Reviews from

Strangest Place Names

Viewing comments for Chapter 4 "A Northern English Perspective"
Collection of odd place names and their histories.

23 total reviews 
Comment from Malcolm Rothery
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Very interesting. I must read more. I often puzzle over road signs pointing to some oddly named village and wonder where the name came from. There is a hamlet in Hertfordshire called Nasty. Not sure I would like to live there, though the name actually comes from old Anglo Saxon for 'At the eastern hedged enclosure.' Not very exciting really!

 Comment Written 07-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 07-Jun-2022
    Thanks for reviewing. PLEASE chip in with your own ones. I stuck to the North, but I always remember Nettlebed from Berkshire... I think the original origins are often mundane, but the thoughts they provoke in the modern day visitor are fun. (Did you find Dildo from Judy?). Kate xx
Comment from Wendy G
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This is both interesting and informative and is a great addition to the book. Also, in Southern England there are several names that end with "combe or "comb". Wondering if you know anything about the origin of this suffix? Well and clearly written.
Wendy

 Comment Written 07-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 07-Jun-2022
    Thanks for this positive review.
    Combe:
    either a steep, narrow valley, or a small valley or large hollow on the side of a hill; in any case, it is often understood simply to mean a small valley through which a watercourse does not run. Derives from Old English cumb, of the same meaning, and is unrelated to the English word "comb". Kate xx
Comment from Janice Canerdy
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Place names are a fascinating study; they range from perfectly understandable, to obscure, to amusing, to . . . . This is an informative, even entertaining, piece. I especially like the last paragraph.

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 03-Jul-2022
    Finally catching up a bit. Thanks for this positive review. Kate xx
Comment from joann r romei
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This was informative, and i love the picture. There are towns here on Long Island that have odd names, Locust Valley, Muttontown and Sag Harbor, to name a few.

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 03-Jul-2022
    Wow! your names are seriously unusual. Thanks for reviewing, sorry it's taken me so long to catch up. Kate xx
reply by joann r romei on 05-Jul-2022
    And I forgot Cocks Lane. lol
reply by the author on 05-Jul-2022
    hahaha. You should definitely add your names to the book...
Comment from Pam Lonsdale
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Oh, goodness, go to New England if you want suffixes! They are all about English names. After all, they are NEW ENGLAND! When I lived in Connecticut, I thought I was living in England when we drove from CT to Vermont for holidays according to road signs.

Informative write.

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 03-Jul-2022
    Thanks for chipping in on this one. As you can see I am finally spring-cleaning this week Kate xx
Comment from Theodore McDowell
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Another good post on location names and the history behind some of the names. I love the initiative and keep the ball moving forward. Well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 03-Jul-2022
    I love place names. This was a great initiative. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Kate xx
Comment from Ric Myworld
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Cool! My use of an outdated word. But I've always been sort of fascinated by some beautiful countryside and its history. Of course, anything that we don't get first hand, is most likely been tarnished a bit. LOL. Thanks for sharing.

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 03-Jul-2022
    Sorry I'm so behind. I did read all reviews at the time, honest! Thanks for your time. Kate xx
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
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This is an interesting write Katherine and our English names are steeped in history if we care to delve into their origins, an informative and fun post, love Dolly x

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 03-Jul-2022
    Sorry I'm so behind. I did read all reviews at the time, honest! Thanks for your time. Kate xx
Comment from karenina
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SO glad you came on in and left us yet another perspective on names. It is intriguing how many names have "legends" attached to them... Real or not, they lend color and a smile! Helen was the inspiration for this entire book--I merely told her I thought her idea was brilliant and I thought I could find a few names to contribute! Yay Helen! It's been a fun diversion from the solemnity of life... For sure!

Karenina

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 06-Jun-2022
    I understood that you said to make it a MAB and let us all join in the fun... Never mind. Anyway, yes it does make the dismalness of life recede. Thanks for reviewing. Kate xx
reply by karenina on 06-Jun-2022
    I DID say that! When I mentioned to Helen I had some ideas it blossomed to a MAB and it's become all the better with each chapter! LOVE YOUR CHAPTER! I'm sorry if I expressed that clumsily. I am a clumsy human!--
    Smiles, K
reply by the author on 07-Jun-2022
    So am I (clumsy) somtimes not sure I'm even (human). Off to bed. Head's splitting. K
reply by the author on 07-Jun-2022
    PS you're not (clumsy). Very thoughtful and caring. Be kind to yourself
Comment from Iza Deleanu
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Ha, ha, ha quite a funny explanation especially on the last paragraph:"Rumour has it that Lothersdale was named when a Norse Viking conqueror looked down on it, and delared "Lo! There's a dale" but this seems to have been just a tale to make English schoolchildren interested in town names and their histories." Thank you for sharing and good luck with your writings.

 Comment Written 06-Jun-2022


reply by the author on 06-Jun-2022
    Thanks for reviewing. Kate xx