Bestselling author Christopher Winn takes a closer look at our Roads, Avenues, Groves, Gardens, Hills and Lanes. There are around 800,000 streets in the UK and the name of each one tells a tale. We take them for granted but the choice of name can reveal facts about Britain's history, geography, topography and nature, even its politics and culture. From the most common names, to the rarest, the funniest to the most notorious, among the many fascinating facts, find out why the City of London has no "Roads", and where the UK's shortest street name (Rye) is located, as well as its longest (Bolderwood Arboretum Ornamental Drive). And why Station Road is in the top five most popular street names, alongside the multitude of Victoria Streets and Albert Roads. Devon even boasts The Street with No Name, which of course has its own story... Perfect for fans of trivia and local history, Great British Street Names will prompt you to think a little differently about the street where you live.

In this hugely enlightening book, Carol Foreman investigates the origins of many of Glasgow's street names, examining the influences and inspirations for many of the city's most famous thoroughfares, from local association and sentimentality to the influence of royalty, distinguished individuals and historical events. There is a story in the name of almost every street and district in Glasgow, with some even bearing names bestowed on them in Pagan times, long before Glasgow could even be called a city. As well as street names, the origin of districts such as Cowcaddens, Gorbals and Polmadie are given along with those of the River Clyde, the Molendinar Burn and some buildings with unusual names such as the Bucks Head building in Argyle Street. This new revised edition examines the famous street names in the city centre from the M8 to the north bank of the River Clyde, to Glasgow Green and Bridgeton in the east and to Kingston Bridge in the west, with new material examining the Gorbals and the West End of the city, and with newly acquired illustrations and photography.

Originally published in 1913, this volume provides information on the historical background of place-names in Nottinghamshire. Entries are listed in alphabetical order and vary in length, depending on historical interest or the complexity of their development. Notes are provided on phonology, the principal personal names used in place-names, and words other than personal names used in place-names. Additional material includes an introduction and bibliography. This is a fascinating volume that will be of value to anyone with an interest in British history and the development of toponymy.

This book discusses developments in the history of British house names from the earliest written evidence (Beowulf's Heorot) to the twentieth century. Chapters 1 and 2 track changes from medieval naming practices such as Ceolmundingchaga and Prestebures, to present-day house names such as Fairholme and Oakdene: that is, the shift from recording the name of the householder (Sabelinesbury, 'Sabeline's manor'), the householder's occupation (le Taninghus, 'the tannery') and the appearance of the house (le Brodedore, 'the broad door'); to the five main categories still in use today: the transferred place-name (Aberdeen House), the nostalgically rural (Springfield), the commemorative (Blenheim Palace), the upwardly mobile (Vernon Lodge), and the latest fashion (Fernville). The development and demise of pub names and shop names such as la Worm on the Hope and the Golden Tea Kettle & Speaking Trumpet are detailed, and the rise of heraldic names such as the Red Lion is explained. Chapters 3-5 track the house name Sunnyside backwards in time to prehistory, through English, Latin, Scottish Gaelic, and the influence of Old Norse. Sunnyside's ancient origins lie in the Nordic practice of solskifte, a prehistoric method of dividing up land according to position of shadows, but the name was boosted in the eighteenth century by Nonconformists (especially Quakers), who took it to America, and in the nineteenth century by American celebrity influence. The book contains an appendix of the earliest London house names to the year 1400, and a gazetteer of historic Sunnysides.

The classic reference of place-name information on the state's cities, towns, townships, lakes, and streams. For this revised edition, the staff of the Minnesota Historical Society combed recent literature and databases to update entries and add new names. The book captures much of the lost lore of familiar places and of towns that have disappeared -- and of the people who made the state what it is today.

You've always wondered about those peculiar and colorful town names. Now here comes the full and often remarkable explanantions. Perfect for new Texans, transplanted Texans, and history buffs, this book blends human interest, curious circumstances, humor and even constroversy with local historical facts surrounding the origins of Texas town names.

This book is the first of its kind to chart the terrain of contemporary India's many place names. It explores different 'place connections', investigates how places are named and renamed, and looks at the forces that are remaking the future place name map of India. Lucid and accessible, this book explores the bonds between names, places and people through a unique amalgamation of toponomy, history, mythology and political studies within a geographical expression. This volume addresses questions on the status and value of place names, their interpretation and classification. It brings to the fore the connections between place names and the cultural, geographical and historical significations they are associated with. This will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of geography, law, politics, history and sociology, and will also be of interest to policy-makers, administrators and the common reader interested in India.

This remarkable book introduces us to four unforgettable Apache people, each of whom offers a different take on the significance of places in their culture. Apache conceptions of wisdom, manners and morals, and of their own history are inextricably intertwined with place, and by allowing us to overhear his conversations with Apaches on these subjects Basso expands our awareness of what place can mean to people. Most of us use the term sense of place often and rather carelessly when we think of nature or home or literature. Our senses of place, however, come not only from our individual experiences but also from our cultures. Wisdom Sits in Places, the first sustained study of places and place-names by an anthropologist, explores place, places, and what they mean to a particular group of people, the Western Apache in Arizona. For more than thirty years, Keith Basso has been doing fieldwork among the Western Apache, and now he shares with us what he has learned of Apache place-names--where they come from and what they mean to Apaches.

Originally published in 1920, this volume provides information on the historical background of place-names in County Durham and Northumberland. The text was compiled by Allen Mawer (1879-1942), who was instrumental in the foundation of the English Place-Name Society. Entries are listed in alphabetical order and vary in length, depending on historical interest or the complexity of their development. Notes are provided on elements found as the second part of place-names or used by themselves, and personal names found as the first element in place-names. Additionally, the text contains an introduction, bibliography and information relating to phonology. This is a fascinating volume that will be of value to anyone with an interest in British history and the development of toponymy.

Following the success of the first edition, this new edition has been expanded and improved with additional images and enhanced drawings. The subject matter has been expanded with the chapter on grammar and pronunciation extended. There are examples of how Gaelic personal names and the human body are used in place-names and many etymological sources have been added to place-name tables. In addition to the generic index, there is now an index of specific place-names. Finally, there's more to say about hares, bears and boars! Reading the Gaelic Landscape is essential for anyone who is interested in the Scottish Highlands and its native language. It enables people to read and understand place-names in Gaelic, providing insights into landscape character and history. The book enriches the experience of walkers, climbers, sailors, bird watchers and fishers by sketching the named context, where they practise their pursuits. Outdoor enthusiasts need no longer struggle with unfamiliar spellings and words, as they can develop a new perspective of place through an understanding of Gaelic toponymy. The ways Gaelic poets like Sorley MacLean and Duncan Ban MacIntyre used the named landscape in their work is explored. Names are used to speculate about species extinctions and the history of the Caledonian Forest. Readers learn how place has been defined in Gaelic and how this has been recorded, through a deeper understanding of how native speakers applied their language to the landscape. This new edition will build on the praise for the first: * ...essential for those interested in the Highlands and its ancient, living language. It helps readers and outdoor enthusiasts understand seemingly obscure words on maps, with insights into landscape history and ecology. The Scots Magazine * ...John Murray's book is unique ... The result is a triumph. ... Just occasionally you come across a book whose lasting value is so obvious that you know people will be referring to it in 50 years' time or more. Reading the Gaelic Landscape is one of those books. Undiscovered Scotland * ...the scope of the book is admirably broad, with primers on the history of the Gaelic language in Scotland, how the first maps of the country came to be made, and how the Gaelic speakers of old would have conceptualised things like colours and sounds, seasons and time. Roger Cox, The Scotsman * ...this book is a useful resource for those interested in Scotland's landscapes, environment and history. Wild Land News

Was Gasoline, Texas, named in honor of a gas station? Nope, but the name does honor the town's original claim to fame: a gasoline-powered cotton gin. Is Paris, Texas, a reference to Paris, France? Yes: Thomas Poteet, who donated land for the town site, thought it would be an improvement over "Pin Hook," the original name of the Lamar County seat. Ding Dong's story has a nice ring to it; the name was derived from two store owners named Bell, who lived in Bell County, of course. Tracing the turning points, fascinating characters, and cultural crossroads that shaped Texas history, Texas Place Names provides the colorful stories behind these and more than three thousand other county, city, and community names. Drawing on in-depth research to present the facts behind the folklore, linguist Edward Callary also clarifies pronunciations (it's NAY-chis for Neches, referring to a Caddoan people whose name was attached to the Neches River during a Spanish expedition). A great resource for road trippers and historians alike, Texas Place Names alphabetically charts centuries of humanity through the enduring words (and, occasionally, the fateful spelling gaffes) left behind by men and women from all walks of life.

Victor Watt's reference work comprises a completely new compilation, based on the archives of the English Place-Name Society. It reflects the most recent scholarship for all names of cities, towns, villages, hamlets, rivers, streams, hills and other geographical locations included in the Ordnance Survey Road Atlas of Great Britain (1983), with many more recent additions. The Dictionary will be of interest to geographers, historians, historical linguists and language scholars.

This book explores international trends in naming and contributes to the growing field of onomastic enquiry. Naming practices are viewed here through a critical lens, demonstrating a high level of political and social engagement in relation to how we name people and places. The contributors to this publication examine why names are not only symbols of a person or place, but also manifestations of cultural, linguistic and social heritage in their own right. Presenting analyses of geographically and culturally diverse perspectives and case studies, the book investigates how names can represent deeper kinds of identity, act as objects of attachment and dependence, and reflect community mores and social customs while functioning as powerful mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion. The book will be of interest to researchers in onomastics, sociology, human geography, linguistics and history.

This book explores international trends in naming and contributes to the growing field of onomastic enquiry. Naming practices are viewed here through a critical lens, demonstrating a high level of political and social engagement in relation to how we name people and places. The contributors to this publication examine why names are not only symbols of a person or place, but also manifestations of cultural, linguistic and social heritage in their own right. Presenting analyses of geographically and culturally diverse perspectives and case studies, the book investigates how names can represent deeper kinds of identity, act as objects of attachment and dependence, and reflect community mores and social customs while functioning as powerful mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion. The book will be of interest to researchers in onomastics, sociology, human geography, linguistics and history.

Sir Allen Mawer (1879-1942) was a renowned scholar of place names. Originally published in 1929, this book was based on a course of three lectures delivered by Mawer at King's College, Cambridge under the auspices of the Board of English Studies in the University of London. The text provides a study of the problems and possibilities associated with the study of place names. A detailed index is also provided. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in place names and British history.

Alone, months of sailing separating them from home, in the polar winter where the sun never rises, the two ships of Captain William Parry's expedition lay encased in ice from November 1819 to March 1820. In order to fully chart the North-West Passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific, it was necessary to overwinter in the Arctic, something that no other British expedition had done before. To boost morale in these uncomfortable circumstances, Captain Edward Sabine (1788-1883), a senior scientist carrying out measurements of natural phenomena, founded and edited a weekly magazine, which ran for twenty-one issues and was made available to the wider world in 1821. Offering jokes, poems, stories and thinly disguised gossip, the members of the expedition contributed to the magazine with enthusiasm (after having first thawed their ink). This little book offers unique insight into what polar exploration in the nineteenth century was actually like.

Originally published in 1914, this volume provides information on the historical background of place-names in Yorkshire. Entries are listed in alphabetical order and vary in length, depending on historical interest or the complexity of their development. Additionally, the text contains an introduction and bibliography, together with information regarding the Anglian, Scandinavian and Celtic influences on place-names. This is a fascinating volume that will be of value to anyone with an interest in British history and the development of toponymy.

Originally published in 1914, this volume provides information on the historical background of place-names in Sussex. Entries are listed in alphabetical order and vary in length, depending on historical interest or the complexity of their development. Additionally, the text contains an introduction and bibliography, together with information on the principal personal names used in place-names, and words other than personal names used in place-names. This is a fascinating volume that will be of value to anyone with an interest in British history and the development of toponymy.

The Cambridge Gazetteer of the United States and Canada is a comprehensive, one-volume, alphabetically arranged encyclopedic dictionary of places. It contains over 12,000 entries based on the latest census data and on a wide range of economic, cultural, historic, and topographical sources. The Gazetteer's coverage is unique in that it extends beyond the basic survey of towns, cities, and rivers; it includes coverage of urban neighborhoods; suburban and rural communities; lakes, rivers, ocean areas, mountains, forests, swamps, parks, preserves, and other regions of contemporary interest or past significance including Revolutionary and Civil War sites; roads and routes; important industrial, military, and cultural locales; historic sites; and even renowned folkloric and fictional places. Thus, it is not only a basic reference tool--including entries for every place having a population over 10,000--but actually a pleasure to read.

This book delves deep into the vast field of Finnish onomastics, covering place names, personal names, animal names, commercial names and names in literature. It provides the history and current trends in this area of research, and also supplements international terminology with the Finnish point of view on the subject. Brimming with examples and clear explanations, the book can be enjoyed by the most adamant of researchers or those who just have a genuine interest in the study of names.

This book discusses developments in the history of British house names from the earliest written evidence (Beowulf's Heorot) to the twentieth century. Chapters 1 and 2 track changes from medieval naming practices such as Ceolmundingchaga and Prestebures, to present-day house names such as Fairholme and Oakdene: that is, the shift from recording the name of the householder (Sabelinesbury, 'Sabeline's manor'), the householder's occupation (le Taninghus, 'the tannery') and the appearance of the house (le Brodedore, 'the broad door'); to the five main categories still in use today: the transferred place-name (Aberdeen House), the nostalgically rural (Springfield), the commemorative (Blenheim Palace), the upwardly mobile (Vernon Lodge), and the latest fashion (Fernville). The development and demise of pub names and shop names such as la Worm on the Hope and the Golden Tea Kettle & Speaking Trumpet are detailed, and the rise of heraldic names such as the Red Lion is explained. Chapters 3-5 track the house name Sunnyside backwards in time to prehistory, through English, Latin, Scottish Gaelic, and the influence of Old Norse. Sunnyside's ancient origins lie in the Nordic practice of solskifte, a prehistoric method of dividing up land according to position of shadows, but the name was boosted in the eighteenth century by Nonconformists (especially Quakers), who took it to America, and in the nineteenth century by American celebrity influence. The book contains an appendix of the earliest London house names to the year 1400, and a gazetteer of historic Sunnysides.

This revised edition of the Dictionary of British Place-Names includes over 17,000 engaging and informative entries, tracing the development of the featured place-names from earliest times to the present day. Included place-names range from the familiar to the obscure, among them 'Beer', 'Findlater', 'Broadbottom', and 'Great Snoring'. The A to Z entries are complemented by a detailed introductory essay discussing the chronology and development of English, Irish, Welsh, and Scottish place-names, as well as an extensive bibliography, maps of Britain showing old and new boundaries, and a glossary of common elements in place-names. Also new to this edition is an appendix of recommended web links pointing to relevant online resources, thereby expanding the scope of the dictionary and providing the reader with an opportunity to explore the subject further. Both accessible and up to date, this dictionary is an ideal companion for anybody travelling around the British Isles, as well as for researchers and students with an interest in toponomy, local history, cartography, and lexicography.

This is a fascinating book about the origin, the meaning and the pronunciation of the names of Scotland's hills. This book explains the origin and the meaning of the names of Scotland's hills, as well as how to pronounce them. It also brings together many of the legends and stories behind particular hill names. This is a thoroughly researched, completely revised and expanded second edition which builds on the success of its predecessor - "Scottish Hill and Mountain Names". Many new names are detailed, including a significant increase in the coverage of Borders hill names and old forms of many hill names from 17th and 18th century maps brought to bear in explanations. The hills of Scotland are a significant part of the landscape and the names of these hills reflect the rich social and cultural history of Scotland over the past 500 years and all who have been there. These names are a legacy of the past and this book opens the door to this fascinating world.