The wonderful world of English place-names.

[Steve H]

Fifehead Magdalen
Ryme Intrinseca
Wootton Bassett
Lydiard Tregoze
Chilton Foliat
Clifton Maybank
Collingbourne Ducis
Hardington Mandeville
Melbury Bubb
Melbury Osmond
Melbury Sampford
Sampford Courtenay
Sampford Arundel
Sampford Peverell
Sampford Brett
Horsted Keynes
Huish Episcopi
Huish Champflower
Wyke Champflower
Dowlish Wake
Hatch Beauchamp
Staple Fitzpaine
Langford Budville
Kittisford Barton
Holcomb Rogus
Budleigh Salterton
Yatton Keynell
Upton Cheyney
Farrington Gurney
Barrow Gurney
Norton Hawkfield
Norton Malreward
Ston Easton
Chewton Mendip
Hinton Admiral
Hinton Blewett
Temple Cloud
Bishop Sutton
Midsomer Norton
Shepton Mallet
Buckland Dinham
Hinton Charterhouse
Limpley Stoke
Farleigh Hungerford
Monkton Farleigh
Monkton Combe
Upton Scudamore
Dilton Marsh
Draycot Cerne
Christian Malford
Kington Langley
Langley Burrell
Tytherton Lucas
Frampton Cotterell
Compton Bassett
Clyffe Pypard
Berwick Bassett
Winterbourne Bassett
Winterbourne Monkton
Winterbourne Gunner
Winterbourne Dauntsey
Winterbourne Muston
Winterbourne Zelston
Lytchett Matravers
Corfe Mullen
Toller Whelme
Allerton Mauleverer
Coatham Mundeville
Nempnett Thrubwell
Steeple Bumstead
Redmarley D'Abitot
Crowmarsh Gifford
Stocking Pelham
Zeal Monachorum
Pity Me
Westward Ho!
New Invention

Any other favourites to add to the list?

[Aruntraveller]

Always been fond of:

Wood Enderby
Mavis Enderby and
Bag Enderby

All Lincolnshire place names

[Steve H]

I remember reading of a signpost which said "To Mavis Enderby and Old Bolingbroke". Underneath, some wag had written "a son."

[Robbie]

I don't find most of those odd at all, Wootton Bassett &Upton Cheyney for example. Seem like normal sort of place names.

[Maeght]

I don't find most of those odd at all, Wootton Bassett & Upton Cheyney for example. Seem like normal sort of place names.

Don't think anyone has said they are odd, but rather that they are somewhat wonderful.

Glad Nempnett Thrubwell was on the list - a favourite of mine.

[Free Willy]

Matching Tye is in Essex.

[Free Willy]

I've always found Chalfont St Giles a pain in the arse.

[Rhiannon]

Lychett Matravers has to be a villain from a Ngaio Marsh novel.

[Harrowby Hall]

Two examples from my home town area:

Woolsthorpe by Belvoir
Woolsthorpe by Colsterworth

The second was the birthplace of one of the most renowned human beings ever to walk on this planet.

[Rhiannon]

Places in my home county include Margaret Roding, Helions Bumpstead, Great Henny and Salcott Cum Virley.

[Maeght]

Places in my home county include Margaret Roding, Helions Bumpstead, Great Henny and Salcott Cum Virley.

Helions Bumpstead is a good one

[ad_orientem]

In Enfield where I lived for some time was a place called World's End, and little further down the road Botany Bay, so called because it was supposedly one of the last places prisoners stayed before they were shipped off the Australia (I don't know if that's true though).

[Roses]

In the late 70s and early 80s we lived in Kent, in what was then a village, but now a town, called Paddock Wood.

[Steve H]

Torpenhow, in Cumbria, means "Hill hill hill".

[Free Willy]

Torpenhow, in Cumbria, means "Hill hill hill".

Perhaps it was an accident black spot in past times. People mightave kept bumping into it.

[Robbie]

Great Snoring
Little Snoring
Crackpot

Lychett Matravers has to be a villain from a Ngaio Marsh novel.

What a coincidence that you should say that! First time I ever read a Ngaio Marsh novel, 'Death in ecstasy', I was on a short holiday with parents in a place called Langton Matravers in Dorset (which was then a gorgeous place). I can still picture myself in my room by the window with the book in my hands. It was in the bookcase for guests to read.

She doesn't have any connection with Dorset afaik but you saying what you did is uncanny.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Much Hadham is quote close to me - whenever I go through it for some reason I think of Carry On films.

There's also Cold Christmas a bit further afield.

[Rhiannon]

Great Snoring
Little Snoring
Crackpot

What a coincidence that you should say that! First time I ever read a Ngaio Marsh novel, 'Death in ecstasy', I was on a short holiday with parents in a place called Langton Matravers in Dorset (which was then a gorgeous place). I can still picture myself in my room by the window with the book in my hands. It was in the bookcase for guests to read.

She doesn't have any connection with Dorset afaik but you saying what you did is uncanny.

Oh that is odd.

[bluehillside Retd.]

As a cyclist I tend to notice the odd ones. All the following are fairly near me: Chigmal Smealy, Good Easter, Abbess Roding, Furneaux Pelham, Wendens Ambo, Shudy Camps, Bardfield Saling, Beauchamp Roding. And of course who could forget the timeless Shellow Bowells?

[Rhiannon]

Last time I drove into Castle Camps there was a dummy wearing evening dress tied to the village sign.

[Rhiannon]

There are eight Rodings - Abbess, Margaret, Beauchamp, Leaden, White, Aythorpe, High and Berners. People in the know say it as 'Rooding' as the original name was 'Roothing'.

[Rhiannon]

As a cyclist I tend to notice the odd ones. All the following are fairly near me: Chigmal Smealy, Good Easter, Abbess Roding, Furneaux Pelham, Wendens Ambo, Shudy Camps, Bardfield Saling, Beauchamp Roding. And of course who could forget the timeless Shellow Bowells?

Speaking of Shellow Bellows, but going slightly off topic, it forms part of Willingale parish (I think), which I love because it has two parish churches almost side by side, one called Willingale Spain and one called Willingale Doe.

http://www.willingale.org/wp/willingale-village/the-two-churches-of-willingale-village/

[Samuel]

A lot of those places are in Dorset, including Lytchett Matravers.

But allow me to lower the tone with a few more choice place names from my home county of Dorsetshire...

Scratchy Bottom
Shitterton
Wancombe Hill (which is conveniently right next to Dickley Hill)
Wancombe Bottom
Smacam Down
Pound Bottom

[Enki]

Crackpot

Great Heck

Little Heck

All in Yorkshire

Twatt both in Orkney and Shetland

And slightly off topic, Grape Lane is a famous Lane in Whitby, which was once known as Grope Lane. However, even earlier, it was called Gropecunt Lane. It was quite a dark area I believe.

[Robbie]

I knew Crackpot, been there. It's in Swaledale and is lovely.

Following on from Lytchett and Langton Matravers in Dorset, I remembered :
Dancing Ledge.

I remember being scared climbing down to beach. Beach was lovely & I was OK going back up!

Makes me feel nostalgic, want to go back. Prob'ly not the same as it was when I was at school.