which means impasse.

Yup, I’m a catch me… a reaaaalllll catch!

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

"All place names are something to do with rivers and bridges or churches I reckon

What about Milton Keynes?

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By *inky_couple2020Couple
over a year ago

North West

There appear to be lots of competing suggestions! I do know that Oliver Cromwell called it "malignant".

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By *opinovMan
over a year ago

Point Nemo, Cumbria

I always wondered how Wilsford-cum-Lake came about.

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By *TG3Man
over a year ago

Dorchester

I live in Crinkley bottom

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By *rRiosMan
over a year ago

dublin

Oh there is Muff in donegal Ireland, Muff comes from Magh, meaning plain in old Irish.

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By *andyfloss2000Woman
over a year ago

ashford

A Ford running through it near some ash trees x

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By *lynJMan
over a year ago

Morden

"I always wondered how Wilsford-cum-Lake came about."

In this context "cum" means "with".

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By *ndycoinsMan
over a year ago

Whaley Bridge,Nr Buxton,

The Devils Arse cavern in Castleton,named after the noise of water draining through the sough.

Chapel-en-le-Frith,Chapel in the forest.

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

Bitchfield in Lincolnshire; The rather offensive name actually derives from the Old English ‘Bill's’ and ‘Feld’ - literally translating as, ‘Bill's field’.

In the 1086 Domesday Book, the village is referred to as Billesfelt….but this wasn’t considered nearly as mirth inducing so Bitchfield it became

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By *rRiosMan
over a year ago

dublin

[Removed by poster at 10/01/24 13:13:14]

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By *rRiosMan
over a year ago

dublin

Probably off topic but Scunthorpe United F.C used to be referred to as Firewall F.C because their name would get blocked by firewalls for containing the cunt…

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By *ommy2125Man
over a year ago

newport

Both the Welsh and English meaning.

E- mouth of the river monnow

W- 3 rivers, where 3 rivers converge

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By *ulfilthmentMan
over a year ago

Just around the corner

"Next we come to the delightfully named town of, wait for it good folks..….

Twatt(!) which is located on the Orkney Islands of Scotland.

The name is derived from an Old Norse word meaning 'small parcel of land'

I have been there. Beautiful "

There’s also a Twatt on mainland Shetland. It must be a Norse island thing.

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

Many places in the UK actually derive their names from their agricultural and farming heritage.

Examples of the latter are places containing the names of animals that are historically associated with the said locations:

Oxford means ‘ford for Oxen’, Swinton in Greater Manchester translates as ‘pig village’, Gateshead means ‘goat’s promontory’ and Hertford is ‘ford for harts’, (an archaic term for deer)

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By *ensuallover1000 OP Man
over a year ago

Somewhere In The Ether…

"Next we come to the delightfully named town of, wait for it good folks..….

Twatt(!) which is located on the Orkney Islands of Scotland.

The name is derived from an Old Norse word meaning 'small parcel of land'

I have been there. Beautiful

There’s also a Twatt on mainland Shetland. It must be a Norse island thing.

Twatts everywhere!

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