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Place names

(25 Posts)
Joan Fri 28-Sept-12 05:34:47

Oh, some great names here! I was going to mention Once Brewed and Twice Brewed, but was beaten to it.

Here in Australia there is Yorkie's Knob (on the way to the hippy town of Nimbin). and Gin Gin, and lots more I can't bring to mind right now.

Back in Yorkshire I always liked Boggle Hole - both the name and the place. There was a Youth Hotel there too.

Frankel Thu 27-Sept-12 22:45:25

I found this www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18367156 trying to remember Badgers Mount. Quite like Dull and Boring. No comments please.

harrigran Thu 27-Sept-12 22:32:57

I should have remembered Twice Brewed, I went through there on Sunday on my way home. I used to stay at the youth hostel, Once Brewed, and hitch a lift back to Newcastle with the university climbing club. Many moons ago grin

numberplease Thu 27-Sept-12 17:16:19

Just outside Boston, in the village of Sibsey, there`s a Goosemuck Lane!
When I was a telephone operator, in the very distant past, I was always intrigued by a place called Husband`s Bosworth, often wondered if my husband had one!

Mamie Thu 27-Sept-12 15:55:42

I bet I am the only person who has been to Venta de Pantelones (sale of trousers).

Greatnan Thu 27-Sept-12 15:46:37

I like the full name of Bangkok in Thai - The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn.

So, Wales, put that in your Llanfairpg and smoke it!

I like Mumbles.

GillieB Thu 27-Sept-12 15:33:17

River - I had forgotten Truth or Consequences - we were in New Mexico a few years ago. We try to go to Arizona in September; every year we say we will try somewhere else and then just get drawn back.

Incidentally when we were out in the car this morning we had a CD on by Gordon Lightfoot and one of the tracks was "Carefree Highway" - and then I realised that Carefree is just north of Scottsdale near Cave Creek!

I had heard of most of the places which people have mentioned, but forgotten about them. Harrigran - how could I forget about Pity Me and No Place? And then I also remembered Twice Brewed up on the Military Road.

I think I remember reading "A Town called Alice" by Neville Shute and Bangkok was mentioned - I'm pretty sure it translates as New Castle!

MiceElf Thu 27-Sept-12 15:15:07

That should be
The refrain

iPad

MiceElf Thu 27-Sept-12 15:14:01

Do you remember the old folk song, thereof rain of which went:

From hell and Hull and Halifax
Good Lord deliver us.

They have lovely place names though.

As for barley orchard, the developer needs a good smack bottom. Now that would be a good street name. Smack Bottom Lane.

Lilygran Thu 27-Sept-12 15:10:23

It's a street in Hull. The Land of Nod is near Hull. The names developers pick for their new estates make me cross, though. How about 'Barley Orchard' ? What does that mean!confused

MiceElf Thu 27-Sept-12 15:10:11

There's a brilliant book by Margaret Gelling called Signposts to the Past. A wonderful book to dip into for anyone interested in the origin and meaning of place names.

Shooters Hill in Greenwich is a Saxon name, it was originally shitters hill as the invading Saxons wished to pour scorn on the sacred hill of the Romano British. The first vowel changed over the centuries but no one is sure when. The hill was certainly a place where highwaymen lurked (mentioned in the first chapter of A Tale of Two Cities, so possibly by association the change occurred then.

MiceElf Thu 27-Sept-12 15:00:53

I've always liked the sound of The Land of Green Ginger. Somewhere near Hull I think.

Sook Thu 27-Sept-12 14:34:43

gracesmum grin

Stansgran Thu 27-Sept-12 13:26:28

Loved staying at aplace in the US called Coeur D'alene- pronounced according to the T shirts on sale Core Duh Lane I think they said it was named by the French missionaries and means heart of steel

ninathenana Thu 27-Sept-12 13:13:25

Kent has an area called 'dead man's island'

Riverwalk Thu 27-Sept-12 12:27:57

Gillie Last week I also was driving in Arizona, between Williams and Phoenix, and remember those place names!

I'm just back after 4 months in the US, mainly Arizona & New Mexico - in NM I was staying at a ranch, nearest town was called Truth or Consequences. There was also a Chloride nearby.

My favourite name here has to be Blubberhouses in Yorkshire.

harrigran Thu 27-Sept-12 11:33:23

Not far from me ... Pity Me and No Place.

gracesmum Thu 27-Sept-12 11:22:59

There is a village in Germany called "Wank" - no comment re inhabitants but they seem to have more than their fair share of politicians and bankers grin

GillieB Thu 27-Sept-12 11:10:10

Most of the towns, villages etc., in the UK have ancient names which we can date back to the Saxons and the Romans, etc., - in the "new" countries like America and Australia the incomers also used names which they knew - when we were staying near Escondido we came across Jesmond Dene Road (any Tynesider will know Jesmond Dene). When we visited Virginia lots of the places were named after towns in England (and I know that immigrants from other European countries used to do the same thing). And, of course, there are the lovely native American Indian names which flow off the tongue.

I have had a giggle at some of the places mentioned!

Mamie Thu 27-Sept-12 10:31:40

When we visted America we stayed in Bird in Hand, visited Intercourse (and bought the t-shirt) and dined in Paradise, all in one day.

Barrow Thu 27-Sept-12 10:29:47

Whilst visiting my brother in Australia we would regularly drive past places named Rogues Point and Black Bob's Flats. I always wondered who the rogue was and who was Black Bob.

Littlenellie Thu 27-Sept-12 10:22:46

I would hate to live in cockfosters imagine asking if you had reached your destination on a train....is this cockfosters?

whenim64 Thu 27-Sept-12 10:16:51

Not a place name, Gillie but I was reminded of a trip along Route 66 in Arizona, somewhere near Flagstaff, where we saw a restaurant called the 'Roadkill Cafe.' hmm

Greatnan Thu 27-Sept-12 10:04:08

I like Oswaldtwistle. I don't think I would like to live in Pratt's Bottom, in Kent.
I like my present address - it includes the name of a mountain pass and the block of flats is called 'House of Snows'.

GillieB Thu 27-Sept-12 10:00:21

One of the things I like about travelling around new places and countries is the delightful names some towns/places have. Last Wednesday we drove from Phoenix, Arizona, to Sedona and on the way we saw the following names: Bumble Bee, Deadman's Creek, Horsethief's Bend. Previously we just had to take a detour when we saw "Chloride"!

Of course we have some lovely names in this country, too: Twizel (when I was young I was convinced that it was named for the puppet "Twizzle"); Upper and Lower Slaughter, Stonton Wyville, etc.

The other thing I like to do with names (places and people) when abroad is to try to translate them into English - they don't sound so glamorous then!

Where and what are your favourite place names?