The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #48402   Message #726492
Posted By: greg stephens
09-Jun-02 - 09:13 AM
Thread Name: Folklore: pre-English placenames
Subject: RE: pre-english placenames
Torpenhowe Hill I think..unless you've got another one in Wales Penhowtor?.Like all the best stories, that Hill Hill Hill etymology for Torpenhowe is in some doubt....particularly in view of the flat location of the village. Thorfinn's Haugr(burial mound) is another possible origin which is I believe equally likely, from early spellings and background linguistic evidence. But not half as funny! Incidentally, there ar many Pens in England, some far from the Celtic strongholds in the west. I am sitting in Penkhull at the moment, inStoke. Penkhull is in the classic "Pen" geographical position, the summit at the end of a ridge.Just like Penkridge a little way south near Stafford, and Penn a bit further by Wolverhampton...none of them very "Celtic" places nowadays!