Place names

Subject: Place names
From: Bert
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 02:13 PM

Diverging from the WWII thread.

What are your favorite place names.

Here's some of mine...

Turnham Green - in London.
Much Hadham - in Essex.
Gurley - in Alabama.

I don't have any songs about them though.
One time I had a friend who was trying to do an English version of 'This land is your land'. But he only got as far as...
.. From Stoke Poges to Canvey Island.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 02:39 PM

There is a place in Kent called Pluck's Gutter.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 02:58 PM

Moose Jaw Alberta, and Ball's Falls Ontario. Come by Chance Newfoundland should be in there as well.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 03:17 PM

Ten Sleep, Wyoming (it was ten "sleeps" from wherever the Native Americans were measuring distance from.

Metacomet Trail, CT

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 03:31 PM

Say, Bert, it's interesting you didn't mention that Pennsylvania has a reputation for interesting place names, especially in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. My favorite is Bird-in-Hand.
I guess we get used to place names in our own area and don't think of them as unusual. Northern California, where I live, has lots of colorful place names - the Gold Rush towns have especially interesting names. "Rough and Ready" is my favorite.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Tucker
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 03:37 PM

PeePee Creek (nope, not what you think, folks tried to establish ownership here by carving initials on trees...thus PP), Hurricane WV, Possum Hollow, Greasy Ridge ( I was there the other day, I had no trouble with my footing although the view was stupendous). Zillions of others, Hell, just ask Catspaw.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Art Thieme
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 04:43 PM

DOWNERS GROVE, IL
Always has made me think of pills hangin' from the trees!!

Art

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 04:55 PM

Art

The people there would feel right at home here at Came Down.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Tucker
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 06:42 PM

Came 'down. Love it. Is "brought up"nearby?

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Graham Pirt
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 08:36 PM

In Durham County, UK we've got Pity Me Seldom Seen

and in East Yorkshire there's Land of Nod

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Robin McG
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 08:46 PM

Michigan has Paradise and Hell, both great places.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Susan A-R
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 08:52 PM

B'lieve that there's a place called Forg Level, somewhere where VA, KY TN and WV meet. I've also always loved traveling through Maine and going through Poland, Mexico and such. I distinctly remember that we were camped in Norway the night Nixon resigned. Vermont also has a rather bad reputation (earned, I'm afraid) of naming towns after foreign places, then pronouncing them in interesting ways. Calais is pronounced like those things you guitar players get on your fingers. We also have little parts of townd named things like Mud City or MacVille or BeanVille. Say, this is almost as much fun as the thread name game, but I'll stop now.

Susan

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Alice
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 09:29 PM

Ringling, Montana (remember the Jimmy Buffett song?)

Subject: RE: Place names
From: bill\sables
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 09:37 PM

I noticed Graham Pirt entered Pitty Me in Co.Durham U.K. There is also, in the same county, a place called "No Place," and I remember being in Cornwall U.K. in a village called "Come To Good" Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: Place names
From: rich r
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 09:44 PM

North Dakota trio: Zap, Gackle and Mott. Zap was the site of a near riot 30 years ago when the University of North Dakota student newspaper suggested that as a springtime lark everyone should "Zip to Zap" The crowd that showed up strained the little town's facilities not to mention the beer supply.

rich r

Subject: RE: Place names
From: LEJ
Date: 24 Apr 99 - 11:59 PM

Nada,Kentucky, which means nothing. If you went there you'd realize they weren't being ironic. No Name, Colorado, which is an example of either an abundance of imagination or the total lack thereof...LEJ

Subject: RE: Place names
From: campfire
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 03:25 AM

There's a part of Milwaukee, WI known as "Piggsville". Not a place many would proudly claim to hail from, I don't suppose.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 10:34 AM

I forgot to mention "Greasy Grass". Can't remember if it is in WY, SD, or MT, but it is a translation of a Native American designation.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 10:34 AM

There is also Crazy Woman creek in WY

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Alice
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 11:32 AM

Then there is the town of Ismay, MT, which changed its name to Joe, Montana, in the hope of attracting more visitors. It didn't work.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Margo
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 01:32 PM

How about Jump Off Joe Creek in Southern Oregon? Also in Oregon are Boring and Wonder. Boring is boring, and Wonder is so small it makes you wonder how it did merit a name and a spot on the map. Then there's Drain. I'm drained.

But I think Pee Pee Creek and Balls Falls take the cake.

Margie

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The Shambles
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 02:34 PM

Then here in Dorset there is Puddletown.

It had it's name changed, so as not to offend visiting royalty. It takes it's name from the river valley that it is in and should be called Piddletown.

And no, I am not taking the P___! It's all true.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: arkie
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 03:10 PM

Here are a few places of interest in the Bear State, otherwise known as Arkansas. Accident School, Apt, Back Gate, Birdeye, Blue Ball, Blue Eye, Big Scuffle Church, Cow Faced Hill, Devil's Den, Dogpatch, Fifty Six (fifty-sixth school district), Forty Four (forty four names on the petition to get a post office), Fly Gap, Frog Level, Hogscald Hollow (hogs scalded in a natural basins created by erosion), Ink, Lost Corner, Marked Tree, Nail, Oil Trough (where bear grease was rendered and transported to the White River via hollow log troughs), Pair O'Geese Lake, Peel, Pee Dee, Pickle Gap, Possom Grape, Romance, Rough and Ready, Smackover, Sweet Home, and Toad Suck. Toad Suck Days are celebrated annually and was recognized by Jay Leno who referred to it as Toad Sucking Days.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Paco
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 03:38 PM

Growing up we lived in a place which was about as far away as you could get from everything (except mountains, trees and the like) it is called Summit Valley (located in Washington.)

Whenever I hear "Rocky Mountain High" or "Take me Home Country Roads" by John Denver it takes me back to that place and to those days!

Paco

PS ever hear of Moab in Utah? Fantastic Sandstone arches there!

Subject: RE: Place names
From: mike cahill
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 03:45 PM

In yorkshire England, (is there another one?) there is a place called IDLE (this means someone who is lazy or without work) and the place has a working mans club. It must be great to be able to say that you are a member of the IDLE working mans club

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bobby Bob, Ellan Vannin
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 04:04 PM

In Kent there's a place called Loose. Part of the social scene is to belong to the Loose Women's Institute.

Shoh slaynt,

Bobby Bob

Subject: RE: Place names
From: ddw in windsor
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 05:43 PM

Some of my favorites are Cowpens, SC and a little community in the southwestern corner of VA called Goosepimple Junction.

Regina, Saskatchewan was originally called Pile of Bones, but changed it.

And there's a native community, I believe in the Northwest Territories, but I could be wrong, called Sheshatshit -- pronounced exactly as it's written. That caused a few chuckles in the newsroom when they had some big happening there a few years ago.

cheers, ddw

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Night Owl
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 06:34 PM

Assinnippi, Mass. (located in southeastern Massachusetts).

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Peter Fisher
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 07:50 PM

Some years ago while living in South Dakota I was startled by a newspaper headline: "Porcupine Man Captured." Since this was the state that gave us Wall Drug and the postcards of Jackalopes, my imagination ran wild. Turns out a resident of the town of Porcupine, South Dakota, had been eluding police, and was finally nabbed.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 08:06 PM

Pennsylvania has placed state colleges in towns named California and Indiana, so I know someone who went to California State University--in California, Pennsylvania.

New Jersey offers us Double Trouble, Ong's Hat, and Manunka Chunk Junction. (No I'm not making these up--look at a map!)

I've been to Accident, Maryland. A town which was surveyed twice, by accident. Downtown is a gas station and repair shop: the Accident Garage. The other peculiar thing about the town is that the two main streets are North Street and South Street, but the town is divided in half, but not the way you'd expect: there's North North Street and South North Street, and North South Street and South South Street.

-Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Roddy
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 09:26 PM

What about the quite descriptive "Hackballscross" in S. Armagh. Thereby hangs a tale. Roddy

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Lyle
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 09:54 PM

When I lived in Mason City, Iowa, there were two towns just north of there, and about 10 miles apart, by the name of Manly and Fertile; you can imagine all of the local jokes that brought on.

Lyle

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Art Thieme
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 10:01 PM

Eleva, Wisconsin---named when they ran out of paint while putting the word ELEVATOR on the town grain facility.

Galva, IL --- GALVANIZED STEEL produced there.

In Illinois------a town on the Mississippi River where steamboats would "wood up"---stop for a load of wood which the townspeople would cut. If a boat wanted one load, they'd cut two. If you wanted two loads they'd cut three. They were always one "cord over"------ie. the town name of Cordova.

Climax, Kansas ('nuf said!)

When early pioneers came to another Illinois town on the Mississippi they found no animals at all but rabbits. So they named the town Albany. (all-bunny)

In Illinois there are towns named Normal, Oblong and Standard. A local news article was headed with: NORMAL MAN DIVORCES OBLONG WOMAN AND MARRIES STANDARD WOMAN.

and finally,

Condom, California !!!

Art

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Tucker
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 12:51 AM

Speaking of towns with foreign names.....Dublin, Rome,Athens,Portsmouth,Ohio (and that's just in my neck of the woods. And of course Frankfort and Paris Kentucky (there'll Always be Paris, here's looking at you kid). Then there's Intercourse Pennsylvannia and Truth or Consequences New Mexico (named after the TV show in the 50's). Tons of cool names! It makes it fun to read maps.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 06:14 AM

Matching Tye, in Essex
Nempnett Thrubwell (oo-er) in Somerset

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 06:17 AM

Oh, and Eglwyswrw, which is in Glamorganshire. Wrap yer dipthongs round that one...

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 06:45 AM

I remember Frankie Howerd years ago finding new names in the AA (Automobile Association) Handbook: "Arise, Sir Melton Mowbray!". I'll dig my raod maps out tonight & find a few good ones.

Steve

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Penny
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 07:49 AM

Kent - Pratt's Bottom? (Sorry, got corrupted at Meeting yesterday.)
And on a completely different level, Sussex - Cross-at-Hand

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 09:57 AM

Steve - if that's all you can find to do, you can buy me a pint instead if you like...

Subject: RE: Place names
From: folk1234
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 10:28 AM

And there's Gotebo, Bowlegs, Bugtussle, Cookietown, Pumpkin Center, Remus, Romulus, Slick, and McWillie all in Oklahoma.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 10:35 AM

I stopped for a beer in two Pennsylvania towns that caught my eye from the highway sign, Mars and Zelienople.

While we're on the topic, I was recently asked if I knew where the name Australia originated. Can anyone help with this one?

For those of you who are interested, Canada is from a North American Indian word meaning meeting place.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Art Thieme
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 10:51 AM

In Michigan there's EATON RAPIDS-------I always figured it was the best place to get "fast food"!!

Art

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 11:03 AM

Steve Latimer: Australia is, I believe, from the latin 'Australis' meaning 'southern'. Oppo of 'Borealis'. cf 'Occidens' and 'Oriens'...
Ave.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bert
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 11:21 AM

That's not what I heard about the origin of the name Canada.

When the country was young, they couldn't agree on a name for it, so they formed a committee of three bigwigs and a secretary. Well this committee met for a long time and still couldn't come up with a suitable name.
As the deadline approached the secretary suggested that they put some letters in a hat and each member would pick out a letter and the secretary would write the letters down.
The first guy picked and said "C eh!"......

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Margo
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 11:22 AM

In California, when coal was heavily in use, the train had coaling stations A, B, and C. When coal was no longer in use, coaling stations B and C disappeared. But the other became Coalinga, California.

Margarita

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Peter Fisher
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 11:40 AM

Here's some places I would like to see:

Lo, Cal.
Ho Chi, Minn.
Eenie Meanie Minie, MO
Ex, Conn.
Off, KY
No New, Texas (new home of national spelling champ Dan Quayle)
Excuse Me, Miss.
Just Call Me, AL
Why, ME
Either, OR
Noahs, Ark.
AhOooh, GA

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Felipa
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 12:03 PM

UK: Rest and Be Thankful
US: Highway Behind Lots (a street in a new development; I think it was in Long Island, NY; certain it was northeast US)

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 12:27 PM

"Terra Incognito Australis", they used to call Aussie: everyone had a good idea it was there, but nobody could be bothered to go and find out. Nowadays, of course, we all know where it is, but ...

Someone reviewed a restaurant once and said, "geographically, it's halfway between Elmer's End and Pratt's Bottom; gastronomically, it's the same." They don't write 'em like that today! And real places, too.

Dai, we should meet again: let's see who can say "Llanfairpwllgyngwyllgogerichllandrobwyllllantisiliogogogoch" after a few pints of 6X!

Steve

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bert
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 01:13 PM

I would think you could ONLY say that after a few pints.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 03:01 PM

Obtuse Rocks is a section of Brookfield, Connecticut.
Lake Chargoggagoggmanchaugagoggcharbunagungamaugg is mainly in Massachusetts, but crosses the line into COnnecticut. On the other hand, Naromiyocknowhusunkatankshunk Brook is entirely within the town of Sherman, Conn.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Penny
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 06:20 PM

And not far from Pluck's Gutter, there is a signpost referring to Ham and Sandwich.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 10:04 PM

If I can read and post on this thread, I know I'm not as busy as I think I am. Well, anyway, Tucker got Intercourse, Pennslyvania but there is always Point Pleasant, New Jersey.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Tucker
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 12:31 AM

Hey Liam, there is Point Pleasant Ohio too! I missed that one but it was early and I was out of Whiskey. Honestly, an Atlas, especially of Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia will provide hours of entertainment to anyone with a twisted sense of humour (humor), like myself. I remember one time some people dropped by our firehouse and wanted to get directions to "Tootle-Lee- Do." No one knew where it was. The man asked to see a map so my Lt. took him inside to show him a state map. Some minutes later the man left and my officer came out and started rolling on the ground laughing. He didn't stop for 20 minutes. It seems the guy was looking for Toledo, Ohio. Well, we ohioans aren't perfect either. A friend of mine was stationed to California and told the cab driver he wanted to go to Valley Joe.......Valejo. Language is such a blast and our names for things are even better.....Which leads me to a new thread

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Frank in the swamps
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 01:13 AM

In the late nineteenth century Florida was a very wild place, cow hunters down here spent more time stealing cattle than tending them. A few miles northwest of Kissimmee (there's a placename for ya) a posse caught up with a fella called Needham Yates, or "Needs" in a scrub. They stood the poor guy up on a pine stump and shot him all to hell. The place is called Needs Scrub. The same posse got bogged down in marshy area further north near a creek which has since borne the name, Boggy Creek.

Also, Yeehaw junction, Fla.

Frank in the swamps.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Tucker
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 02:30 AM

Thanks Frank, Florida is so cool. I was in New Smyrna ( another place name folks, nice history behind that) with my girlfriend. She took me to the park nearby where a plaque described how yankee invaders destroyed a local plantation. Anyway, to get away from war, New Smyrna was settled by Greeks, who sponge dived as they did in their native Greece. Many pretty girls there of Greek ancestary, Nice place to visit.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 02:52 AM

Druggers End in Herefordshire, England.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: SeanM
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 03:17 AM

California and the other 'western' states in the US owe a great deal of bizzare and humourous names to the miners during the gold rush... Out in the desert, there's Squaw's Tit mountain (don't even WANNA know what's behind that one... this is still a pg-13 site, as I understand), Skull Valley (Nice place...stopped in for a soda at the drugstore once), and a plethora of other names, several of which I'm fairly certain stemmed from prolonged town council meetings in the local saloon.

But I'll leave those for the other westerners out there - at least the names aren't Welsh! (NOI BG);^)

M

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 06:19 AM

Dai, actually it turns out that I do have better things to do than sit reading the gazetteer of my road atlas. You'll all have to wait till tomorrow now. Or the day after ...

Steve

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Penny
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 12:04 PM

I, on the other hand, had nothing better to do last night than scan two whole sheets (adjacent, with overlap) of the Ordnance Survey Landranger edition crossing the borders of Kent and Sussex, and come up with an A4 sheet of scrawled goodies, which I left at home, you'll be glad to hear. However, there are two Cackle Streets, Rockrobin, Buttons, Scragged Oak, Argos Hill and Hogtrough Hill to be going on with.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Penny
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 12:13 PM

And there's Ugley, which, like Loose, has a women's institute. And near Cirencester, there's a place called Ready Token.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bert
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 01:57 PM

Penny, The 'A4' is on a different map.

There's a Messing and a Mucking and a Fobbing in Kent.

Then there's Mousehole (Pronounced Mouzel) in Cornwall.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: VIXEN
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 02:41 PM

Well, I've just gotten back online after getting melted down on Monday, and I'm amazed that no one on this thread has mentioned the (perhaps fictional?) town of Morrow--immortalized in the Kingston Trio song of which I remember only "The last train to Morrow left last night."

Perhaps it's in the DT--I'm going now to look!

V

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Art Thieme
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 02:49 PM

84, Pennaylvania

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Curtis & Loretta
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 03:48 PM

I always like driving through Cosmos, Minnesota. The street names are: Saturn, Jupiter, Milky Way, etc, etc.

Loretta

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Frank in the swamps
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 05:27 PM

Yup Tucker, New Smyrna is nice. A local amusement down here is noting the people who pronounce it right, and those who call it "New Sumerna". Of course, many will say "Sumerna" IS the right pronunciation.

Forgot to mention Lake Helen. Local lore has it that there was no "Lake Helen" until the U.S. ordinance maps published it as such. Back in the days when it first appeared as a named lake on a topographic map they weren't going to print the correct name....Lake "Hell 'n Blazes", 'cuz that's where you had to go to find the damned lake.

Frank i.t.s.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Barbara
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 05:59 PM

Margarita got most of my favorites, but there's still Amity and Sublimity, and the town of the Dalles (pronounced Dolls)here in Oregon. Puta Creek, Bend, Sisters, oh, and we also have the booming metropolis of Deadwood (pop.7).
Along this line, when I'm travelling I often put the names on the road sign together and imagine a character in a novel to match the names. For example, Proberta Gerber (near the Cal/Or border on I-5) is probably a single schoolteacher with spunk. And Henley Hornbrook is her suitor.
Blessings,
BArbara

Subject: RE: Place names
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 06:27 PM

Telluride, Colorado was a contraction of "To Hell You Ride" because of the terrain and what miners had to go through to get there. It is also supposed to be for terilium or some such mineral, but the other is some much more colorful. I had an English/Latin teacher who was widowed three times; each was a miner who'd made it big in Telluride. We often, cruel children, speculated as to how old Mrs. Worcester killed them off for their money. I later realized she was the best damn teacher I ever had and it was too late to tell her so.

There's always Big Butte, MT, someone always wants to pronounce it "butt", instead of "beaut". Laramie, Wy started out as La Ramie, very french sounding. Oh and just saw a bumper sticker today for the old Savageton Bar in Savageton, WY. Wonder how it got its name!

kat

Subject: RE: Place names
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 08:47 PM

Dear Peter Fisher: I am sorry I missed your post earlier about the jackalopes. Now, I want to tell ya a little tiny correction to yer misconception. It weren't any otha state than this here ole Wyomin' what discovered that rare and eloosive breed what is ta mixup of what the good lawd intended an antelope and jack rabbit to look like.

Anybody whos been thru Shoshone Wyoming and stopped in at the Yellowstone Drug an had one a thar famous, smooth and cool malts jist knows the very first one of them critters was found here, its picture tooken and put on one a them thar picture cards what ya kin send out to your'n kin. They's had the first stuffed one, heah, too, fer sure and we've proof down thar at the guv's office in old ShyAnne.

Now, we wont hold it aginst, ya, son, but we DO know them South Dakot'ns aren't content with the big old faces they mucked up them rocks with and they'd jist love to steal all o'the glory of this bounteous discoveree of such a rare hopper with horns. Aint' nothing like it in the hole world and we, here in Wyomin' are ready to stake our lives, homes, and hell, even throw in ar horse and saddle to prove we've the right a owning that first title of revelation about the jackalopes of Wyomin'. Which reminds me, have ya ever heard the one about the wild poodle herds of Wyomin'? Saw one m'self, I did, one dark and lonely night out on the highway to ShyAnne. Took me complete by surprise. Remind me ta tall it once o'thes edays; it's jist one more instanz of Wyomin' being ahead and in the runnin' fer finding new species on this here ole ball wax we call home.

Tumblin'weedkat (one of the many faces of the demented Katlaughing)

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Tucker
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 08:54 PM

Of All things, this was the topic of a radio show today from Huntington WV, I was in the neighborhood. They mentioned some that I could have slapped myself for forgetting and they told the origins (some hilarious) of the names. Here's some.......believe it or not...

Big and Ugly, Wv Aid, Ohio (named that because escaping slaves from the south were given Aid there) Getaway (ditto, an underground railroad station in Ohio. Friendship, Oh. Named because the indians and whites were friendly and intermarried (apparently VERY friendly). Mud, Ky Hurricane, WV Patriot, WV Old Soldier (didn't catch the state) Jasper, Ohio

We have many "Furnace and Ports" names here. Furnace for all the Iron furnaces that were built before the steel age. ( a note to environmentalist, back then they used charcoal, instead of coal. Most of the trees were decimated from our hills and forest then. I am happy to say they are back since they are a very renewable resource) My area now farms and exports a big amount of some of the finest black walnut, maple, hickory and oak of the world. Just an aside The Ports were because there were lots of stopping places for flat boats and later steamboats for weary travelers to get rested, get fed, get drunk and get...... oh well

Gallipolis, Ohio. When a bunch of frenchmen were scammed in a land deal in their homeland for cheap land here the govenment set aside the site of Gallipolis (Ferry) as a place for them to settle. Early American Homeless. Nice town by and by. They have a beutiful Gazebo that every April is the site of a Union re-enactment. I hear the Rebs been showing up lately.

Firebrick Ky I can't believe it's not butter Ohio just joking

Subject: Lyr Add: SLOW TRAIN (M Flanders, D Swann)
From: Penny
Date: 28 Apr 99 - 03:42 AM

In a swathe of three Ordnance Survey maps, (no A4, Bert!) from the Thames to the Channel, across Kent and Sussex, leaving out a few I couldn't quite bring myself to put before this audience, all the furnace names, and some which are just farm names, there's

Morning Dawn, Heart's Delight, Moon's Green and Pizien Well,
Three Cups Corner, Pricklegate, Starnash and Honeyhills,
Terrible Down and Bouncer's Bank, Mumpumps and Muddles Green,
Trolliloes and Hazard's Green, Snarkhurst Wood and Plackett's Hole,
Nether Toes and Upper Toes, Scrapsgate and Brownbread Street,
Steven's Crouch, Glydwish, Socknersh and Peppering Eye,
Grandturzel, Snagshall, Bachelor's Bump,
Dean's Bottom and Great Job's Cross,
Horse Eye and Hankham, Crapham Down and Monkyn Pym,
Pigtail Corner, Pratling Street, Modest Corner and Walter's Green,
Shover's Green, Warmlake, and Hushheath,
Julian's Brimstone, Nizels and How Green.

And, specially for the Mudcat, Cattering Wood and Catts Green.

Or, just out of the area, an address we turned down for my father's accountancy practice, Forger's Green.

Or there's Flanders and Swann, again, on the "SLOW TRAIN."

Miller's Dale for Tideswell...
Kirby Muxloe...
Mow Cop and Scholar Green...

Nor more will I go from Blandford Forum and Mortehoe
On the slow train from Midsomer Norton and Mumby Road.
No churns, no porter, no cat on a seat
At Chorlton-cum-Hardy or Chester-le-Street.
We won't be meeting again On the Slow Train.

On the main line and the goods siding
The grass grows high
At Dog Dyke, Tumby Woodside
And Troublehouse Halt.

The sleepers sleep at Audlem and Ambergate.
No passenger waits on Chittening platform or Cheslyn Hay.
No one departs, no one arrives
From Selby to Goole, from St Erth to St Ives.
They've all passed out of our lives
On the Slow Train, on the Slow Train...

Cockermouth for Buttermere...on the Slow Train,
Armley Moor Arram,
Pye Hill and Somercotes...on the Slow Train.
Windmill End

It was with great delight that I found that the real Troublehouse Halt lay just down the road from Cirencester where my parents moved, close to one of the sources of the Thames.

And I have no idea what most of the names mean, and I don't want to know, because it is the sound of them that is the attraction. It always puzzles me, with such a great choice of names, that authors who invent placenames somehow don't quite make them sound real.

The Shambles: you omitted Piddletrenthide, which is one of my favourites in that valley.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 28 Apr 99 - 03:47 AM

Brits (especially Steve P.) - didn't John Betjeman write a great poem about the Byways of Old England - when we went to Scarborough by way of Gerrard's Cross or something?

Time to prove yer well-readness...

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Penny
Date: 28 Apr 99 - 11:40 AM

Think it was Chesterton...

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 28 Apr 99 - 12:31 PM

Ah, the rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road. What's the excuse round your way, Dai?

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 28 Apr 99 - 01:26 PM

In the late 1800's, the San Franciso board of supervisors needed to name the streets for a new area of town (along the Haight's Golden Gate Park "panhandle.")
They couldn't resist the opportunity to immortalize their own names - Baker, Lyon, Clayton, Cole, Shrader, etc. were the supervisors, and are the street names.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bert
Date: 28 Apr 99 - 01:56 PM

Penny,

What a great list. If I didn't know better I would have said that you made them up.

I remember once in the Barking Tech. Rag Magazine (yes Barking IS also a real place) They made up a version of "The Rock Island Line" called "The Tilbury Line". It went ... Dagenham, Rainham, Purfleet, Grays, The Good Lord's coming gonna see me again.....

And you all remember that "Tilbury Docks" is Rhyming slang for socks.

Back on this side of the pond there's a place in Colorado called "Telluride" which according to local folk lore is derived from the expression "To hell you ride".
and in Pennsylvania there is a "Peach Bottom" which became the nickname of one of our gang who, while drunk, foolishly challenged someone to "Bite my ass"

Bert.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bert
Date: 28 Apr 99 - 04:46 PM

Whoops, repeating Kat with "Telluride" Sorry I must have scrolled too fast past your message.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 12:21 AM

In Virginia: Stuart's Draft, Mouth of Wilson, Meadows of Dan, King and Queen Court House
In West Virginia: Sinks of Gandy
In Maryland: Dames Quarter, Crapo, Havre de Grace
In New York: Second Milo
In Connecticut: Podunk
In Vermont: Westminster West (NOT West Westminster)
In Oregon: Milton Freewater (sounds like a car dealership to me, but it's a town, near Walla Walla, Washington) In Kentucky: Bailey's Switch, Science Hill, Dog Walk
In the thumb of Michigan: Bad Axe and Grind Stone City

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bruce from Bathurst
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 02:13 AM

The challenge, of course, is to incorporate place names into a song. One of my favourite choruses comes from 'On A Queensland Railway Line' which reads:

Bogantungan, Rollingstone Mungar, Murgon, Marathon, Guthalungra, Pinkenba, Wanko, Yaamba, ha ha ha.

The song also refers to other Queensland railway stations with names of Aboriginal origin. One verse is as follows:

Males and females high and dry Hang around at Durikai, Booramugga, Djarawong, Giligulgul, Wonglepong.

I find I can only sing it early in the night - otherwise chaos theory takes over my tongue.

Bruce

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Banjer
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 02:24 AM

Ahhh! Shades of Hank Snow, "I've Been Everywhere". If you've never heard this one you owe it to yourself to give a listen!

Subject: RE: Place names
From: alison
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 03:05 AM

Hi,

More Aussie ones... in Queensland there is the town of 1770 (Seventeen seventy). In NSW you've got Nevertire, Come by chance, Dead horse creek, Mount Horrible, Wee Waa, just flicking through a map here......

Slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr Add: THE ROLLING ENGLISH ROAD (G.K. Chesterton
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 03:57 AM

OK, I found it myself.

The Rolling English Road

by G. K. Chesterton

Before the Roman came to Rye or out to Severn strode,

The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road.

A reeling road, a rolling road, that rambles round the shire,

And after him the parson ran, the sexton and the squire;

A merry road, a mazy road, and such as we did tread

The night we went to Birmingham by way of Beachy Head.

I knew no harm of Bonaparte and plenty of the Squire,

And for to fight the Frenchman I did not much desire;

But I did bash their baggonets because they came arrayed

To straighten out the crooked road an English drunkard made,

Where you and I went down the lane with ale-mugs in our hands,

The night we went to Glastonbury by way of Goodwin Sands.

His sins they were forgiven him; or why do flowers run

Behind him; and the hedges all strengthening in the sun?

The wild thing went from left to right and knew not which was which,

But the wild rose was above him when they found him in the ditch.

God pardon us, nor harden us; we did not see so clear

The night we went to Bannockburn by way of Brighton Pier.

My friends, we will not go again or ape an ancient rage,

Or stretch the folly of our youth to be the shame of age,

But walk with clearer eyes and ears this path that wandereth,

And see undrugged in evening light the decent inn of death;

For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen,

Before we go to Paradise by way of Kensal Green.

---

[home] Back to G.K.Chesterton's Works on the Web.

---

Last modified: 21st April, 1998

Martin Ward, Computer Science Dept., University of Durham, Durham DH1 3LE,UK.
Email: [e-mail]

---

I've left the references at the bottom so you can see where I got it from. Thanks, Martin.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Penny
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 07:32 AM

Don't know about Messing, (for the sailors again, as in "about in boats"?) Bert, but Fobbing and Mucking are in Essex. OK, Thameside, close bound to Kent in the Peasant's Revolt, and the Early English Settlement, but Essex.

There was a Swede who studied placenames (a relation of that Wallenberg who did so much for prisoners during the war, and disappeared), who was enamoured of the idea that the "ing" placenames were formed from some physical characteristic of the early inhabitants. Thus, Bobbing, in Kent, was first settled by people who bobbed about; Freezingham, by folk with frizzy hair, (Frisians, it is now thought). This is not now supported, though some such names may have been a nickname of the leader of such groups. What that makes of Fobba, Mucka and Messa, I can't imagine. Or Barka.

And of course, we have names supplied by reversed movement, such as Gibraltar, Philippines, Pennsylvania. Thanks for the Chesterton, Dai, I found I hadn't got it when I looked last night.

There is a poem by Alan Garner, which speaks of a Dai shepherd, who left Llanfair PG for somewhere less tough, and found an NZ place which is longer, but I can't find that, either.

My class were doing some work invoving net connections with Horseshoe Bend, somewhere out West. They enjoyed this considerably, and then, in our river study on the diddy little Darent (more of a creek to some of you) were spotting horseshoe bends in that, with great fun.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 08:34 AM

Penny - do you mean Taumatawhakatangahangakouauouautamateaturipukapakikimongohoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu? 'Coa that's in NZ. I don't know why that didn't occur to me earlier...

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Wolfgang
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 08:43 AM

Glenelg, near Adelaide, Australia, for it's a palindrome. For placenames, it's the longest I know of.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Sam Pirt
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 08:50 AM

One of my favorite place names is in france. Its the name of a little village called 'Plog Off' no its not an insult to you but I will say this, it is absolutly true!!

Bye, Sam

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bert
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 09:08 AM

Penny,

My book says that the 'ing' ending is Saxon meaning 'The people of' I think Barking was "Boerca's people" or something like that.

I'll have to look up Messing again. I think it was somewhat upstream from Mucking. I used to drive to work through Fobbing and Corringham every day. And you're right they were prominent at the start of the Peasant's revolt along with Brentford.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 12:22 PM

The "ing" in Birmingham certainly means "family" or "people": Birm's people's settlement. Don't know about Birningham, Alabama, though ...

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The Shambles
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 01:21 PM

There is another thread for this. Place Names 2

Subject: RE: Place names
From: blisspoint (inactive)
Date: 29 Apr 99 - 07:23 PM

Quaking Houses, Co Durham, UK

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bruce from Bathurst
Date: 30 Apr 99 - 12:38 AM

Hey Banjer,

Was Hank Snow's song 'I've Been Everywhere' written by Geoff Mack, and did it list places in the US? If so, it's one of at least four versions he wrote. US, UK and New Zealand versions followed the success of the original Australian one, sung by Lucky Starr in the mid '60s.

If it wasn't, and didn't, then it probably isn't!

Bruce

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Sonny in Tenn
Date: 01 May 99 - 12:59 AM

You should be so lucky to live in the middle of West Tennessee. My husband is from the big community of Sweet Lips..(Chester Co.) which is a skip and a hop from Finger, Tenn. Then meander on to Blue Goose, Skullbone, and Lizard's lick.... I am from the big city (like, yeah) of Beech Bluff...from all the Beech trees that grew on a small bluff out in the middle of the country. We have Paris, Tenn also and Moscow... It's about midnight, so hope the names are spelled fairly correctly! Sonny

Subject: RE: Place names
From: KOOS VAN RIET
Date: 01 May 99 - 05:15 AM

Well it's something! I do have a blues show on radio by myself since 1987, but I could not stop listening to the show of June 18th! My compliments and keep on bluesin'

If you want to sent information please send it to:
[e-mail]
Till then.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Elizabeth (inactive)
Date: 01 May 99 - 11:32 PM

Some more Australian contibutions.....

Nowhere Else, Paradise and Snug in Northern Tasmania. Obum Obum, Ma Ma Creek and Tent Hill Upper in SE Queensland.

Cheers, Elizabeth.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Ian
Date: 05 May 99 - 07:59 AM

Lots of really nice names round where I live, especially on the Essex/Herts border. As well as Much Hadham (and Little Hadham) there's also Ugley (Essex) and Nasty (Herts).

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Cluin
Date: 30 Aug 05 - 01:06 AM

Dildo, Newfoundland.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,noddy
Date: 30 Aug 05 - 09:50 AM

On Orkney there is Twatt and reputedly....... Upper Twatt.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Tam the man
Date: 30 Aug 05 - 02:02 PM

other places in UK are

bonkle. lankirkshire Scotland
bottoms. west yorkshire
catbrain. avon
lower assenden. oxfordshire
north piddle. worcestershire
ogle. northumberland
pant. shorpshire
pratt's bottom. kent
slaggyford. northumberland
twatt/upper. twatt orkney
undy. gwent(Wales)

These are real places

Tam

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Leadfingers
Date: 30 Aug 05 - 02:45 PM

Egypt is WSW of Andover !! (Hampshire UK)

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Leadfingers
Date: 30 Aug 05 - 02:47 PM

OOPS Its ESE actualy - And Moscow is just a bit East of Kilmarnock !!

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Leadfingers
Date: 30 Aug 05 - 02:48 PM

And Thats Another 1oo !!!

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Tootler
Date: 31 Aug 05 - 05:27 AM

More from County Durham, UK

Snods Edge
Wallish Walls

Oh! and Toronto is about 3 miles from Bishop Auckland

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,Mr Happy
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 07:52 AM

Embarrass is a village located in Waupaca County, Wisconsin.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,daCat
Date: 12 Aug 10 - 06:14 PM

How about these:

In Ireland - Muckish, Stillorgan, Ballsbridge, Dolphin's Barn, Phoenix Park, the River Poddle, The Ragg, Moycarkey (local pronunciation "My car key"), Scribblestown, Ballygall, Dollymount, Booterstown, Usher's Island (not an island, of course), Horse and Jockey, Glasshouse, Callow, Bloody Foreland, Dunmore Head... Oh I could go on but I won't, and, yes, I'm Irish.

In England - so many have been mentioned. What about Ashby de la Zouche? There is also a town called Shitterton. To defeat countless thefts of the town sign, it now takes the form of an enormous carved boulder. And isn't there a street in London called Petty France?

Finally: In Austria - Fucking. Oh, yes.

Anyone know how to pronounce "Decies" in Waterford? There's a Decies within Drum and a Decies without Drum. Pronunciation of either one greatly appreciated.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Leadfingers
Date: 12 Aug 10 - 07:39 PM

North Devon (UK) has Woolfardisworthy - Town Ident Sign says (Pronounced Woolsey) under the name !

Subject: Lyr Add: THOSE NAMES (Banjo Paterson)
From: Allen in Oz
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 03:14 AM

THOSE NAMES

The shearers sat in the firelight, hearty and hale and strong,
After the hard day's shearing, passing the joke along:
The 'ringer' that shore a hundred, as they never were shorn before,
And the novice who, toiling bravely, had tommyhawked half a score,
The tarboy, the cook, and the slushy, the sweeper that swept the board,
The picker-up, and the penner, with the rest of the shearing horde.

There were men from the inland stations where the skies like a furnace glow,
And men from the Snowy River, the land of the frozen snow;
There were swarthy Queensland drovers who reckoned all land by miles,
And farmers' sons from the Murray, where many a vineyard smiles.

They started at telling stories when they wearied of cards and games,
And to give these stories a flavour they threw in some local names,
And a man from the bleak Monaro, away on the tableland,
He fixed his eyes on the ceiling, and he started to play his hand.

He told them of Adjintoothbong, where the pine-clad mountains freeze,
And the weight of the snow in summer breaks branches off the trees,
And, as he warmed to the business, he let them have it strong—
Nimitybelle, Conargo, Wheeo, Bongongolong;
He lingered over them fondly, because they recalled to mind
A thought of the old bush homestead, and the girl that he left behind.

Then the shearers all sat silent till a man in the corner rose;
Said he, 'I've travelled a-plenty but never heard names like those,
Out in the western districts, out on the Castlereagh
Most of the names are easy—short for a man to say.

'You've heard of Mungrybambone and the Gundabluey pine,
Quobbotha, Girilambone, and Terramungamine,
Quambone, Eunonyhareenyha, Wee Waa, and Buntijo—'
But the rest of the shearers stopped him: 'For the sake of your jaw, go slow.
If you reckon those names are short ones out where such names prevail,
Just try and remember some long ones before you begin the tale.'

And the man from the western district, though never a word he said,
Just winked with his dexter eyelid, and then he retired to bed.


Banjo Paterson 1890
Australia

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Howard Jones
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 03:54 AM

As an Essex Calf, long exiled in t'North, I'm particularly fond of this old rhyme of Essex place names. It was published by Spike Mays in his book "Reuben's Corner" about his childhood growing up on the Essex-Suffolk border. He learned it from a horseman on the farm, George "Toe-rag" Smith.

Willingale Doe and Willingale Spain
Bulvan and Bobbingworth, Colne Engaine
Wenden Lofts, Beaumont-cum-Mose, Bung Row
Gestingthorpe, Ugley and Fingringhoe
Helions Bumpstead and Mountnessing
Bottle End, Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Messing
Islands of Canvey, Foulness, Potton
Stondon Massey and Belchamp Otton
Ingrave and Inworth and Kedington
Shallow Bowels, Ulting and Kelvedon
Margaret Roothing and Manningtree
The bolder you sound 'em, the better they be!

Subject: RE: Place names
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 01:39 AM

Here in Cambridgeshire we have Six Mile Bottom.

Coming so late to this thread, I am surprised to find no reference to the East Anglian villages of Great Snoring & Little Snoring, near Fakenham, Norfolk.

Nor has anyone cited Stephen Vincent Benét's famous poem of 1931, "I Have Fallen In Love With American Names", whose last line, "Bury my heart at Wounded Knee", was used as the title of Dee Brown's fine 1970 history of the American Indians.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Sarah McQuaid
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 01:13 PM

To get pretty much anywhere from where I live, in far West Cornwall a couple of miles from Land's End, you have to drive up the A30 -- which takes you past signs for Ventongimps, Broadwoodwidger and then a sign for "Hicksmill and Polyphant", which sounds to me like the names of the characters in a Beckett two-hander.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 01:27 PM

One of the Shetland Islands is called Yell.

Dorset is a county noted for the outré names of many of its villages ~~ Ryme Intrensica is the one which comes to mind as my favourite.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Bettynh
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 02:55 PM

Music with real place names:

New Jersey

Massachusetts

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,Guest Millindale.
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 03:29 PM

How about my home town of Penistone.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Les from Hull
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 03:41 PM

Recently the Mayor of Fucking in Austria has become upset that a German beer company has been given the right to call a light coloured beer (called 'hell' in German) 'Fucking Hell'.

story here

Subject: RE: Place names
From: fretless
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 03:41 PM

Havre de Grace in Maryland, which makes my list because it is pronounced "have da grass" locally.

Ad I've just returned from a week camping at Lake Anna in Virginia near the town of Bumpass, which I take as derived from either a poor route through the mountains or a rather sily dance.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 04:02 AM

More on Dorset villages: within a close radius of Ryme Intrensica, already mentioned, you will find Mudford Sock, Beer Hackett, Preston Plucknett, Melbury Bubb...

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Sarah McQuaid
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 07:19 AM

Tom Bliss has created a rather wonderful pie recipe consisting entirely of English and Welsh town names, and has kindly gone to the trouble of putting a video on YouTube complete with helpful subtitles that spell out the names in question. Still has me giggling helplessly every time I hear it (it's also on his album "The Whisper"). Here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tltEZzTxxs

Sarah McQuaid
www.sarahmcquaid.com

Subject: RE: Place names
From: TheSnail
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 09:38 AM

I've always been rather fond of Marsh Gibbon in Buckinghamshire. Is the species extinct?

There is a Little Common near Bexhill which, like Ugley and Nasty already mentioned, has a Women's Institute. It also has a Working Men's club.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Splott Man
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 03:44 AM

On a recent trip to west Wales, I passed through the villages of Mwnt and Plwmp ("W" is the Welsh equivalent of the short "oo").

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,Millindale
Date: 16 Aug 10 - 05:32 AM

When shopping in Castleford, West Yorkshire we have to walk under Ticklecock Bridge to the shops.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Mr Happy
Date: 28 Jul 13 - 05:48 AM

Fryup, North Yorkshire - unfortunately no shop or chippy so you can't get your daily cholesterol in Fryup!

Subject: RE: Place names
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Jul 13 - 06:28 AM

Surely an opportunity for an enterprising Yorkshireman to open the Fryup Fryup!

Subject: RE: Place names
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 28 Jul 13 - 07:28 AM

Assowoman, Bumpass, Onancock - all in Vagina ... I mean Virginia.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,Henry Piper of Ottery
Date: 28 Jul 13 - 07:37 AM

On the Shropshire/Powys border near Clun, lies the small hamlet of New Invention, bits its not, its been there at least 2oo years I believe.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Dave Hunt
Date: 28 Jul 13 - 08:51 AM

Staffs/Derbys border area Draycott in the Clay and Marston in the Mud.

Shrops has Knockin - and yes, the village shop has in big letters
The Knockin Shop!

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 28 Jul 13 - 11:50 AM

Decies is pronounced DEES-eez.
I'm quietly fond of the name Hackballscross, Co Louth, and also Coolfancy, Co Wexford. Then there are complicated ones like Muirhevanmore, Co Louth, which I think means the grave of the great woman, and Muiceanach Idir Dhá Sháile, which means the place of boars between two saltwater inlets.
Dublin has nice names - Mullinahack around where Oliver Bond flats are now, and meaning the Mill of the Shit; there's an image to conjure with. And there's the conjunction of streets built by Henry Moore, Earl of Drogheda, which include Henry Street, Moore Street, Earl Street, Of Alley (now Henry Place), and Drogheda Street (now the northern part of O'Connell Street).

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,eldergirl
Date: 28 Jul 13 - 08:13 PM

A friend of ours says Carrickfergus simply wouldn't have the same magic if it was about Nempnett Thrubwell. I wish I was in Nempnett Thrubwell, only for nights in Compton Wick... Nah.
One of my favourites is Trottiscliffe in Kent, but it's pronounced Trusley. Confusing but properly English like Featherstonehaugh or Cholmondeley. ;^D tee hee!

Subject: RE: Place names
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 29 Jul 13 - 01:18 AM

Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire is called Ozzle by its inhabitants, I believe.

Tho, as to these odd OK pronunciations, you can't be sure how they go timewise. I was brought up that, until recently, Daventry was pronounced "Daintry" by the posh. But then read somewhere that this was a C16 misapprehension that it was founded on the site of a great tree planted by the Vikings [Danes], whence "Dane-tree", and that up to then it was pronounced as spelt, as it is now. Who knows the truth of such matters? ~~ e.g as to the personal name, some Featherstonhaughs pronounce themselves as spelt, some Fanshawe, some Feather-stonnach &c.



~M~

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Old Grey Wolf
Date: 29 Jul 13 - 02:10 AM

Just north of Askam-in-Furness, Cumbria (but really Lancashire!) is a hamlet called Paradise, it has a beautiful sea view. It used to have a roadside sign, but it was stolen so many times the council stopped replacing it.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Mr Happy
Date: 29 Jul 13 - 03:09 AM

Wank!

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,Bert
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 12:21 AM

Bruce from Bathhurst challenges us to write songs with place names.

Here's one I wrote recently to the tune of Barbara Allen.

In Barking Town,where I was born
there was a fair maid dwelling
and all the Yobs cried lovely Bristols
when they saw Sonia Snelling

All in the merry month of May
when gasworks smog was smelling
young Billy Bloggs cried “well a day”
for the love on Sonia Snelling

He cried “I haven't got a chance”
and as the tears were welling
he drowned himself in Barking creek
for the love of Sonia Snelling

And slowly, slowly she came up
to the place they said he fell in.
She slipped upon the muddy bank
and splosh went Sonia Snelling

It was about three days or more
their bodies started swelling
don't eat the fish that come to feast
on Billy Bloggs and Sonia Snelling

Subject: RE: Place names
From: peteglasgow
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 02:45 AM

we live in Cockermouth. a town as lovely as it sounds until there is too much rain - not unusual in Cumbria. As we stay where the river cocker meets the river derwent we are vulnerable to flooding = 7 feet deep in 2009 and 5 feet in 2015 . i'm afraid we don't think much about the more pleasant connotations of the name.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Mr Red
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 02:50 AM

Adge Cutler wrote a song about Nempnett Thrubwell - I only ever heard Acker Bilk sing it (Adge was a roadie for Acker at one time)

U Toob
Lyrics - Down in Nempnett Thrubwell
Wiki - Nempnett Thrubwell

Subject: RE: Place names
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 03:14 AM

Billy Anthonys Bottom, Pratts Bottom, Badgers Mount Fannystown

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 03:40 AM

Shitlington in Yorkshire changed its name by dropping the h. :-)

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,SteveT
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 04:17 AM

“Both Barrels (Nately Scures” by Dick Henrywood has lots.

‘Originally inspired by signposts on the oft-travelled A303 pointing to Compton Pauncefoot, Sutton Montis, Corton Denham and Charlton Hawthorne, this tribute to double-barreled village names grew like Topsy with the aid of an AA Great Britain Road Atlas (1983 edition). The choice of odd names was huge but, rather ironically, none from the original signposts made the final cut. Finished in 2008 after several years’ procrastination.”

Subject: RE: Place names
From: G-Force
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 05:32 AM

You could do worse than read the words to 'Slow Train' by Flanders & Swann.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Jos
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 06:55 AM

As a child I had a Birthday Record with a rather naff song about being seven "Isn't it heaven to be seven ..." on one side, and on the other side was a much better song about a runaway bus, listing dozens of places in southern England through which the bus went. The bit I remember being "... through Highgate and Reigate and then he passed my gate".

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Murpholly
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 06:59 AM

Part of Bradford is called Idle. The Idle Working Men's Club has the highest membership of any club in England.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 01:52 PM

Lynsore bottom- hamlet near Canterbury- not nice for Lyn

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 02:10 PM

Then there's Ramsbottom, oft dubbed by us northern yokels Tupp's Arse...

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Jul 20 - 02:45 AM

In Gloucestershire there is a village called Nympsfield with a nearby hamlet called Cockadilly

And in Te Awanga, Hastings, Hawkes Bay, NZ I saw a sign to Knob Hill.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 07 Jul 20 - 04:28 AM

Just north of Manchester there's a former Victorian industrial site which was once used as a dump for alkaline waste. It's now famous among botanists for harbouring weird and wonderful casual alien plants. The site is called Nob End. Does that ring a bell...?

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,John from Kemsing
Date: 08 Jul 20 - 10:42 AM

Near the French town of Vigny, west of Paris, at one particular "T" junction there is a sign post which indicates to the left, "Us" and to the right, " Marines".

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Neil D
Date: 09 Jul 20 - 11:41 PM

Knob Lick in Missouri. Someone earlier mentioned Intercourse, Pennsylvania which, I'd like to point out, is just down the road from Blue Ball.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: Mr Red
Date: 10 Jul 20 - 02:01 AM

The site is called Nob End. Does that ring a bell...?

Well a bell end would, wouldn't it?

Subject: RE: Place names
From: BobL
Date: 10 Jul 20 - 02:06 AM

Shitlington in Yorkshire changed its name by dropping the h

Its Bedfordshire namesake, when Queen Victoria was due to visit the area, became Shillington.

Subject: RE: Place names
From: GUEST,C.G.
Date: 12 Jul 20 - 04:48 AM

Upper Thong and Nether Thong in Yorkshire.