General Chat

I live in Fishponds which is a district of Bristol. The local abbey dammed the river Frome to make ponds to provide their Friday fish - no real mystery. The ponds still exist but you would be lucky to find anything more than two inches long. I did not know about Snottingham, must tell my son. I once came across a competition to find the most inappropriately named city which was won by Buenos Aires. I wonder if any where in England beats New Castle.

Epsom comes from Ebba's Ham or Hamlet - I think in Saxon times. Ebbisham is another derivative and can still be seen in Epsom today in the name of the library building - the Ebbisham Centre. Sue xx

Malc My book shows Albury as 'old or disused stronghold'. There does seem to be anecdotal evidence of different meanings for quite a few places, historians often disagree it seems. Dee xx

Thanks Paul, I was about to ask for Gawcott.

Have just googled Hayle... Hayle (Cornish: Heyl) is a small town in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is at the southern end of St Ives Bay, on the estuary of the Hayle River. Its name derives from the Cornish heyl, estuary. Formerly it was important as a fishing town and as a transshipment port for tin and other industrial products. ... Maz x

I live in Albury Herts I have been told the name comes from the burial ground nearby that dates from the great plague

Hi folks Some interesting replies. Must admit that it seems that some sources differ, which is all to common in anything to do with History Jim Mine has Gosport as a market town where geese are sold Fareham is a homestead where ferns grow Tracy Ipswich is a harbour or trading centre of a man called Gip Dee xx

Camberwell Beauty, I used to live in Camberwell New Rd as a kiddie, thanks for the meaning 'lepers well'. I wish I new the history of the area.

Hi Dee Im in Liverpool and in 1190 was spelt Liuerpul meaning pool or creek with muddy water. There was a pool which was in Paradise Street and in the 13th Century there was a Castle. Liverpool received a charter from King John in 1207 Regards Yvonne

Could you look to see what Ipswich, Suffolk means Thanks Tracy

Gosport reputedly is a corruption of God's Port. Alverstoke is the 'stoke' (water meadows?) of the River Alver. Fareham is a Traffic Jam between me and anywhere else in the country.

My nearest big town, Croydon, apparently comes from Saxon croeas deanas which means 'valley of the crocuses'. It's obviously changed a bit since then, sadly! Bev x

I seem to remember from history that someone.....probably the Normans decided to map the whole of Britain . Officials were sent out to note the names of the places and when they arrived at some place not known to them by name they asked the locals what it was called................and it was this that gave rise to a lot of the personal names we have today

I was born in Newcastle upon Tyne. The Romans built the first castle, and Wm the Conquerer's son Curthose (he had nice legs and liked to show them off!) built the New Castle. I was brought up in Wallsend - which was where Hadrian's wall ended. Anne

Paul I have three out of four Cardington (I assume the one in Beds?) Probably estate associated with a man called Caerda ------ Gawcott, Bucks cottage for which rent is payable ---------- Yardley is a wood or clearing where rods or spars are obtained Yardley Gobion, Northants, is from the Gubyun family here in the 13th century Dee xx

Dee, Would be interested in a few place names, they're only villages though, so may not be in your book ? Deanshanger (previously Denshanger) Yardley Gobion Cardington Gawcott Ta Paul

Where i live now Dunfermline DUNFERMLINE : possibly 'hill-land' ; dun (Gaelic) hill, fortress, mound; lann (Gaelic) land. The 'ferm' element may have something to do with tax exacted on the land. and where i was born SUNDERLAND The name derives from Sundered Land, land set asside for a special purpose. It is thought Sunderland was land sundered from a monastery in Saxon times. Anna :-)

Hi Dee! Hi! Sunderland, Co Durham, where my Dad's family lived, was 'a separate land' Tredegar, Monmouthshire, South Wales, where my Mum was born, was named after Tegyr's Farm Camberwell, South-East London, where I was born, means 'Leper's well'. It was traditionally the place where lepers only could draw their water, to avoid contamination of the general population (who were probably riddled with other diseases). I have an old Reader's Digest atlas of the British Isles which gives the origins of most British place names. Very useful. I've also got an historical atlas from my schooldays which shows Britain through it's stages from pre-history through to the 1960s, when it was published. It shows the territories of all the clans of Scotland, which is particularly interesting. CB >|<

I am from Blackburn Lancashire which I think loosely translated means Dirty Water Susan:-)

Thank goodness my ancestors didn't hail from here:))