People often wonder where place names come from. English place names come from a variety of old English and Anglo-Saxon words. Below are some examples of typical English place names and their origin. These are grouped into certain types of place names and includes some examples.
Place Names Ending in Don
There are several places in England ending with Don, such as Wimbledon, Croydon, Abingdon and, of course, London. The Don ending of the first three of these places comes from the Old English word Dun, meaning hill. Wimbledon comes from Wynnman’s Hill, Croydon comes from Crocus Hill and Abingdon from Aebba Hill. However, London does not come from this same origin, with its name a shortening of Londinium, a name from Roman Times, although the reason for this is unknown.
Place Names Ending in Mouth
Many place names are connected to waterways, with towns and cities ending in Mouth an example of this. This is a very common origin, with examples including Bournemouth, Plymouth and Great Yarmouth. This ending simply means that a town or city is at the mouth of a river. Bournemouth is at the mouth of the River Bourne, although the mouth is no longer visible as it goes underground at the Lower Garden not far from the sea. Plymouth’s etymology comes from being at the mouth of the River Plym, which itself was named after a nearby settlement upstream called Plimpton, or Plum Tree. Great Yarmouth is so-called due to being at the mouth of the River Yare.
Place Names Ending in Ford
Watford and Oxford are examples of English place names ending in Ford. This, perhaps not surprisingly, comes from being named after a Ford, as in a stream that can be walked or driven across. Watford stands on a low hill where the River Colne was forded with the Wat part of the name likely coming from the word Wet. It is effectively called Wetford. The name Oxford comes from Ford of the Oxen as it was a place often used as a crossing point by Oxen.
Place Names Ending in Bury
Bury endings is one of the more simple; it used to mean Borough. Salisbury originally comes from Serebberi, or borough of the Sareb, while Aylesbury comes from Aeglesburgh, meaning Fort of the Aegal. The town of Bury just means borough.
Place Names Ending in Stoke
The word Stoke comes from the Old English word for Stok, which meant place. So the city of Stoke or Stoke-Upon-Trent simply meant Place or a place on the River Trent. The Basing part of the town of Basingstoke comes from the Basa people, so Basingstoke essentially means place of the Basa people.
Place Names Ending in Ingham
Birmingham and Nottingham are amongst the places that end in Ingham. The Ing comes from Inga which meant people of, with the Ham meaning homestead. So Ingham really means People of the Homestead. Birmingham is Old English for Beormingaham, meaning a settlement of the Beormingas people, who were an Anglican Tribe. Nottingham started as Snotingaham, or Home of the Snot’s people. Snot was a Saxon Chief.
Andrew Marshall ©
Lester Aldridge
Flats in Wimbledon
Showing posts with label towns and cities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label towns and cities. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Brief Summary of Hampshire’s Biggest Towns and Cities
Hampshire is a county in the South of England that covers approximately 1,400 square miles. The county town is the historic cathedral city of Winchester. Hampshire contains the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth as well as the New Forest National Park. Famous people have included Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This is a brief look at the five largest towns and cities in Hampshire; Southampton, Portsmouth, Basingstoke, Gosport and Waterlooville, as well as Winchester.
Southampton
Southampton is Hampshire’s largest city. Much of its character comes from the city walls which were built to protect it after an attack by France in 1338. Around half of these walls still exist to this day. Southampton Port has played an important part in its history and industries, and was key in both world wars. In 1912 the Titanic sailed from Southampton to begin its fateful maiden voyage. Regular ferries still depart from Southampton to the Isle of Wight. Cross channel ferries no longer leave from Southampton but many Cruise ships do, in particular those going to the Mediterranean. It is also the largest freight port on the south coast of England. Southampton has good transport links that includes an airport with domestic and European flights.
Portsmouth
Portsmouth has a population of a little over 200,000, and settlements began before Roman Times. Like Southampton, the port has played an important role in its history. It is the world’s oldest dry dock and a major naval base with it having the headquarters of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marine Commandos. It is also a commercial port. A modern addition to Portsmouth is the Spinnaker Tower which was finally completed in 2005 after many years of delays. It is a 170 metre high tower that dominates the skyline and also goes by the name of the Millennium Tower. Designed to look like a sail to reflect the city’s marine connections it includes an observation deck with 360 degree views and a glass floor.
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a market town that was greatly expanded in the 1960’s when it became a London overspill town. It has good transport links to London with a fast train service and the M3 motorway, with Basingstoke’s junction 50 miles from the capital. Settlements go back to the Iron Age. The town was targeted in world war two, with bomb damage that included St Michael’s Church in the town centre. These days Basingstoke is home to the headquarters of several large businesses. The town centre has recently been largely rebuilt, with the Festival Place shopping centre a major new addition.
Gosport
Gosport is on the south coast on a peninsular, with Portsmouth on the opposite side. Some think of Gosport as an extension of Portsmouth but it is a town in its own right. It used to be a major naval and military town but declined in the late 1900’s. It held the last specialist military hospital in the UK until its closure in 2007. The first recorded settlements in what is now Gosport were in Anglo Saxon times. Famous people include singer Joe Jackson, actor Keith Allen and former athlete Roger Black.
Waterlooville
The name Waterlooville comes from a pub that used to be in the centre of the town; the Heroes of Waterloo. It was so named because on its first day of opening it was visited by returning soldiers from the Battle of Waterloo. Many of the soldiers settled there. A pub of the same name still exists, though in a different location.
Winchester
Despite not being one of the largest cities in Hampshire in population, Winchester is one of its best known places and is the county town. It is a cathedral city with one of the most famous cathedrals in Britain, and one of the largest in the world. The cathedral was built in 1079. Settlements go back to the Iron Age and Winchester became a capital of England in 686, one of several. It became the main capital city in 827 and remained so until after the Norman Conquest. A fire in 1141 accentuated what was already a decline in the city’s importance. Winchester is now a popular city due to its history and character. Jane Austen died in the city in 1817 and is buried in the cathedral.
Andrew Marshall ©
Southampton
Southampton is Hampshire’s largest city. Much of its character comes from the city walls which were built to protect it after an attack by France in 1338. Around half of these walls still exist to this day. Southampton Port has played an important part in its history and industries, and was key in both world wars. In 1912 the Titanic sailed from Southampton to begin its fateful maiden voyage. Regular ferries still depart from Southampton to the Isle of Wight. Cross channel ferries no longer leave from Southampton but many Cruise ships do, in particular those going to the Mediterranean. It is also the largest freight port on the south coast of England. Southampton has good transport links that includes an airport with domestic and European flights.
Portsmouth
Portsmouth has a population of a little over 200,000, and settlements began before Roman Times. Like Southampton, the port has played an important role in its history. It is the world’s oldest dry dock and a major naval base with it having the headquarters of the Royal Navy and the Royal Marine Commandos. It is also a commercial port. A modern addition to Portsmouth is the Spinnaker Tower which was finally completed in 2005 after many years of delays. It is a 170 metre high tower that dominates the skyline and also goes by the name of the Millennium Tower. Designed to look like a sail to reflect the city’s marine connections it includes an observation deck with 360 degree views and a glass floor.
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a market town that was greatly expanded in the 1960’s when it became a London overspill town. It has good transport links to London with a fast train service and the M3 motorway, with Basingstoke’s junction 50 miles from the capital. Settlements go back to the Iron Age. The town was targeted in world war two, with bomb damage that included St Michael’s Church in the town centre. These days Basingstoke is home to the headquarters of several large businesses. The town centre has recently been largely rebuilt, with the Festival Place shopping centre a major new addition.
Gosport
Gosport is on the south coast on a peninsular, with Portsmouth on the opposite side. Some think of Gosport as an extension of Portsmouth but it is a town in its own right. It used to be a major naval and military town but declined in the late 1900’s. It held the last specialist military hospital in the UK until its closure in 2007. The first recorded settlements in what is now Gosport were in Anglo Saxon times. Famous people include singer Joe Jackson, actor Keith Allen and former athlete Roger Black.
Waterlooville
The name Waterlooville comes from a pub that used to be in the centre of the town; the Heroes of Waterloo. It was so named because on its first day of opening it was visited by returning soldiers from the Battle of Waterloo. Many of the soldiers settled there. A pub of the same name still exists, though in a different location.
Winchester
Despite not being one of the largest cities in Hampshire in population, Winchester is one of its best known places and is the county town. It is a cathedral city with one of the most famous cathedrals in Britain, and one of the largest in the world. The cathedral was built in 1079. Settlements go back to the Iron Age and Winchester became a capital of England in 686, one of several. It became the main capital city in 827 and remained so until after the Norman Conquest. A fire in 1141 accentuated what was already a decline in the city’s importance. Winchester is now a popular city due to its history and character. Jane Austen died in the city in 1817 and is buried in the cathedral.
Andrew Marshall ©
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