What is the correct pronunciation of Lerwick ?

Wikipedia says of Bearsden -
"The current name Bearsden originated from the railway station built in 1863, but the origin of the name itself is unresolved. The station was named after a house near the station site (to avoid confusion with Old Kilpatrick station), but it was recorded as a name for the immediate area before that time. The meaning behind the name "Bearsden" may be one of the following:

A nickname given to the area of the Manse Burn by a Garscube heir
It relates to the barley (bear) that grew in the glen (dene)
It could be related to Gaelic, meaning "entrenchments of the fort"
The most common explanation is that the sons of a local laird once kept a pet bear in a den there, but there is no evidence to support this.

To quote James McCardel, the wisest course is frankly to admit that the derivation [of the name of Bearsden] is unknown.

Thanks Elegran. I went off to find my book of place names, but you got there before me. I think I'd be inclined to support the barley dene as an origin.

My ex was posted to the Shetlands, and whilst visiting up there, all the locals called it ‘Lurwick’.

Barley was a very important crop - bread and beer, the essentials of life!

Thank you Shropshirelass, I shall say Shreeewsbury now with confidence.

I’ve only ever heard it pronounced Lurwick. I haven’t been to Shetland, though!

Now, how about Anstruther?

To Fifers it is Ainster, of course.

How about Kilconquhar?

Locally we have Winwick (Winnick), Daresbury (Darsbury) and the magnificently confusing Cholmondeley pronounced Chumley.

Who'd be a newsreader

Just north of Pompey is a place called Southwick (Suthick - at least, that is how it was said in 1954 or so), but other places around the country are spelt exactly the same but pronounced South-Wick

Nothing could persuade my English granny (long resident in Scotland) to pronounce Kirkcaldy as anything other than kirk- call- dee; and Kirkcudbright was kirk-cud-bright. We never tried her on Milngavie. That would have been a step too far! And to add to the vagaries of place-names' pronunciation, there's Strathaven, pronounced Strayven. Considering granny was born in Leicester, you'd think she could have managed to get her tongue round the names of towns north of the border.

I was born and raised in Bearsden, right next door to Milngavie... ( Millguy )

Try Gyllyngvase (my local beach). It comes out pronounced very creatively by visitors eg:
Jillingvaws
Jielingvaz
Geyelingvaz
Gillingvawsa
Etc etc
(It's actually Gillingvayz)

Here in Northern Ireland we have Ahoghill.
Pronounced Ahaughil.... Strangers of course pronounce it A-hog-hill.

Smethwick in the Black Country is pronounced Smethick unless you live there when it’s Smerrick

How about Friockheim?

Not conclusive then
I had no idea that the books had been televised and have downloaded Raven Black hoping to hear on there

NotAGran55 If you enjoyed the Shetland setting, read Marsali Taylor's series also set in Shetland. That has a female heroine, for a change. Marsali Taylor lives in Shetland (which Ann Cleeves does not) so the local detail is very accurate, even down to tides and navigating marks for small boats. The first one of the series is called "Death on a longship".

mcem

Froikhym ??

Sorry nina not even close!

We have Costessy
Pronounced Cossy

Morning, what about Wymondham. - Windam. (near Norwich)

And Happisburgh....pronounced Haze bruh

Uttoxeter used to be called Uttucher, Towcester is probounced Toaster (similar to Worcester and Gloucester) but is often mispronounced. Magdalen College is pronounced Maudlin in Oxford but Magdalene college in Cambridge is pronounced as it looks.

In our area, Lanarkshire, we have Dalziel Estate, the historic Dalziel House, Dalziel High School..
Local pronunciation is DL, dee ell, like the names of the capital letters.

And Rocester, near Uttoxeter, is pronounced Roaster