Strangest Place Names
Viewing comments for Chapter 6 "The Garden of England"Collection of odd place names and their histories.
29 total reviews
Comment from Averil Drummond
Yes, very amusing. Mind you the Poms (I am a expat Pom), do make it easy for you. I will look forward to reading your book. I enjoyed my visit to the pretty villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter last time I was in England.
reply by the author on 21-Jun-2022
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Yes, very amusing. Mind you the Poms (I am a expat Pom), do make it easy for you. I will look forward to reading your book. I enjoyed my visit to the pretty villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter last time I was in England.
Comment Written 21-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 21-Jun-2022
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Thanks so much, Averil :-). I could probably do another five chapters on Kent alone, never mind all the other counties! As you say, silliness runs in the English vein :-)
Mike
Comment from Faith Williams
I loved this piece! I always find these sorts of things interesting, and you told it with such humor. Though I think I have one better for you. The county south of me in Pennsylvania has a lovely little town named Intercourse. Back in the day, the railroad line ran from Intercourse to a town in the next county, named Climax. If traveling by car and you took a wrong turn, you might end up in Blue Ball.
reply by the author on 20-Jun-2022
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I loved this piece! I always find these sorts of things interesting, and you told it with such humor. Though I think I have one better for you. The county south of me in Pennsylvania has a lovely little town named Intercourse. Back in the day, the railroad line ran from Intercourse to a town in the next county, named Climax. If traveling by car and you took a wrong turn, you might end up in Blue Ball.
Comment Written 20-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 20-Jun-2022
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Lol, you have to love it when things line up like that - makes one wonder whether it's truly coincidence of somebody was seeing what they could get away with. I'm so glad you enjoyed the read - it was a lot of fun researching it :-)
Mike
Comment from tfawcus
Thoroughly enjoyed. You brought back fond memories of England and its splendid place names. I lived for many years in the West Country. My favourite there was Puddletown, situated on the River Piddle.
reply by the author on 20-Jun-2022
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Thoroughly enjoyed. You brought back fond memories of England and its splendid place names. I lived for many years in the West Country. My favourite there was Puddletown, situated on the River Piddle.
Comment Written 20-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 20-Jun-2022
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Thank you :-). I do so love our English place names!
Mike
Comment from Katherine M. (k-11)
Your roadsign is the best! What a great addition this was to the collection. I really enjoyed rediscovering som well-loved hamlets and towns, and encountering some new ones, served up in your inmitable fashion. Kate xx
reply by the author on 20-Jun-2022
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Your roadsign is the best! What a great addition this was to the collection. I really enjoyed rediscovering som well-loved hamlets and towns, and encountering some new ones, served up in your inmitable fashion. Kate xx
Comment Written 19-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 20-Jun-2022
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Thanks, Kate! I'd been letting this one bubble I the back of my head (as you know) until it felt like the right time to write it. I'm thrilled you enjoyed it :-)
Mike
Comment from judiverse
This has a great introductory paragraph. I read a novel by Jacqueline Winspear in which she writes quite a bit about the Hops harvest. You really came up with some interesting place names in Kent. I've seen "Wold" in combination with Cotswold, Etc. Babies' Castle, to me, is one of the most interesting. I'd heard about sandwich being named after the Earl of Sandwich. I've heard the wisdom that when you're writing, you should use your best material. You certainly did that. judi
reply by the author on 19-Jun-2022
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This has a great introductory paragraph. I read a novel by Jacqueline Winspear in which she writes quite a bit about the Hops harvest. You really came up with some interesting place names in Kent. I've seen "Wold" in combination with Cotswold, Etc. Babies' Castle, to me, is one of the most interesting. I'd heard about sandwich being named after the Earl of Sandwich. I've heard the wisdom that when you're writing, you should use your best material. You certainly did that. judi
Comment Written 19-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 19-Jun-2022
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Thanks so much, Judi - this was lots of fun to research :-). There wasn't an Earl of Sandwich until the 17th century, so the town predates the aristocratic title by almost 800 years. It's the 4th Earl of Sandwich who's credited with inventing the food item, although most accounts agree it existed before him - it just came to be known by his name. Sorry for the info dump, lol. I looked all this stuff up while I was researching the place name. I'm really happy you enjoyed the article!
Mike
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You're welcome. This was lots of fun to read. judi
Comment from Ulla
Yes, they a fun and quaint names, indeed. I could add a few from my years living in. Britain and I may just do. I could be tempted. I loved all your examples. Ulla:)))
reply by the author on 18-Jun-2022
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Yes, they a fun and quaint names, indeed. I could add a few from my years living in. Britain and I may just do. I could be tempted. I loved all your examples. Ulla:)))
Comment Written 18-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 18-Jun-2022
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Thank you, Ulla :-). This was lots of fun to write!
Mike
Comment from NANCY V. FORREST
I did enjoy reading it, in part, I admit, because it reminds me of "home" where I lived for several years with my ENglish inlaws. And partly because I love words. BUt also because you wrote it engagingly and well. Thank you.
reply by the author on 18-Jun-2022
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I did enjoy reading it, in part, I admit, because it reminds me of "home" where I lived for several years with my ENglish inlaws. And partly because I love words. BUt also because you wrote it engagingly and well. Thank you.
Comment Written 18-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 18-Jun-2022
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Thank you, Nancy :-). There are so many great place names around here that I could have just kept going but I didn't want it to get too long.
Mike
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I hear that!
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I hear that!
Comment from Mary Vigasin
I enjoyed your story. While it is informative, it is funny and entertaining.
Here in Massachusetts and other New England states, we have many names of towns and cities that were so named by possibly homesick English settlers, like Cambridge, New London, Chelsea, Dover etc. We even have our own Sandwich, but at least someone drew the line at the more unusual names. I am glad I drive into the City of Boston rather than a city named Cock Farm or Duckpit.
Best wishes and regards,
Mary
reply by the author on 18-Jun-2022
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I enjoyed your story. While it is informative, it is funny and entertaining.
Here in Massachusetts and other New England states, we have many names of towns and cities that were so named by possibly homesick English settlers, like Cambridge, New London, Chelsea, Dover etc. We even have our own Sandwich, but at least someone drew the line at the more unusual names. I am glad I drive into the City of Boston rather than a city named Cock Farm or Duckpit.
Best wishes and regards,
Mary
Comment Written 18-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 18-Jun-2022
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Thank you, Mary :-). Indeed, I think those settlers were trying to make version 2 of some of their home towns! I'm really happy you enjoyed the read.
Mike
Comment from dmt1967
Essex, where I live has some pretty silly names as well lol. This piece made me giggle and also think the olden day Brits had no imagination lol. Thank you for sharing and have a great weekend.
reply by the author on 18-Jun-2022
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Essex, where I live has some pretty silly names as well lol. This piece made me giggle and also think the olden day Brits had no imagination lol. Thank you for sharing and have a great weekend.
Comment Written 18-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 18-Jun-2022
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Thank you :-). Yes, it does seem as though everything was called Bog Wood or Tree Farm etc, and tha kfully the centuries have made the names more interesting!
Mike
Comment from LisaMay
I'm glad you shared this humorous collection. I especially enjoyed the naughty bits, such as: 'the kind of underwear that makes cheeks blush and turns walking into flossing'.
Reading the words' definitions was informative.
I lived in London for 6 months and travelled about as much as I could. I remember near Hadrian's Wall there were small places called Once Brewed and Twice Brewed.
reply by the author on 18-Jun-2022
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I'm glad you shared this humorous collection. I especially enjoyed the naughty bits, such as: 'the kind of underwear that makes cheeks blush and turns walking into flossing'.
Reading the words' definitions was informative.
I lived in London for 6 months and travelled about as much as I could. I remember near Hadrian's Wall there were small places called Once Brewed and Twice Brewed.
Comment Written 18-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 18-Jun-2022
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Trust the northerners to name places after beer, lol. It was great fun looking into this for the shared book :-)
Mike
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...or a pot of tea.